Sardine Packing

by Morton Morelli

Sardine Packing is the deplorable term the Nazi’s gave to the mass graves where they shot Jews, to fall like Sardines in a can. Book 1 is set in World War 2. The camp is the first death camp where Jews are to be transported and then executed. Himmler visits the camp to meet Hitler to put his final solution in practice. Old footage of the War always look bleak, but Europe was still very beautiful, we see the contrast between the beauty, and the horror of war. We also see the financial impact of the proposed slaughter of some 5 million Jews. Hans is a good guy, and soon comes to realise that people are the same no matter what creed they may be. A relationship forms with him, and Sophie, and he intends to try to help her escape. I don’t hold back on the horrific sex, acts and slaughter that took place during the war. The full horror of how one human being could treat another under such circumstances. Something that still occurs in modern times. Book 2 the present day. We meet two sisters who are very close, but find themselves living on different continents. Emily is in Washington, and here she meets up with an old family friend and ex-boyfriend of her sister. With a long term underlying issue with stress, Emily seeks out Prost for professional advice. The younger sister, Eleanor, gets a dream job with the banker Richard Weiss, and she encounters a world of wealth that is beyond belief. Weiss seems to have the Midas touch, and has a game plan to purchase a company with a product that he can not only make more money, but he hopes to personally benefit from its use. Dr Blake Gibson is a surgeon who after losing his licence, works exclusively for Weiss. A man that has few friends, and is quite unpleasant, but still he worships Weiss, and has a close business and personal relationship. Weiss has plans for Gibson, and it is linked to the purchase he engages Eleanor to help him with. Weiss comes under close scrutiny from the banking regulators, and the IRS, but comes out with his reputation enhanced and his position of strength increased. He goes after a deal, and it is big, so big that if it comes off, it will make him one of the richest people on the planet. We find the extraordinary lengths Weiss will go to achieve his goal. Emily works indirectly for Senator Kugel, a ruthless man that has self-interest at the forefront of his political ambitions. As he sits on the board of the Federal Reserve, Kugel is also a very powerful man, and sets the tone of the economy as the Chairman. Weiss is the Chairman of the Weiss Banking Corporation, W.I.B.C, based in Washington. On his next visit he takes Eleanor, so she can take a vacation with her sister. While there she gets reacquainted with her ex Dr David Prost. How the relationships intertwine is at the heart of the book. Connections are many and varied. We also need to know how the present day is linked to the past, and book 1. Does the family connection go right back and if so, who is connected to whom. Our psychic, Rainbird may be able to help answer this question. Eleanor becomes close to Victoria, Richard Weiss PA, and their bond grows as the plot unfolds. As Weiss takes greater risks, will he take his team with him, will they back him as his ambition pushes boundaries. Will the tension of the insatiable deal making, lead to him making the wrong decisions, we shall wait and see. What part will greed play in the decisions he makes and how will they impact on our characters? Will the past give us the answer? We see emotions pushed to their limits and things fundamentally change. How will this affect our group and where will this take us. The pace increases at the end as all of the loose strands are drawn in, and we see the whole picture. The plot builds to a dramatic end, but there is a twist or two to come. Some things are revealed along the way, but you have to stay to the end to know what happens. Hopefully, this is a page turner that you won’t want to put down.

278 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 2015

Reviews

[Phil H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book, starting off with an unusual perspective for a War story: filled with beautiful scenery, love, hope, and horrific acts of war. The book then takes an unusual turn and jumps to a very modern-day setting, with some contemporary topics of immense wealth, individual greed, and global water shortages. As the story unfolds, the link between the war story and the modern day start to unfold, teasing links at first but then it becomes clear. Not wanting to ruin the story, needless to say towards the end of the book I found myself reading quicker and quicker desperate to find out what would happen next! If you like war stories, or are a modern day James Bond fan, then this book has something for you.

[Linda Dupuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was very emotional for me but at the same time, also very informative. So hard to fathom how horrific it was for the Jewish people at the hands of the Nazi's. It is a book that will have an everlasting impression on me.

[Deborah Mitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

to come

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title "Sardine Packing" is unique to a story regarding the Hollocaust The book is well written and very well researched. The characters Hans and Sophie give light to, no matter how horrific circumstances are, hope in the form of love. Their love for each other is well defined and crosses the barrier of prejudice, racism and cruelty with the realization that all humanity is fragile. The book requires one's full attention or the reader will find himself/herself lost in the past and/or the present.

The author has done very well in making all his characters come alive to ensure that the story progresses with all the emotions illuminating the plot. And, as such. the plot thickens, as does the mysteries of how the past and present connection began.

This book is extremely fascinating and riveting. I recommend it to those readers who love a little history, romance and mystery in their books.

[Alison Mcclean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fast paced, exciting book with a clever plot. Had me gripped from the first page. Book one is set during WW2 in a picturesque village in France during the occupation and describes perfectly not just the horror of war but the evil men do to each other. Book 2 is set in modern day and explains why the past is not really the past and still effects the future. The characters are very believable and intriguing and you get very involved in their lives. Sardine Packing is a book full of twists and suspense and will have you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommended.