A thrilling spy mission, a moving Holocaust story, and a first-class work of narrative nonfiction. Winner of the YALSA Award, best non-fiction book for young readers in 2014.
In 1945, at the end of World War II, Adolf Eichmann, the head of operations for the Nazis’ Final Solution, walked into the mountains of Germany and vanished from view. Sixteen years later, an elite team of spies captured him at a bus stop in Argentina and smuggled him to Israel, resulting in one of the century’s most important trials, one that cemented the Holocaust in the public imagination.
The Nazi Hunters is the thrilling and fascinating story of what happened between these two events. Survivor Simon Wiesenthal opened Eichmann’s case; a blind Argentinean and his teenage daughter provided crucial information. Finally, the Israeli spies, many of whom lost family in the Holocaust, embarked on their daring mission, recounted here in full. Based on the adult bestseller Hunting Eichmann, which is now in development as a major film, and illustrated with powerful photos throughout, The Nazi Hunters is a can’t-miss work of narrative nonfiction for middle-grade and YA readers.
Reviews
“In this thrilling James Bond style book, Bascomb includes daring escapes, fake identities, captures, secret rooms constructed within houses, a human-size storage compartment in a caterer’s cart, secret missions and action normally seen in spy thrillers. I picked the book up expecting cut and dry facts and was surprised by a true story that kept me glued to the book until the final page. While the story reads easily, the content is deep and I would highly recommend it.” —TeenRead
“Thriller fans will find all their favorite plot points here, from disguises and coded messages to abduction and interrogation, and Bascomb keeps on the right side of the fine line that distinguishes suspense from sensationalism. Photographs are included throughout the text, adding not just to the evidence of Eichmann’s guilt but to the reader’s sense of being along on the mission” —Horn Book Reviews
“From cafés in Buenos Aires to the halls of the fledgling Israeli government, from false identities to secret drops, this story has all the hallmarks of a spy novel. Bascomb has a knack for turning complex detail into a suspenseful, heart-pounding narrative. At times it unfolds at a breakneck pace and at others, it is tantalizingly slow. The depth of research in this fine work is evident in the level of information provided and in the extensive bibliography and source notes. An excellent choice for libraries.” —School Library Journal
“Bascomb swiftly establishes background, introduces readers to the key players and takes them through the search. At any moment in the hunt something might have gone wrong, with those involved being captured as spies and allowing Eichmann to escape. Tension rises from the pages, thanks to Bascomb‟s command of pacing, judicious use of quoted material, inclusion of archival photographs and strong descriptions. It‟s nonfiction as thriller in its recounting of the actions of a midlevel, monstrous clerk and the work of a few dedicated people in delivering him to justice.” —Kirkus Reviews
Photos
Mossad Team
