The One Man by Andrew Gross - 5 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

In The One Man, Andrew Gross tells a story about the US government's efforts to rescue one man from Auschwitz so that he can help them win the race against the Germans for the atomic bomb.

Alfred Mendl is a physics professor who was trying to make his way to America when he and his family were transported to Auschwitz. His entire life's work was destroyed until he meets a teenage chess prodigy with an eidetic memory and the ability to remember huge amounts of data. Mendl decides to teach him all his formulas in the hope that, someday, his work will survive.

Nathan Blum escaped Poland early in the war and made his way to the United States where he joined the army. His ability to speak multiple languages led to his assignment in Intelligence but he wants to do more, especially since learning his family was killed by Nazis. He is asked to take on a potential suicide mission. He has to somehow get himself smuggled into Auschwitz, find out if Mendl is still alive, and get him out. He only has three days between being dropped off and being picked up. If he's discovered or can't make the rendezvous, his life will surely end in a terrifying and painful way.

What a fantastic book. I've never really read anything by Andrew Gross, best known for his collaboration with James Patterson and standalone thrillers. The suspense is the driving force of the story and the plot never loses energy. The characters are wonderfully developed and I became so involved that I never wanted to book to end. Even the secondary characters make a tremendous impact. This is a beautifully written and heartbreaking novel that definitely had me on an emotional roller coaster. If you are sensitive to novels that deal with the Holocaust you might want to skip this, because they do document some of the atrocities during the story. It's inevitable in any novel set in Auschwitz. Otherwise, I can't recommend this book any higher. It's definitely going to be on my favorites list and I can't imagine it will not make my Top Five favorites of 2016.

[Booknblues]

I really liked this as well. I keep meaning to do a review of it.

[Regina Lindsey]

Great review! I'm adding to my TBR