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Secrets of the Last Nazi is the first novel in the Myles Munro series, and the debut novel from British author Iain King. The plot follows Myles Munro, an eccentric lecturer in military history, asked to investigate papers belonging to the late Werner Stolz, formerly an SS Captain. As part of an international team comprising representatives from Russia, the USA and France, Munro faces dangers from an unseen foe who is also trying to capture the dead Nazi’s secrets.

The book was published on 9 July 2015 by Bookouture in London, with copies made available in paperback and electronic form in the UK and USA. Within one month, the novel had become the best-selling spy story in the UK, outselling books by John Le Carre, Chris Ryan, Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith. It also achieved number one new release status on Amazon in the USA.

Most critics wrote favourable reviews of the book. Positive comments were made about the book's pace, the characters, and the story as a whole. Negative comments included a suggestion that the story was "burdened by detail," and that it was unnecessary for the time to be shown at the start of each chapter. King was also criticised for including a "graphic torture scene" early in the book. Some reviewers described the book as "controversial", while others concluded it could change profoundly the way people think.

Synopsis

Plot

As the title suggest, the plot centres on secrets held by one of the last men to work for Adolf Hitler. The story starts in Germany, two months after the end of World War Two, where SS Captain Werner Stolz is being questioned by Allied soldiers about Nazi research programmes. The interrogation goes badly.

Seventy years later, Werner Stolz, now over one hundred years old, prepares to die in his nursing home near Berlin. Since the war, he’s lived a very full, accomplished and varied life.

At this point, we meet the hero, Myles Munro, who is helping his old friend, Frank Wellesley. Wellesley shows Munro his new exhibition at London’s Imperial War Museum, when they find someone stealing papers from the archives. Munro chases the thief out into the road, where the thief is killed in traffic and Munro badly injures his knee; he remains injured throughout the story.

Stolz is found dead, with a bullet wound to the head and a cyanide capsule in his mouth. It is initially thought to be suicide, emulating Hitler’s death, but suspicions are raised by forensic tests, which indicate he was killed.

Russian diplomat Zenyalena Androvsky issues a demarche to the USA, evoking a clause in the Yalta Agreement that requires that all information from the Third Reich to be shared between the Allies, and demanding an investigation into Stolz’s wartime research. The Americans agree, and nominees from the old United Nations – the USA, Russia, France and the UK – are selected for the mission. When Myles Munro learns the museum thief had been stealing papers about Stolz, he accepts Britain’s place on the team.

The four-person team gather at the historic Cecilienhof Palace Hotel to examine Stolz’s papers, then visit the man’s surprisingly sparse apartment in East Berlin. Munro faces an attempt on his life in the building.

The team are divided by Stolz’s papers: the Russian, Zenylena, thinks they indicate the Nazis made a huge scientific advance, while the American, Glenn, suggests it was probably a trick. That night one of the team is killed by a psychotic assassin under the pay of Father Samuel, an enigmatic figure who is tracking the international team, determined to keep Stolz’s secrets hidden.

Realising Stolz had hidden further papers in four locations, the team travel first to Vienna, uncovering substantial material from Stolz in the national library. But fire engulfs the upper reading room, and they only just manage to escape. Further clues take them to two other locations, both of which were highly significant in the early years of the Nazi party, stopping at a US military hospital in between to treat one of their team, who becomes seriously wounded.

The final scenes take place back in Berlin, where the team unearths Stolz’s most impressive wartime achievement, and each team member is confronted with a terrifying revelation. Meanwhile, Father Samuel enacts his plan to keep Stolz’s secret ‘hidden in public view.’

Themes

Secrets of the Last Nazi explores whether our character and choices can really change our fate, and suggests it is best for us to believe we have free will, even if we don’t. It also examines what someone working for the Nazis can do to redeem themselves.

Main Characters

Werner Stolz – a former Captain in the SS interrogated by the Allies in the book’s opening scene. Stolz lived an unusually fortunate life after 1945, and was able to retire early and become a philanthropist and a VIP at the Munich Olympics. Stolz is ‘The Last Nazi’, and dies in Chapter One.

