Always in the mood for a good historical thriller I decided to take a chance on Juan Gómez-Jurado's 2011 international bestseller The Traitor's Emblem when I came across a copy at my small town public library. Pleased I could apply it towards several reading challenges I dived into the novel late last week, and could tell after reading only a few pages I'd stumbled across a good one.
It's 1940 and Europe finds itself in the throes of yet another world war. In the rough seas off Gibraltar the crew of a Spanish merchant ship rescues a small group of German refuges moments before their boat succumbs to a deadly storm. In return for their rescue and allowing them to flee to neutral Portugal one of the refugees rewards the captain with a gold and encrusted diamond emblem. Decades later after the captain has passed the emblem on to his son a mysterious stranger emerges offering to buy it. Despite persistent offers he refuses to sell but eventually agrees to meet with the interested stranger to learn what's so special about the bejeweled emblem.
The story then shifts to Munich at the end of World War I. As the once-mighty nation of Germany lies defeated and exhausted two stately Bavarian patriarchs hash out plans for an arranged marriage between two families. The Von Schroeders, while appearing to be wealthy are secretly heavily in debt, thanks to the Baron's insatiable gambling addiction. On the other hand the Tannenbaums, a non-practicing Jewish family are doing well, thanks to their family's vast industrial holdings. Despite the elder Tannenbaum's steps to enter German high society, including adopting Christianity nevertheless he's seen as a mere parvenu by Bavaria's wealthy and privileged and the subject of their antisemitic whispering. Marrying the Von Schroeder's son to the Tannenbaum's daughter will bring societal cachet to one family and financial salvation to the other.
But of course nothing could be that easy. The Baron's son is a spoiled, psychopathic monster while the Tannenbaum's young daughter is decent, intelligent, confident and wants no part in this sterile arrangement. Before long she falls in love with Paul the Baron's nephew, a picaresque young fellow blessed with intelligence, ambition and a kind heart. But a dark cloud of betrayal and murder hatched long ago hangs over the House of Von Schroeder. In the following two decades as Germany succumbs to the Nazis Paul and Alys find themselves increasingly in danger and fighting for their lives.
If you've enjoyed the gothic thrillers of late Carlos Ruiz Zafón then you'll also enjoy his countryman Juan Gómez-Jurado's The Traitor's Emblem. Not only is it one of 2023's most pleasant surprises it's an absolute shoe-in to make my end of the year Best Fiction List.
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