A story of courage and bravery from a Jew behind enemy lines during the Second World War. How many secrets can one family hold?
Levi Horowitz isn’t a natural-born soldier. But in November 1938, Berlin is a volatile place for a Jew, and the talented young musician secures passage to Switzerland. Instead, Levi is taken to a Danish border checkpoint and from then on his war becomes secret, even … checkpoint and from then on his war becomes secret, even from those he loves best.
In 2017, a recording emerges, showing Levi in 1945 and revealing a story in equal parts shocking and heroic. It is a journey that leads him face-to-face with Hitler, and into a position to change the final outcome of the war.
Levi’s War follows on from the enthralling historical novels The Keeper of Secrets and Rachel’s Legacy, this time tracing the story of the eldest Horowitz son. Whether you’re discovering Julie Thomas’s books for the first time, or making a return visit to the saga of the Horowitz family, Levi’s War will leave you utterly breathless.
Praise for The Keeper of Secrets
‘Thomas’s writing comes alive when describing the glories of music and the alchemy of its extraordinary practitioners. She has also managed to portray the horror of life in Dachau with pinpoint accuracy and emotional conviction.’
NZ Listener
‘Originally self-published as an ebook, gaining widespread popularity and rave reviews, The Keeper of Secrets is the culmination of years of meticulous research, for which the reader reaps the rewards. Prepare to be swept up in a captivating story that both entertains and informs.’
Australian Women’s Weekly
‘I can see why it’s been so successful. The Keeper of Secrets is holocaust fiction with a difference, a compelling tale about a precious violin and the people who love, play and covet it.’
Herald on Sunday
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germany, ww2, espionage, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, lgbt
When I read this book I truly believed that it was a fictionalized true story of a man who lived and suffered under Hitler as well as his own conscience. And who is to say I was wrong. The presentation is that of remaining family members now living in England in 2017 being apologized to by the current espionage branch because as they were digitizing records ignored facts were discovered. The story shifts back and forth between 2017 and the life of Levi Horowitz regarding his service as an English spy in the heart of the Reich.
Levi comes from a practicing Jewish family in Berlin and is sent to England (with a hiccup or two) to work and live in London where he is eventually tapped by the service to become a British agent in Berlin. There are many things that test his Faith as well as his sense of self.
A heartwrenching pageturner of a read.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Harper 360/HarperCollins NZ via NetGalley. Thank you!
There are two previous books in this series of the Horowitz family.
Levi’s War by Julie Thomas is the third book in the appropriately named the Horowitz Chronicles. Here the reader is able to follow along with the Horowitz family history and are able to place more pieces into the puzzle on what happened to the family, in particular Levi, during WWII. I have to admit I have not read the first two installments, however with a bit of summary here and there, I was able to pick up the prior information that was given in the previous stories. If one has read the other two books, The Keeper of Secrets and Rachel’s Legacy, one might be able to appreciate an additional background element, however it is certainly not needed.
The reader gets to follow along as we see all of the turmoil, risky ventures, and tasks that Levi has to endure as he trains and returns to infiltrate the ranks under enemy lines.
There were moments of sadness, suspense, and pure awe as I was able to reflect how much one man was able to do despite the risks involved. The material is heavy, as one would expect, however the pacing and plot flowed nicely. I will definitely look up the author’s first two works under this trilogy to learn more of this story overall.
4/5 stars
Thank you EW and HarperCollins for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
Part of a series.
Everything will be alright now
The story of Levi Horowitz and his family right before, during and after WWII. This is a story of a young Jewish man who showed great courage in the face of danger with compassion and love for his fellow man. He , however, was plagued by secrets during that time that he kept from his family until after his death.
He played many roles in his lifetime, refugee, spy, resistance fighter, friend, uncle, comrade and lover. Each role in his life he played to his utmost ability even though he was at times hurting inside. He saw, faced and lived with fear, evil, death, and sometimes love and friendship.
It is a heartbreaking story of the cruelty of war and how it affects all those involved and how it changes a person forever.
The story is told through an interview the Army did with him after he left the war. He told them I will tell you my story this one time and I will never speak of it again. When his only living brother was in his 90’s the tape was found and shown to the family.
It is a very good book , much history of the war both in Germany and in Italy. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Julie Thomas, Harper 360, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy for an honest review.
Levi’s War is the story WWII through one man’s experiences, experiences which his family knew nothing about until following his death.
Levi Horowitz is working at his father’s bank in London, when he is approached by British Intelligence and asked to be a spy in Germany. Levi speaks multiple languages, is a talented pianist, and as a Jew, is interested in helping with the British war effort. Following extensive training, he is dropped into Berlin as a German soldier, where he is to garner what information he can and report back to them. His musical ability soon brings him to the attention of the high command of the Nazi party, and he is asked to play at their parties in their homes, in time gaining access to Hitler himself.
After several years as a spy, he makes a personal decision based on a relationship to go to Italy and fight with the resistance there. As the war ends, the British military debriefs him and learns about the rest of his war efforts. In 2017, they discover a tape made by Levi in 1945 which tells his story. The Brits want to make it into a documentary about his courage and bravery and gather his remaining family to ask their permission to air it.
Though this is a fictionalized account, it is representative of what many actually did during the war; willingly putting themselves in personal danger to fight against those who would take their freedom and homeland from them. The author does a fine job of making Levi’s story captivating, and I enjoyed the read very much.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins NZ for allowing me to read an e-copy of the book with hopes of an unbiased review. All opinions expressed in this review are freely given and are my own.
4 bright stars for an engaging story of one man’s journey through WWII. Although this book is fiction, some of the characters in the book were real people. Levi Horowitz grows up in Germany. His father decides to send him to Britain in 1938 after Kristallnacht. He manages to escape Germany as Jews are increasingly persecuted.
He is interned as an enemy alien in 1940. But then he is recruited by the British intelligence because he speaks German, English, French and can play the piano. They want him to parachute into Europe and act as a German officer. Because he can play the piano, he is noticed by Goebbels and is invited to play the piano for Adolf Hitler.
His life as a spy is a thrilling adventure and not discovered by his family until 2017 when the British find a video recording of a debriefing interview of Levi made in December 1945. The book then goes back and forth between present day and WWII.
This is book 3 in a trilogy, but it worked fine for me as a stand alone.
One quote from Levi on the Holocaust/Shoah “Families that lived and worked and owned property and contributed magnificently to the world for hundreds of years, and in one short period they have been totally obliterated.”
#LevisWar #NetGalley
Thanks to HarperCollins NZ for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
I couldn’t put this book down. The tragic life of Levi and his family kept me reading.
Excellent
Histories fiction with intrigue and prospective on WWII Germany, England, and Italy.
Great book couldn’t put it down.
Poignant, hair raising, historical, based on a real person, an amazing read don’t miss it
very good