In 1942 Police Chief Inspector Rolf Schneider is ordered by Adolf Hitler to investigate the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. During his investigation of Heydrich's secret files he inadvertently discovers a sinister plot involving Heinrich Himmler – a potential death sentence for Schneider.

In 1943, Schneider and Anna Weiss, the woman he loves, make their escape to Switzerland, where they believe they are safe. However, Himmler is hellbent on revenge, and Stalin is determined to find the secret information contained in the Heydrich papers and use it for blackmail. As war rages across Europe, a battle of wits ensues between Ivan Ivanov, a former chess grandmaster working for Stalin, a ruthless Nazi civil servant, Ilse Schmitt, and the two escapees.



David O'Donnell was born in Scotland. He is a qualified lawyer, and has both practised and taught law. He lives in rural Angus with his wife Fiona and black Labrador Niamh. When Niamh is not taking him for a walk, his passion is cooking French and Italian dishes.