Blood of the Reich

May 23, 2011
Once again the occult delusions of the murderous Nazi regime prove to have a basis in fact, as shown by this diverting thriller from Dietrich, best known for his Ethan Gage historical adventure series (The Barbary Pirates, etc.). In 1938, Heinrich Himmler dispatches academic and SS man Kurt Raeder to Tibet to uncover long-lost secrets for use in the Reich's coming war effort. In Tibet, Raeder and his SS team clash with wealthy American explorer Benjamin Hood and plucky aviatrix Beth Calloway over secrets hidden in ancient temples. Seven decades later in Seattle, publicist Rominy Pickett narrowly escapes death when her car explodes, and soon finds herself on the run with the guy who saved her from the blast, journalist Jake Barrow. The echoing repercussions from the past propel the naïve Rominy across half a planet to a dreadful intersection between forgotten Tibetan lore and cutting-edge science. Plenty of chases, deadly confrontations, and startling revelations keep the pages turning.