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Grave Of Truth
Max Steiner is the unhappily married, German-born, Paris-based foreign correspondent for a London paper, and he's on assignment when West German politician Sigmund Walther is shot down beside him by two assassins; the dying man ""Janus. . . ."" This shocks Steiner who, as a 1945 Hitler Youth, was ordered to execute a man who also died saying, ""Janus. . . find Janus."" Steiner sets out to do just that, with the help of Walther's widow Minna, a middle-aging mother of five who's not too old for a gentle fling with Steiner. Meanwhile, the CIA and West German Intelligence converge on the search for Janus--whom the assassinated Walther had also been tracking down--and the professional hit team that killed Walther (a pair of homosexuals working for KGB) is assigned a new list of victims to be taken out, including Max, Minna, and a mysterious nun. What is Janus all about? Whom are they all seeking? Hitler's offspring, of course, what could to boost the Fourth Reich.
244 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
About the author
Evelyn Anthony
118 books96 followersEvelyn Anthony was the pen name of Evelyn Bridgett Patricia Stephens Ward-Thomas,
Started her career as a writer of historical fiction, later switched to writing contemporary thrillers, often with an espionage theme.
She met Michael Ward-Thomas on a double date in The Dorchester and both were attracted to each other.] He worked for the Consolidated African Selection Trust. They switched partners and were married a few months later.
They bought Horham Hall in 1968 but found that it was costly and sold it in 1976 and moved to Naas, County Kildare where she had relatives. Increased income from her writing allowed her to buy Horham Hall back in 1982.
In 1994 she became High Sheriff of Essex, the firswt woman in over 700 years to hold this office.
In 1995 her daughter Kitty died of a heroin overdose, leading Evelyn to not write for another seven years.
In 2004 her husband died of a stroke.
She was survived by her children Susan, Anthony, Ewan, Christian and Luke as well as 16 grandchildren.
NB:Some sources give Ms Anthonys year of birth as 1926.
Additional information added from Wikipedia
Started her career as a writer of historical fiction, later switched to writing contemporary thrillers, often with an espionage theme.
She met Michael Ward-Thomas on a double date in The Dorchester and both were attracted to each other.] He worked for the Consolidated African Selection Trust. They switched partners and were married a few months later.
They bought Horham Hall in 1968 but found that it was costly and sold it in 1976 and moved to Naas, County Kildare where she had relatives. Increased income from her writing allowed her to buy Horham Hall back in 1982.
In 1994 she became High Sheriff of Essex, the firswt woman in over 700 years to hold this office.
In 1995 her daughter Kitty died of a heroin overdose, leading Evelyn to not write for another seven years.
In 2004 her husband died of a stroke.
She was survived by her children Susan, Anthony, Ewan, Christian and Luke as well as 16 grandchildren.
NB:Some sources give Ms Anthonys year of birth as 1926.
Additional information added from Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 24, 2021
Another fascinating and - thank goodness, not a true - story….
August 6, 2018
An older book that I found on the library sales rack. Interesting thriller set in post-WWII in Germany. The hope of reunifying Germany was an interesting sub-plot to the main action.
July 10, 2018
I found this book to be extra interesting because I read it in Berlin, where much of the action takes place. However, it was another play on a Hitler theme; but I have to be fair for it was written in 1980. It was an Ok story-- fun and easy to read.
My personal review ratings are based upon the following: 1 Star, “I did not like it and wasted my time or couldn’t finish it”; 2 Stars, “I think it is just Ok, but I’ll never think about it again”; 3 Stars, “I think it is an entertaining , enjoyable book, and I’ll think about it again”; 4 Stars, “I really love this book, and I may read it again”; and 5 Stars, “I think this book is excellent, I will read it again, and it will stand the test of time.” Please note the intentional, repeated use of the pronoun “I,” for this is my opinion based upon years of reading. Others may disagree and are free to. Analogy: If I were reviewing music, Country and Western would rarely score above a “1,” but apparently some disagree with me. Modern Romance novels are a lot like Country and Western.