Myles Munro – a ‘brilliant but unconventional academic’, with a sharp distrust of bureaucrats, described as a misfit and "not recommended for leadership positions", There are suggestions that Munro was falsely accused of association with terrorists in the past. Myles is clumsy, and is hampered by a knee injury throughout Secrets of the Last Nazi.

Helen Bridle – Munro’s partner, a spirited American TV journalist. Helen Bridle was named after a real person, who, while dying from cancer, encouraged King to switch to fiction writing, and to name a heroine after her. Secrets of the Last Nazi is dedicated "To the real Helen Bridle".

Glenn – a sarcastic, secretive American. There are several indications that Glenn has a background in military intelligence.

Zenyalena Androvsky – A Russian diplomat keen to "win one over on the yanks" and determined to follow the investigation through to the end.

Jean-Francoise Pigou – A flight lieutenant in the French Air Force, seconded to the French foreign ministry.

Lieutenant Colonel Pascal – A Frenchman recommended by Jean-Francoise, and an expert in statistics and history.

Heike-Ann Hassenbacher – The team’s German assistant. Heike-Ann is employed by the German diplomatic police, and is four months pregnant.

Frank Wellesley – The hapless curator of the Imperial War Museum, and a university friend of Myles Munro. Frank had childhood polio, giving him a permanent limp.

Dieter – a psychopath with a criminal past, fond of Nazi ideology.

Father Samuel – a rotund religious figure, determined to keep Stolz’s secrets hidden. Samuel later meets with the arrogant Professor Cromwell, a "professional atheist" who has made his career from mocking religion, and the multi-millionaire Philip Ford.

Inspiration, Research and Writing

Inspiration

Iain King had previously written non-fiction books on philosophy, foreign affairs and military history, which had sold well, but which had earned little money. He switched from writing non-fiction to fiction at the request of his friend, Helen Bridle, who was dying from cancer and asked for a heroine to be named after her. King said that keeping his promise to Helen motivated him to write, and ‘’Secrets of the Last Nazi’’ is dedicated ‘To the Real Helen Bridle’.

King chose to make the main hero a military historian because he wanted to challenge the way "World War Two still dominates the way modern society thinks about war," which he said was wrong, given the nature of 21st century wars in Africa and the Middle East. But nevertheless, he chose World War Two as the backdrop for his first book because it was "exciting and fascinating," and because "Nazis are the ultimate ‘baddies’".

Research and Writing

In a magazine interview, King revealed he spent more time researching than writing the book, seeking non-fiction elements which would merit reading in their own right as the basis for a thriller. King’s research has been accepted as meticulous and substantial; one reviewer warned that "reading this book may make you wish to spend several hours on Google doing research on topics you never imagined your interest in."

Based on Iain King’s research, the book claims that Hitler’s supposed heroics as a young soldier in World War One were propaganda, and that "several respected Western journalists colluded in the myth" that Hitler was brave. During the course of the story, reflecting King’s research, characters discover evidence that Hitler dodged the draft for Imperial Austria at least three times before World War One; that the dictator-to-be spent less time in the trenches than almost any other private in his regiment, implying that his Iron Cross was undeserved and that Hitler was not really blinded by a mustard gas attack in October 1918, as Hitler claimed in his autobiography, but by a mental collapse. The book alleges that a former chancellor of Germany tried to blackmail Hitler with the real medical report which made this clear, but Hitler had the man assassinated.

King also alleges that Hitler’s personal book collection contained "books on magic… which had almost certainly been thumbed through by the dictator himself," and provides details on how other top Nazis, notably Hess and Himmler, tried to apply science to occult topics in their efforts to strengthen the Reich. Twenty-seven pages from Stolz, which offer detail on the research, are provided at the back of the book.

In a magazine interview, Iain King remarked: "Secrets of the Last Nazi involved a great deal of detailed research, and what I discovered was profoundly shocking. I know many people will find it hard to believe, or refuse to believe it. The book is my attempt to wrap those truly amazing facts in a clever tale."

Publication and Reception

Bookouture bought rights to ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ in February 2015. Artwork for the book’s cover was designed by Tom Sanderson, formerly design manager at Pan Macmillan and Penguin Books.

