November 6, 2017
The 1938 Munich peace negotiations form the backdrop for this intelligent novel. Thriller Award–winner Harris (Conclave) presents the diplomatic give-and-take through the perspectives of two friends who have fallen out of touch: Hugh Legat of His Majesty’s Diplomatic Service and his Oxford schoolmate, Paul von Hartmann, who serves as a translator for the German Foreign Ministry. For Hugh, the international crisis coincides with the deterioration of his marriage. Paul is recruited by a group of conspirators hoping that Hitler’s militarily unrealistic plans to attack Czechoslovakia will lead his generals to support an effort to topple him. Meanwhile, Neville Chamberlain holds vigorous discussions with his cabinet about what he could and should do to avert what he believes will be a civilization-shattering conflict that will cost many British lives over “a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing.” Harris succeeds in not only transforming a familiar historical event into a novel of suspense but in making the derided Chamberlain sympathetic. 100,000-copy announced first printing. Agent: Michael Carlisle, Inkwell Management.