RAND CHARLES
Author
Occupied Paris: April 1941
Desperate to return home from France on the eve of Hitler’s anticipated declaration of war, American Addie Bridges realizes her future is anything but certain when she witnesses the brutal murder of German businessman and sweet old raconteur Konni Ritter. Addie is ordered to remain in Paris as a material witness to the murder, threat of war or no.
The fragile balance of the occupation’s first well-mannered year could careen into violent oppression if it turns out the French engineered Ritter’s death. And nothing would benefit the SS more in their desire to wrest control of France from the army. Charged with uncovering the truth, Abwehr major Rolf von Gerz begins to tally the suspects: Was it the spiteful chanteuse at the Club l’Heure Blue? Or the club’s crafty Alsatian manager, with well-known ties to the Paris underworld? Ritter’s estranged business partner? Or could the recent murder of a French stockbroker somehow be connected? And most troubling of all: Can the beautiful young American be trusted?
A riveting murder mystery, spy thriller, and love story, with uniquely colorful characters and a surprise ending, Fall Irmgard is a true page-turner that draws the reader into the high-brow, seductive world of 1940s Paris, a city on the cusp of unraveling.
Comments on Fall Irmgard
“I love this story, the characters, the way the characters interact, the way the subplots intertwine, the author’s sense of Paris and Germany at the time, and his overall commentary on the historical and political issues of the day. Fall Irmgard brings occupied Paris to life, and exposes the rich tapestry of people that lived there.”
H. Schier
Fall Irmgard
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Historical Novel Society Review
FALL IRMGARD: Operation Irmgard
An American woman, Addie Bridges, accidentally finds herself in the center of a tense power-struggle in Rand Charles’ gripping and tremendously effective debut novel Fall Irmgard.
The year is 1941, and Addie Bridges is in Paris when she witnesses the murder of a popular German businessman, Konni Ritter. The authorities order her to remain in Paris, and Charles complicates things greatly by introducing the fascinating character of Abwehr major Rolf von Gerz and putting him in charge of investigating Ritter’s death.
In classic whodunit fashion, it quickly turns out there are many equally possible suspects, many of them connected with Paris demimonde. Charles does an extremely skillful job of deploying one plot-twist and unforeseen revelation after another, all while filling out his book with atmospheric and well-researched details of life in Paris as it passed into the dark days of Nazi occupation. His characters are well-drawn, and his dramatic pacing maintains an absorbing momentum throughout.
An extremely satisfying (and beautifully designed) book.
Strongly recommended.
Steve Donoghue
"Yeah. There's a lot to take in here. The author painted 1940's Paris so vividly it was if he was sharing memories with the reader. The characters are thought out and absolutely believable. I was quickly drawn into their world - I grew to know and care for them. The tempo was consistent and circumstance appropriate. The mystery and budding romance are contradictory in the lives of the characters. However, they compliment each other beautifully for the story. The dialogue often reminded me of the classic style writing of the masters from long ago."
R J McGill
"Whew!!! Take your time. Read, digest, continue. Cuz this one heck of a book is well worth it. Rand Charles is a master of mystery and WW2 history, and FALL IRMGARD is a spectacular combination of both.
Go ahead and read other reviews for the synopsis, all i want to say is that this author draws you into the action with compelling characters and great writing."
Yankeelin
”Fall Irmgard” by Rand Charles,
A compelling murder mystery and love story set in Occupied Paris. During the Werhmacht’s first, well-mannered year, a conflicted German investigator falls in love with a conniving American murder witness in a story that avoids cliche’ and stereotype, weaving romance and intrigue through both the haute and heedless Cafe’ and Cabaret set, as well as a seamy, corrupt world of black marketeers, underworld gangsters, SS interlopers and Abwehr profiteers.
FALL IRMGARD
OPERATION IRMGARD
Historical fiction is my preferred genre and this one did not disappoint. I really liked the way the book ended. I will not spoil it for you but I would not have predicted it would end the way it did. This is a novel that I highly recommend. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did if you decide to read it.
Marilyn Kurtis