The book was published on 9 July 2015 by Bookouture in London, with copies made available in paperback and electronic form in the UK and USA. Within one month, the novel had become the best-selling spy story in the UK, outselling books by John Le Carre, Chris Ryan, Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith, The book also achieved number one new release status in the USA, where Kindle sales would later top the thriller category.

Most critics wrote favourable reviews of the book. Positive comments were made about the book’s pace, the characters, and the story as a whole. Negative comments included a suggestion that the story was "burdened by detail," and that it was a mistake to state the time at the start of each chapter. Several critics described the book as "controversial".

Sam Kiley of Sky News described the book as ‘‘addictive’’ while David Boyle of The Guardian suggested the book was ‘’thrilling… and ingenious’’. A number of reviewers remarked that the book "had a little bit of everything in it," and that it was at "once a thriller, a mystery, a treasure hunt (which offered) a little bit of something for everyone" King’s fiction writing was compared widely, and usually favourably, with Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, Scott Mariani, and Alistair Maclean. Many reviewers suggested ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ should be made into a film.

In August 2015, talk radio host Hannah Murray described the book as "controversial", and King was criticised for including a "graphic torture scene" early in the book. Many reviewers concluded the book could change profoundly the way people think.

Epilogue and Sequel

Secrets of the Last Nazi ends in Myles Munro’s lecturer’s apartment in Pembroke Street, Oxford, seven months after the events in Berlin. Myles Munro, fully recovered and able to run again, is reunited with Helen Bridle. He receives a call from the government official who had sent him to Berlin, and learns that terrorists have been turning mercury into gold. Munro is asked to investigate. The sequel to Secrets of the Last Nazi is titled The Last Prophecy of Rome.

