Book Review: Fall Irmgard: Operation Irmgard

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Title: Fall Irmgard : Operation Irmgard
Author: Rand Charles
Genre: Fiction, Literature
Pages: 440
Publisher: Penurious Publishing

Rating: 4/5


Fall Irmgard: Operation Irmgard by Rand Charles is a story set during the Second World War. Its been long since I have come across a complex and involving book such as this and I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it.

The year is 1941 in German occupied Paris. A German businessman, Konni Ritter, is murdered and the brutality is witnessed by one of his friends, Addie Bridges, an American waiting to return home. She is held back for inquiry by Major Rolf von Gerz, a German army officer who is in charge of the case. Konni was a sweet and friendly person according to all his friends and acquaintances and it comes as a shock when he is murdered on the Alexander III bridge. Along with a Gestapo, Rolf, with Addie as a suspect, set about to find the murderer amidst the cacophony of the war. There are a string of  other suspects too, of course. A night club manager, a stock broker, a french gangster and some of Konni's women friends. The trick, as is with every mystery, is to get to the bottom of it all.

Wow! It took me a very long time to finish this book. It is a complex story with so many different characters, that I sometimes found it difficult to keep up, honestly. The book starts off with what happens in one day in the lives of each of the different characters. And only then, the story takes off. I want the readers to make a note here. The book is long and complex but by no means, boring or dull. In fact, it reminded me of one of  my favorite classics, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. As many may know, that book has a lot of character building and plot description and then with each passing event, the story falls into place. That is the vibe of the layout in this book too and if you've loved reading A Tale of Two Cities, you'll definitely love this one.

OK, to the technicalities now. As I said, loads of characters, each perfectly described and thought of. Extravagant details of the setting, read occupied Paris, is provided which is absolutely interesting and engaging. The character of Rolf and Addie are linked romantically. Rolf is this stern officer on the outside with a soft heart within. Addie, on the other hand, is charming and bold, an American in love with Paris. The character of Konni Ritter, too, is given enough background before he is killed. Everyone from the rich foreign girls to the club owner is beautifully explained, as if the author has picked these characters from real life.

Fall Irmgard: Operation Irmgard is an intense and complex tale with pleasurable intricacies that make for a wonderful read. With a sophisticated touch of classical writing, it is sure to attract anyone interested in the classical fiction genre, something that is rarely found these days. A perfect blend of history and mystery (wow, that rhymes!), if you're someone who likes historical fiction, you probably shouldn't miss this.


*** This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. ***