Interesting story about the one mission the clandestine Nazi group the "Werewolves" executed. The one mission that we know of anyway. Six operatives were dropped behind allied lines toward the end of the war and walked back into the first German city captured by the Americans and executed the German acting as mayor and collaborating with the Americans.

After the war the operatives were captured and put on trial by German authorities after the allies declined to prosecute. The shooter died while they were walking back to German occupied Germany when he stepped on a mine. One more changed his name and discretely vanished from history. One was to young to be placed on trial and the other three (including the one female operator) were given short prison sentences that were commuted on appeal.

The story here appears well researched and reads like a novel in parts. The female operative was the most candid in sharing her story and how the op happened and that is reflected in the story. ( )

In the territory, too, where they believe they have conquered us, new resistance will spring up behind their backs time and time again ... and like werewolves, brave as death, volunteers will strike the enemy.' Heinrich Himmler, November 1944. Aachen fell to the Allies three days after Himmler's speech outlining his deadly intent. The Werewolf Organization was formed as Unternehem Werwolf (Enterprise Werewolf), to be responsible for guerrilla warfare behind the Allied lines. Werewolf dese ribes how a team of five men and a woman, recruited and trained by SS Police Generai Gutenberger, was chosen for 'Operation Carnival'. Their task was to kill Franz Oppenoff, the new Mayor of Aachen and the first German mayor under American occupation, who was seen by the Nazis as an
American stool-pigeon and traitor. Werewolf skilfully recreates the atmosphere of unease that prevailed on both sides during the final months of the Second World War. ( )

To be honest I wasn't sure if I should expect much from this book but I was surprised. It's made up of two stories, the first is a detailed look at the assassination of the first German to be made a Mayor by the Allies and the second is a more general telling of the Werewolf organisation. The battle of Aachen, the training of the team, the recruitment of the Mayor, the operation and it's aftermath are all told as is the fate (if known) of each person involved. If your interested in the last year of the Second World War in Germany give this a go. ( )