References

1. 456 pages stated here
2. 454 pages on this US site
3. 395 stated here
4. Tom Wright, in a review for The Sun, published on page 54 of the 16th July 2015 edition of the newspaper, summarised the book in this sentence: "A brilliant but unconventional academic races shadowy agents, a deranged killer and power-mad priests to expose a vast conspiracy." Review accessed 24th August 2015.
5. Bookouture's two-book deal with King was reported in the Bookseller magazine. Their report, from February 2015, is available online in Bookouture Snaps Up Nazi Conspiracy Thriller, accessed 24th August 2015.
6. The US edition was made available five days later, on July 14, 2015, as shown on Myles Munro Action Thriller # 1 (US), accessed 24th August 2015.
7. This news was reported in several places. In The Nazis are Coming! An Interview with Author Iain King, Writing Belle of California notes that "Secrets of the Last Nazi has just become the bestselling spy story in the UK, and been classified by Amazon USA as a 'Number One New Release'." Accessed 24th August 2015.
8. Literary Agent Clare Hulton wrote: "Hugely exciting to see Iain King's debut conspiracy thriller Secrets of the Last Nazi receiving rave reviews on amazon.co.uk, reaching the number one slot in its categories, and on amazon.com where it is the number one new release in its category." – taken from http://www.clarehulton.com/ and accessed on 24th August 2015.
9. This chart shows the best seller table on 2nd August 2015 with Secrets of the Last Nazi in the number one position.
10. In this sales graphic, accessed 24th August 2015, Secrets of the Last Nazi is shown outselling books by Chris Ryan, Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith; John Le Carre is mentioned in the post titled, Secrets of the Last Nazi: Now a number one best seller in both the UK and USA (link), accessed 24th August 2015.
11. Lane, S. 14th August 2015: "Secrets of the Last Nazi has just … been classified by Amazon USA as a 'Number One New Release'." – taken from this interview, and accessed on 24th August 2015.
12. Literary Agent Clare Hulton wrote: "Iain King's debut conspiracy thriller Secrets of the Last Nazi… is the number one new release in its category." – taken from this literary agent website and accessed on 24th August 2015; with confirmation offered by graphics on this post, from 9th August 2015, accessed 24th August 2015.
13. One of the earliest commentaries on the book seems to be in this interview with author Renita D'Silva, where she describes the book as "Fabulous".
14. Several commentators mentioned the book on twitter before it was published – examples are 5 of 5 stars for Secrets of the Last Nazi, also Secrets of the Last Nazi is the best book you'll read this summer & is likely to blow your mind!, and I recommend Secrets of the Last Nazi from the bottom of my heart. These examples are representative: as of 28th August 2015, there were no critical or negative reviews of Secrets of the Last Nazi on twitter (this fact verifiable by searching Secrets of the Last Nazi on twitter).
15. For a collection of early reviews of the book, see: Early Reviews of Secrets of the Last Nazi, accessed 27th August 2015.
16. Of the first twenty reviews of the book, nineteen readers awarded it five stars out of five, and one reader gave it four. This chart shows the first customer reviews, accessed 28th August 2015.
17. Wright, T, 16th July 2015, The Sun page 54: "(Secrets of the Last Nazi) romps along at a ferocious pace". Also, "Secrets of the Last Nazi has wonderful short sharp chapters (and) had me turning the pages with an ever increasing speed, so desperate was I to find the 'secret'" - from a reviewer for libraries in Wales. Accessed 28th August 2015.
18. Author Sue Fortin said the book had "A good pace all the way through, building up and racing to an exciting finish." Fortin is quoted on this page, accessed 28th August 2015.
19. Former BBC News journalist Terry Stiastny says the book "races across Europe" on this independent book review webpage, accessed 28th August 2015.
20. "That's another amazing thing about this novel, while it's definitely a complex story, it reads easy (to certain extent) and is a real page turner." – taken from this award-winning review site, (9th July 2015), accessed 28th August 2015.
21. "The characters are so different and memorable, especially Myles Munro, the agent UK government sends…. Amazing, ballsy and unique characters you'll root for while on the quest to reveal the big secret," according to the ‘This Chick Reads’ female literature review website, accessed 28th August 2015.
22. Accio Adventure website, on 29th May 2015, concluded: "This 392 paged novel offers a TON of bang for your buck. It is at once a thriller, a mystery, a treasure hunt, and an incredible revelationary work that may just change the way you look at the world,". Also, on 15th July, Paul Lane described the book as "One of the most original and carefully thought out stories that have yet to appear in print…. A book that will thrill" (the full review is here (link)), (accessed 28th August 2015)
23. This critique is drawn from this paragraph: "I… must admit some parts and all their reference added some burden to the story and made it more difficult to read. I’m not saying they felt dragging, however they did seem a bit too much to digest. Or maybe it’s just me and my state of mind when I was reading this book. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, fast paced political thriller full of action that will definitely appeal to fans of Dan Brown." This excerpt is taken from Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King (a Review)
24. Criticism made by a former US Peace Corps member who reviewed the book in the USA. The full quote is: "While I fail to understand why we, as readers, need to know the specific time of the start of each chapter, I found the book enjoyable, enticing, and informative." The review can be accessed here (accessed 28th August 2015).
25. Secrets of the Last Nazi contains "quite graphic torture scenes" according to "Book Review of Myles Munro Conspiracy Thriller", June 2015, accessed 29th August 2015.
26. 'This Chick Reads' commented: "…It’s definitely a controversial read, but I strongly recommend reading it with an open mind."(link). The book was also introduced as quite controversial by talk radio host Hannah Murray, on 13th August 2015, on the Hannah Murray’s show (audio downloadable from the site).
27. In an interview, Author Renita D'Silva said: "Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King - It is fabulous. Turns everything you have believed on its head." Also, on 17th July 2015, the American literary critic ‘Book Bitch’ wrote: "What the secret is and where and when it originated comprise one of the most original and carefully thought out stories that have yet to appear in print. King introduces facts and dates to substantiate his thesis making this a mesmerizing novel with the distinct possibility that it introduces new truths in a world of science previously debunked as fakery. Great thinkers out of the past are introduced as discovering and using these ideas. Not only a better than average conspiracy book, but one also backed up by research that brings new ideas into the possibility of reality."
28. Also, David Boyle of The Guardian concluded: Iain King has come up with a thrilling plot and an ingenious idea that has the possibility to turn everyone's ideas upside down and back to front. This quote is accessible in several places.
29. On 29th May 2015, the Accio Adventure website (link) concluded: "This 392 paged novel… at once a thriller, a mystery, a treasure hunt, and an incredible revelationary work that may just change the way you look at the world."
30. The age of Stolz at his death was calculated by ‘Men Reading Books’ as 102. The full quote is: in "His name is/was Werner Stolz and he died in a Potsdam nursing home at about the age of 102. Cause of death? Suicide via cyanide and a gunshot. Just like Hitler. But at 102?", accessed 28th August 2015.
31. The international investigation team have exclusive access to the hotel in the Cecilienhof Palace, which was also used to host the 1945 Potsdam Conference, because the hotel was closed to normal guests after 2014, as shown on the hotel website, here, accessed 28th August 2015.
32. According to Page 7 of "The Esoteric Codex: Nazism and the Occult" By Hans Tridle, ISBN 978-1-312-99589-5, this advance relates to using science to make occult practices more accurate. Tridle’s book states "Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King examines the Third Reich's fascination with astrology and predicting the future". Tridle's book also gives further details on Nazi research in related areas.
33. One literary critic states "When one of his team is killed, Myles realizes that the stakes are much higher than originally perceived and quite possibly his group includes a traitor. The hunt for the secret and its ramifications broadens all across Europe." Accessed 28th August 2015.
34. According to ‘Men Reading Books’ (link), "As the investigatory team moves from the Berlin area to Austria, Italy, France, and back to Berlin, it become apparent that someone else is watching their progress." From 30th July 2015, accessed 28th August 2015.
35. Samuel’s plan only emerges in the penultimate chapter of the book, Chapter 69.
36. This is made most explicit in chapter 59 of the book.
37. Secrets of the Last Nazi, Chapter 70, page 412, "If people knew their future they’d stop trying…. (It would) hurt every human being who ever wanted to make a decision for themselves."
38. Secrets of the Last Nazi, page 414.
39. This is The Sun’s description of Myles Munro, from their review on 16th July 2015, page 54.
40. In Chapter 9, where is also described as having "issues with authority," and a post-it notes reveals he turned down an assignment when the person asking him admitted she was a bureaucrat.
41. On page 46 of the book, the report on Munro’s previous assignment simply states the word "exonerated".
42. In the book, assistant deployments manager Simon Charfield notes "Myles Munro may be healthy and physically fit. But I don’t know how the hell he passed his driving test – he can barely tie his shoelaces. He’s less coordinated than a kitten on Youtube".
43. In a US magazine interview, in August 2015, King said: "I used to write non-fiction, but a friend – on her deathbed – told me to switch to fiction, and make her one of the characters in my stories. I dedicated ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ to her, and yes, as promised, the heroine has her name." The text of the interview is available through this link, accessed 28th August 2015.
44. The Sun describes him as "Shadowy" (July 16th 2015, page 54).
45. When she was a teenager, Zenyalena’s father was killed while serving in Afghanistan by a surface-to-air missile supplied by the CIA. The quote "win one over on the yanks" is from Book Review - Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King, No Spoilers, retrieved on 28th August 2015.
46. According to The Sun (July 16th 2015, page 54), Dieter is "deranged".
47. The Sun (July 16th 2015, page 54) describes him as "power-mad".
48. Source: Ethics, Philosophy and Government (Interview with Iain King CBE on page 9) from July 2014.
49. Details of his previous books: Peace at Any Price: How the World Failed Kosovo (2006), which chronicles the Kosovo intervention; Making Peace in War (2014), which is about life working in Afghan warzones; and How to Make Good Decisions and Be Right All the Time (2008), which is about moral philosophy.
50. In The Nazis Are Coming! An Interview with author Iain King, published in California in August 2015, King said: "I used to write non-fiction, but a friend – on her deathbed – told me to switch to fiction, and make her one of the characters in my stories. I dedicated ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ to her, and yes, as promised, the heroine has her name."
51. The dedication on page 5 of the UK paperback reads ‘To the real Helen Bridle’. Note that King said he was also inspired by the ‘very kind reviews’ he received for his first book, ‘Peace at Any Price’ which was about Kosovo. In The Nazis Are Coming! An Interview with author Iain King, which was published in the USA in August 2015, King said: "Peace at Any Price my first book, co-written with a friend. It’s a modern history of Kosovo, where I spent four years working for the UN. The book tries to make sense of the Kosovo war and the international intervention which followed, including what worked, what didn’t, and why. The very kind reviews for the book inspired me to keep writing." Accessed 28th August 2015.
52. From The Nazis Are Coming! An Interview with author Iain King.
53. Iain King explained that: "World War Two still dominates the way modern society thinks about war – just look at any programming schedule for the History Channel. I don’t think it should, as most people who’ve been in 21st century wars, in Africa or the Middle East, will agree. But World War Two was exciting and fascinating, and Nazis are the ultimate ‘baddies’." – taken from The Nazis Are Coming! An Interview with author Iain King, August 2015.
54. This photo from 1999 was uploaded to Serbian Misplaced Pages in July 2014. It is alleged that King’s bodyguard in this picture now works for J.K.Rowling.
55. Taken from Writing Belle’s Interview with Iain King, August 2015.
56. See Writing Belle’s Interview with Iain King, August 2015.
57. For example, Stacy Alesi's 'Book Bitch' review concludes: "King introduces facts and dates to substantiate his thesis making this a mesmerizing novel with the distinct possibility that it introduces new truths in a world of science previously debunked as fakery… backed up by research that brings new ideas into the possibility of reality." From July 2015.
58. The full quote says: "I will caution you that reading this book may make you wish to spend several hours on Google doing research on topics you never imagined your interest in." Taken from Secrets of the Last Nazi - No Spoiler Review, posted in May 2015.
59. Iain King has credited some of his research findings to Tomas Weber’s book Hitler’s First War, ISBN 9780199226382. See Hitler: Really a Non-Hero in World War One
60. This quote is from page 418 of ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’.
61. On page 185 of the book, chapter 33, the allegation is made that "Hitler lied in Mein Kampf" by pretending to have left Vienna in 1912, whereas in fact he left later and was draft dodging in 1912 and 1913. The allegation is repeated elsewhere in the book, for example on page 418 of Secrets of the Last Nazi.
62. Secrets of the Last Nazi, page 418.
63. Secrets of the Last Nazi, page 418.
64. Secrets of the Last Nazi page 290.
65. See page 290 of Secrets of the Last Nazi. More details are set out on the official Secrets of the Last Nazi webpage, in The Truth About Hitler from 17th June, 2015.
66. Ryback, Timothy W., writing in The Atlantic Magazine corroborates this assertion. In his article, Hitler’s Forgotten Library, he writes: "One of the most heavily marked books (in Hitler’s book collection) is Magic: History, Theory and Practice (1923), by Ernst Schertel… Hitler's copy of Magic bears a handwritten dedication from Schertel, scrawled on the title page in pencil. … The book has been thoroughly read, and its margins scored repeatedly. I found a particularly thick pencil line beside the passage "He who does not carry demonic seeds within him will never give birth to a new world."
67. Tridle, Hans, "The Esoteric Codex: Nazism and the Occult" Page 7., ISBN 978-1-312-99589-5: "Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King examines the Third Reich's fascination with… predicting the future".
68. Pages 421-448 of ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’.
69. Comments made by King in February 2015, quoted in The Bookseller magazine, "Bookouture Snaps Up Nazi Conspiracy Thriller."
70. Reported by Book Trade on 16th Feburary 2015, and in "Bookouture Signs Mindblowing Nazi Conspiracy Thriller", accessed 29th August 2015.
71. Tom Sanderson’s role is credited on the book cover, with further details at ‘’Secrets of the Last Nazi’’ (link to Tom Sanderson’s website), accessed 28th August 2015.