My personal review ratings are based upon the following: 1 Star, “I did not like it and wasted my time or couldn’t finish it”; 2 Stars, “I think it is just Ok, but I’ll never think about it again”; 3 Stars, “I think it is an entertaining , enjoyable book, and I’ll think about it again”; 4 Stars, “I really love this book, and I may read it again”; and 5 Stars, “I think this book is excellent, I will read it again, and it will stand the test of time.” Please note the intentional, repeated use of the pronoun “I,” for this is my opinion based upon years of reading. Others may disagree and are free to. Analogy: If I were reviewing music, Country and Western would rarely score above a “1,” but apparently some disagree with me. Modern Romance novels are a lot like Country and Western.
August 29, 2020
This was a pretty good story. Picked it up for the title alone, but was pretty pleased with it. And didn't see the ending of the main plot coming at all.
It was a touch unclear which loose threads weren't entirely wrapped up at the end, but all in all an enjoyable read.
It was a touch unclear which loose threads weren't entirely wrapped up at the end, but all in all an enjoyable read.
September 13, 2019
Good read
April 27, 2023
Stange depictions of women and gays. But the book is written in the 70s so I guess that's to be expected.
January 14, 2015
I have a stack of books by Evelyn Anthony sitting waiting for me to read or reread them. This was the first one I picked up in ages and it was a fairly quick but rather disappointing read for me.
Max Steiner had been a member of Hitler's Youth as a teenager and had even been in the Bunker around the time Hitler died.He had been ordered to execute a man, refused and received a punch in the head which knocked him out.His memory of that man include his dying word to "find Janus". He has nightmares about that night. It was also the night he lost his mother and sister and it was a miracle that he survived the events in the Bunker at all.
Move on to the future - 1970.Max is now a journalist living in Paris, married to an American woman with whom he has two children that he really doesn't care for. He sets out to interview Sigmund Walther, a German politician who wants to see Germany reunited. As they are saying farewell, gunshots ring out and suddenly Walther is dead - his dying words? - Janus! Max is determined to find out what this means and makes an appointment to meet up with Walther's widow Minna to see what light she can shed on the matter. Throughout the book - they work as a team to try and find out where "Janus" might be. There are twists and turns and lots of murder along the way. Did Hitler leave something behind that could have devastating consequences? Will Max ever return to his wife and children? Is Minna using Max to achieve her own ends?
When I read a book of this type I want to "like" my hero &/or heroine. I found it very hard to like either Max or Minna. They are both very quick to sleep together and "fall in love" even though one is still married and the other newly widowed. They each have at least one child that they don't really like. I just found it hard to care about them.
Max Steiner had been a member of Hitler's Youth as a teenager and had even been in the Bunker around the time Hitler died.He had been ordered to execute a man, refused and received a punch in the head which knocked him out.His memory of that man include his dying word to "find Janus". He has nightmares about that night. It was also the night he lost his mother and sister and it was a miracle that he survived the events in the Bunker at all.
Move on to the future - 1970.Max is now a journalist living in Paris, married to an American woman with whom he has two children that he really doesn't care for. He sets out to interview Sigmund Walther, a German politician who wants to see Germany reunited. As they are saying farewell, gunshots ring out and suddenly Walther is dead - his dying words? - Janus! Max is determined to find out what this means and makes an appointment to meet up with Walther's widow Minna to see what light she can shed on the matter. Throughout the book - they work as a team to try and find out where "Janus" might be. There are twists and turns and lots of murder along the way. Did Hitler leave something behind that could have devastating consequences? Will Max ever return to his wife and children? Is Minna using Max to achieve her own ends?
When I read a book of this type I want to "like" my hero &/or heroine. I found it very hard to like either Max or Minna. They are both very quick to sleep together and "fall in love" even though one is still married and the other newly widowed. They each have at least one child that they don't really like. I just found it hard to care about them.
February 17, 2024
Inhoud:
De jonge Duitser Max Steiner oefent met veel ambitie en vakmanschap zijn beroep uit: Redacteur buitenland van een belangrijke Parijse krant. Toch is hij niet gelukkig. Zijn huwelijk is geen succes en hij wordt gekweld door steeds terugkerende nachtmerries. In zijn dromen wordt hij stelselmatig geconfronteerd met een angstaanjagende scène die op het eind van de oorlog plaatsvindt in de zogenaamde Hilterbunker. Jaren later is hij getuigen van de moord op Sigmund Waltherm, een West-Duitse politicus. Waltherm fluistert, dodelijk gewond, moeizaam één woord... "Janus". voor Max is dit een startsein om een speurtocht op touw te zetten. Een speurtocht die voorgoed een eind maakt aan zijn nachtmerries, maar die ook tot een lugubere, wereldschokkende ontdekking zal leiden.
