Secrets of the River
(Book 2) http:////www.facebook.com/pages/Secrets-Of-The-River/223158187804258
It is 1945. The Germans are retreating from occupied Italy as the allies steadily fight their way northwards towards Milan. Johann, a nineteen year-old German deserter, risks being shot by the Italian partisans and takes refuge in an old boathouse on the river. He is in love with Bea, the maid at the villa that he and his officers occupied, and has decided to stay. As he wrestles with the problem of how to safely dispose of his uniform and Soldbuch, his ID booklet, a boat approaches his hide-out. He fears it is the partisans, but soon realizes that the approaching whispering voices are German. His commanders have come to hide their plundered art in the derelict castle above the boathouse. Now his situation is worse; if found, he will face the firing squad from his fellow Nazi’s for desertion. In panic, unable to burn or bury his Soldbuch, he hides it in their boat. It later drifts downstream with the ill fated Nazi Officers, and with it all records of Johann’s past.
Sixty-Six years later, Natasha and her brother, Alex, are invited to Italy to stay with Lorenzo and Gabriella in their beautiful ancestral villa over looking the Trebbia River. Julia, Natasha and Alex’s mother, is now engaged to Marcello, the renown Italian archaeologist, and father of Gabriella and Lorenzo. The four teens haven’t seen each other since the unfortunate events in the desert the previous Easter, and despite the warm welcome, the lovely villa, and its dramatic views of medieval castles and villages clinging to the surrounding hilltops, Natasha feels uncomfortable. She dislikes the arrogant Contessa, the strict grandmother also living in the Villa, and she finds the silent, old gardener creepy. And worse still, she learns that the property is steeped in unpleasant history; Not only does it overlook the exact section of the river where Hannibal slaughtered over 15,000 Roman soldiers in a day in 218 BC, but more recently, during World War 11, the villa itself was occupied by Nazi officers. To top it all, the disturbing evidence of their presence was still very visible, almost giving Natasha the uncanny impression they were still there.
Marcello and Julia are in Pisa, excavating a large cache of ancient Etruscan ships buried in layers under the modern railway station. While preparations take place at the villa for the lavish engagement party, the four teens visit the fascinating dig. But they soon find themselves involved in uncovering something much closer to home than ancient Etruscan ships; for a series of clues and strange events, an old German Soldbuch, the realization that the Contessa has more to hide than the average Italian grandmother, all lead them to unraveling something they should have left well alone ...
As in The Obsidian Mask, this exciting sequel, Secrets of the River sparks the reader’s imagination, and along with the characters in the book, embarks them on a fast moving adventure that will open their minds to explore this seldom realised chapter in our history.
It is 1945. The Germans are retreating from occupied Italy as the allies steadily fight their way northwards towards Milan. Johann, a nineteen year-old German deserter, risks being shot by the Italian partisans and takes refuge in an old boathouse on the river. He is in love with Bea, the maid at the villa that he and his officers occupied, and has decided to stay. As he wrestles with the problem of how to safely dispose of his uniform and Soldbuch, his ID booklet, a boat approaches his hide-out. He fears it is the partisans, but soon realizes that the approaching whispering voices are German. His commanders have come to hide their plundered art in the derelict castle above the boathouse. Now his situation is worse; if found, he will face the firing squad from his fellow Nazi’s for desertion. In panic, unable to burn or bury his Soldbuch, he hides it in their boat. It later drifts downstream with the ill fated Nazi Officers, and with it all records of Johann’s past.
Sixty-Six years later, Natasha and her brother, Alex, are invited to Italy to stay with Lorenzo and Gabriella in their beautiful ancestral villa over looking the Trebbia River. Julia, Natasha and Alex’s mother, is now engaged to Marcello, the renown Italian archaeologist, and father of Gabriella and Lorenzo. The four teens haven’t seen each other since the unfortunate events in the desert the previous Easter, and despite the warm welcome, the lovely villa, and its dramatic views of medieval castles and villages clinging to the surrounding hilltops, Natasha feels uncomfortable. She dislikes the arrogant Contessa, the strict grandmother also living in the Villa, and she finds the silent, old gardener creepy. And worse still, she learns that the property is steeped in unpleasant history; Not only does it overlook the exact section of the river where Hannibal slaughtered over 15,000 Roman soldiers in a day in 218 BC, but more recently, during World War 11, the villa itself was occupied by Nazi officers. To top it all, the disturbing evidence of their presence was still very visible, almost giving Natasha the uncanny impression they were still there.
Marcello and Julia are in Pisa, excavating a large cache of ancient Etruscan ships buried in layers under the modern railway station. While preparations take place at the villa for the lavish engagement party, the four teens visit the fascinating dig. But they soon find themselves involved in uncovering something much closer to home than ancient Etruscan ships; for a series of clues and strange events, an old German Soldbuch, the realization that the Contessa has more to hide than the average Italian grandmother, all lead them to unraveling something they should have left well alone ...
As in The Obsidian Mask, this exciting sequel, Secrets of the River sparks the reader’s imagination, and along with the characters in the book, embarks them on a fast moving adventure that will open their minds to explore this seldom realised chapter in our history.
The Italian partizans put up a brave fight against the occupying Nazis, as Natasha and Alex learn from the boatman, Aldo on the Trebbia River... but it seems, one Soldbuch's owner was never found...
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Hitler and his officers stole countless pieces of art from all over Europe, from Museums, Art Galleries and private homes, as Alex learns from Lorenzo on his first day arriving at his house in the Trebbia Valley..,
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The Soldbuch of Johann Fuchs
A German Soldier's Soldbuch had to be carried with him at all times. It was a passport sized booklet containing everything about him, from the uniform issued to him, relevant dates, his personal details, his pay, the battles he fought in, his ammunition used, to his leave. It was his life in a book. It was him..
Lorenzo and Gabriella's lovely home overlooks the Trebbia River, where Hannibal slaughtered 25,000 Roman soldiers in a day. Alex thinks he will find some interesting artifacts from the battle along the shore, but it is Natasha who unwittingly comes face to face with something from the River's past ...
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Hitler was an avid art collector, but it didn't stop his men destroying many priceless ancient artifacts when they were leaving Italy, like the Roman Barges on Lake Nemi, which was a terrible loss the not only Italy but the whole world...
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