72. Bookouture’s two-book deal with King was reported in the Bookseller magazine. Their report, from February 2015, is available online in "Bookouture Snaps Up Mindblowing Nazi Conspiracy Thriller", accessed 24th August 2015.
73. The US edition was made available five days later, on July 14, 2015, as shown here, accessed 24th August 2015.
74. This news was reported in several places. American interviewer Summer Lane wrote that "Secrets of the Last Nazi has just become the bestselling spy story in the UK, and been classified by Amazon USA as a ‘Number One New Release’." - accessed on 24th August 2015.
75. Literary Agent Clare Hulton wrote: "Hugely exciting to see Iain King's debut conspiracy thriller Secrets of the Last Nazi receiving rave reviews on amazon.co.uk, reaching the number one slot in its categories, and on amazon.com where it is the number one new release in its category." Accessed on 24th August 2015.
76. Secrets of the Last Nazi - Now the Number One Best Selling Spy Story shows the best seller table on 2nd August 2015 with Secrets of the Last Nazi in the number one position.
77. In this sales graphic, accessed 24th August 2015, ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ is shown outselling books by Chris Ryan, Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith; John Le Carre is mentioned in the post titled, Now a number one best seller in both the UK and USA, accessed 24th August 2015.
78. On 14th August 2015, Writing Belle wrote that "Secrets of the Last Nazi has just … been classified by Amazon USA as a ‘Number One New Release’" – taken from here, and accessed on 24th August 2015.
79. Literary Agent Clare Hulton wrote: "Iain King's debut conspiracy thriller Secrets of the Last Nazi… is the number one new release in its category." – taken from this literary agent website and accessed on 24th August 2015; and confirmed on this blog, from 9th August 2015, accessed 24th August 2015.
80. See: "E-Book buyers made ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ their favourite spy thriller this summer,", accessed 3rd September 2015.
81. One of the earliest commentaries on the book seems to be in this interview with author Renita D’Silva, where she describes the book as "Fabulous".
82. Several commentators mentioned the book on twitter before it was published – examples are 5 of 5 stars for Secrets of the Last Nazi, also Secrets of the Last Nazi is the best book you'll read this summer & is likely to blow your mind!, and I recommend Secrets of the Last Nazi from the bottom of my heart. These examples are representative: as of 28th August 2015, there were no critical or negative reviews of Secrets of the Last Nazi on twitter (this fact verifiable by searching ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ on twitter).
83. For a collection of early reviews of the book, see: Early Reviews of Secrets of the Last Nazi, accessed 27th August 2015.
84. Of the first twenty reviews of the book, nineteen readers awarded it five stars out of five, and one reader gave it four. This chart shows the first customer reviews, accessed 28th August 2015.
85. Wright, T, 16th July 2015, 'The Sun' page 54: "(Secrets of the Last Nazi) romps along at a ferocious pace". Also, "Secrets of the Last Nazi has wonderful short sharp chapters (and) had me turning the pages with an ever increasing speed, so desperate was I to find the 'secret'" - from a reviewer for libraries in Wales. Accessed 28th August 2015.
86. Author Sue Fortin said the book had "A good pace all the way through, building up and racing to an exciting finish." Fortin is quoted on this page, accessed 28th August 2015.
87. Former BBC News journalist Terry Stiastny says the book "races across Europe" on this independent book review webpage, accessed 28th August 2015.
88. "That’s another amazing thing about this novel, while it’s definitely a complex story, it reads easy (to certain extent) and is a real page turner." – taken from this award-winning review site, (9th July 2015), accessed 28th August 2015.
89. "The characters are so different and memorable, especially Myles Munro, the agent UK government sends…. Amazing, ballsy and unique characters you’ll root for while on the quest to reveal the big secret," according to the ‘This Chick Reads’ female literature review website, accessed 28th August 2015.
90. Accio Adventure website, on 29th May 2015, concluded: "This 392 paged novel offers a TON of bang for your buck. It is at once a thriller, a mystery, a treasure hunt, and an incredible revelationary work that may just change the way you look at the world,". Also, on 15th July, Paul Lane described the book as "One of the most original and carefully thought out stories that have yet to appear in print…. A book that will thrill" (the full review is here (link)), accessed 28th August 2015
91. This critique is drawn from this paragraph: "I… must admit some parts and all their reference added some burden to the story and made it more difficult to read. I’m not saying they felt dragging, however they did seem a bit too much to digest. Or maybe it’s just me and my state of mind when I was reading this book. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, fast paced political thriller full of action that will definitely appeal to fans of Dan Brown." This excerpt is taken from Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King (a Review)