Waardering:
Een ongeloofwaardig verhaal, maar misschien daarom wel mogelijk. Een man die een carrière heeft maar geteisterd wordt door nachtmerries die hij niet kan plaatsen. Uitzoeken van zijn verleden brengt hem op een spoor die hij eigenlijk niet had willen weten.
Een schrijfstijl goed te volgen, maar qua verhaal niet meer waard dan drie sterren. Ik heb het boek gelezen in een periode dat toekennen van boeken niet een van mijn eerste prioriteiten had.
Misschien dat ik in de aankomende jaren tijd vind om het boek weer te lezen. Ik zal dan op proberen het boek opnieuw te waarderen.
Boekinformatie:
Uitgeverij: Luitingh
255 pagina's; Paperback
De jonge Duitser Max Steiner oefent met veel ambitie en vakmanschap zijn beroep uit: Redacteur buitenland van een belangrijke Parijse krant. Toch is hij niet gelukkig. Zijn huwelijk is geen succes en hij wordt gekweld door steeds terugkerende nachtmerries. In zijn dromen wordt hij stelselmatig geconfronteerd met een angstaanjagende scène die op het eind van de oorlog plaatsvindt in de zogenaamde Hilterbunker. Jaren later is hij getuigen van de moord op Sigmund Waltherm, een West-Duitse politicus. Waltherm fluistert, dodelijk gewond, moeizaam één woord... "Janus". voor Max is dit een startsein om een speurtocht op touw te zetten. Een speurtocht die voorgoed een eind maakt aan zijn nachtmerries, maar die ook tot een lugubere, wereldschokkende ontdekking zal leiden.
Waardering:
Een ongeloofwaardig verhaal, maar misschien daarom wel mogelijk. Een man die een carrière heeft maar geteisterd wordt door nachtmerries die hij niet kan plaatsen. Uitzoeken van zijn verleden brengt hem op een spoor die hij eigenlijk niet had willen weten.
Een schrijfstijl goed te volgen, maar qua verhaal niet meer waard dan drie sterren. Ik heb het boek gelezen in een periode dat toekennen van boeken niet een van mijn eerste prioriteiten had.
Misschien dat ik in de aankomende jaren tijd vind om het boek weer te lezen. Ik zal dan op proberen het boek opnieuw te waarderen.
Boekinformatie:
Uitgeverij: Luitingh
255 pagina's; Paperback
January 13, 2013
I love Evelyn Anthony titles. I discovered this author a long time ago but only discovered today that Evelyn Anthony is the pen name of Evelyn Ward-Thomas, a British female writer. I also discovered that one of my all-time favorite movies was actually written by Evelyn Anthony the year I graduated from high school. WoW! "...1971 The Tamarind Seed was adapted for film in 1974, starring Julie Andrews as Judith Farrow, a British Home Office functionary and Omar Sharif as Feodor, a Soviet air attaché- lovers involved in Cold War intrigue."
The Janus Imperative is a book that proves you don't have to write a 2" thick title to tell a riveting, thrilling tale of suspense and espionage with an international flavor. I was happy to obtain this c1981 Signet printing but I understand that the title was released again in 2002 as Codeword Janus with a new foreword by the author. Now I need to locate that title so I can read the foreword.
The Janus Imperative is a book that proves you don't have to write a 2" thick title to tell a riveting, thrilling tale of suspense and espionage with an international flavor. I was happy to obtain this c1981 Signet printing but I understand that the title was released again in 2002 as Codeword Janus with a new foreword by the author. Now I need to locate that title so I can read the foreword.
November 5, 2016
I couldn't connect with it. Convoluted plot with a lot of murders of people I didn't know well enough to care about, and unsavoury main characters about whom I couldn't care either.
September 30, 2024
Read years ago. Great book with interesting characters and plot.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews