Book Buzz Book Club

That Summer in Berlin by Lecia Cornwall

In the summer of 1936, while the Nazis make secret plans for World War II, a courageous and daring young woman struggles to expose the lies behind the dazzling spectacle of the Berlin Olympics. 

German power is rising again, threatening a war that will be even worse than the last one.  The English aristocracy turns to an age-old institution to stave off war and strengthen political bonds — marriage.  Debutantes flock to Germany, including Viviane Alden.  On holiday with her sister during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Viviane’s true purpose is more clandestine.  While many in England want to appease Hitler, others seek to prove Germany is rearming.  But they need evidence — photographs to tell the tale — and Viviane is a genius with her trusty Leica.  And who would suspect a pretty, young tourist taking holiday snaps of being a spy?

Viviane expects to find hatred and injustice, but during the Olympics, with the world watching, Germany is on its best behavior, graciously welcoming tourists to a festival of peace and goodwill.  Still, first impressions can be deceiving, and it’s up to Viviane and the journalist she’s paired with — a daring man with a guarded heart — to reveal the truth.
 
Others have their own reasons for befriending Viviane, however, and her adventure takes a darker turn.  Suddenly Viviane finds herself caught in a web of far more deadly games — and closer than she ever imagined to the brink of war.

Join us to discuss this gripping tale of adventure, romance, danger, and intrigue!