92. Criticism made by a former US Peace Corps member who reviewed the book in the USA. The full quote is: "While I fail to understand why we, as readers, need to know the specific time of the start of each chapter, I found the book enjoyable, enticing, and informative." The review can be accessed here (accessed 28th August 2015).
93. 'This Chick Reads' commented: "…It’s definitely a controversial read, but I strongly recommend reading it with an open mind."(link). The book was also introduced as quite controversial by talk radio host Hannah Murray, on 13th August 2015, on the Hannah Murray’s show (audio downloadable from the site).
94. Sam Kiley said of the book: This is a remarkable and chilling book - a clever blend of addictive fiction and astonishing revelation. Kiley’s review is available here.
95. David Boyle’s full quote is: here. "Iain King has come up with a thrilling plot and an ingenious idea that has the possibility to turn everyone's ideas upside down and back to front." accessed 28th August 2015.
96. This an excerpt from an independent literary reviewer. The full review reads: "This was a wonderful surprise for me. In the past when I have read books that had a historical theme they tend to be dry almost like reading a text book. This book was anything but that, it had a little bit of everything in it. If you want action, an adventure that touches on a lot of history as well as a search for the secret. This is a great read one that I thoroughly enjoyed." accessed 29th August 2015.
97. This is from Secrets of the Last Nazi (A Review) – the full quote reads: "This book offered a little bit of something for everyone… It is at once a thriller, a mystery, a treasure hunt, and an incredible revelationary work that may just change the way you look at the world. I found the book enjoyable, enticing, and informative…I would recommend this book to history lovers and mystery/thriller lovers alike."
98. ‘’….a good option for folks who like Dan Brown… but King presents his research in a much more plausible story.’’ (from the ‘’Men Reading Books’’ collective, 30th July 2015, accessed 28th August 2015), and as Iain is a new author, please allow me to make this parallel with an author many of you I believe have already read, Dan Brown. There are some similarities when it comes to the stories, the pace, etc, however I still believe Iain is in it’s own category as an author, and a breath of fresh air when it comes to political thrillers. (from ‘Best International Book Blogger’ Prof Dr Ananda on 9th July 2015, accessed 28th August 2015).
99. These comparisons are made in several places, including by author Sue Fortin, who remarked: ‘’A good pace all the way through, building up and racing to an exciting finish. I would recommend to anyone who likes Scott Mariani, Dan Brown type thrillers. I will definitely look out for more books by this author,’’ and also in ‘’Secrets of the Last Nazi,’’ and on (link) and also NetGalley (link). Comparisons with these authors are also made in several online reader reviews, for example here.
100. For example, "I really wish it could be made into a movie, hope some producer will hear about this novel and see the great potential." and "Great characters, great storyline, fascinating content and a wonderful triple whammy of surprises at the end. This book really should be made into a movie." The suggestion is also made in social media, and on several consumer review websites.
101. On 13th August 2015, on Hannah Murray’s show.
102. Secrets of the Last Nazi contains "quite graphic torture scenes" according to "Book Review of Myles Munro Conspiracy Thriller", June 2015, accessed 29th August 2015.
103. In an interview, Author Renita D'Silva said:"Secrets of the Last Nazi by Iain King - It is fabulous. Turns everything you have believed on its head." Also, on 17th July 2015, this American reviewer wrote: "What the secret is and where and when it originated comprise one of the most original and carefully thought out stories that have yet to appear in print. King introduces facts and dates to substantiate his thesis making this a mesmerizing novel with the distinct possibility that it introduces new truths in a world of science previously debunked as fakery. Great thinkers out of the past are introduced as discovering and using these ideas. Not only a better than average conspiracy book, but one also backed up by research that brings new ideas into the possibility of reality."
104. Also, David Boyle of The Guardian concluded: Iain King has come up with a thrilling plot and an ingenious idea that has the possibility to turn everyone's ideas upside down and back to front. This quote is accessible in several places.
105. On 29th May 2015, the Accio Adventure website (link) concluded: "This 392 paged novel… at once a thriller, a mystery, a treasure hunt, and an incredible revelationary work that may just change the way you look at the world."
106. The title The Last Prophecy of Rome is revealed on page 419 of the UK paperback of Secrets of the Last Nazi.
107. On The Book Show, 13th August 2015, Iain King revealed he was working on two more books.
108. According to the 16th February 2015 article Bookouture Snaps Up Mind-blowing Nazi Conspiracy Thriller in Booktrade magazine, "…the second book in the series (follows) in early Spring 2016."

External links

• ‘Secrets of the Last Nazi’ webpage

• 2015 novels
• Debut novels
• 2010s novels
• British novels
• Nazis in fiction