The Bormann Testament

I often use the phrase “didn't blow my socks off” to describe books that are good, but not outstandingly good, and this aptly describes The Bormann Testament. Did I enjoy reading it? Yes. Is it going to be a book of the year for me? Nope, but that's fine. If I hadn't liked it, I would have DNF'd it and moved on.

The idea of Martin Bormann - Hitler's private secretary and right-hand man - surviving the war and trying to sell a tell-all memoir is interesting, but also an anachronism in retrospect. In reality, Bormann died just after Hitler painted a wall with his brains and before Berlin fell to the Soviets, but at the time this novel came out, it was unclear whether he was alive or dead. His remains wouldn't be found until 1975 and definitely identified via DNA testing in 1998. Of course, if it was known that he was dead, then this novel wouldn't exist.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the main character, Paul Chavasse. He was not in any sense a James Bond clone. In fact, he would probably only qualify as one of those 00 agents that were sometimes mentioned as being killed in the movies. He was often caught flatfooted and found himself being rescued by one of the other characters in the novel. It's not really a surprise, then, that Jack Higgins only wrote six books starring Chavasse (the last being in 1969) and moved on to other characters.

Having said that, I might continue the series, provided I can get my hands on the next book in the series.

3.5 stars.