It’s late-1942 and WWII is raging with the Allies and Germany desperately and furiously working to be the first to develop the atomic bomb and take control of the war. Meanwhile a brilliant physicist thought long dead by suicide is discovered by a plumber hiding out in an Italian monastery. Word gets out, which kicks off an amazing race between the Germans, Americans, British, Russians, Italians and even the neutral Vatican, to be the first to find this genius who can single handedly turn the tide of the atomic arms race. Enter Conor Thorn, a former US Navy man turned covert operative with the United States OSS. Conor, with help from some of his friends, undertakes this dangerous mission to find the physicist and bring him to the Allied side. However, finding this genius is only half the battle. Convincing him to help build a weapon of mass destruction is another story altogether.
As a big fan of WWII non-fiction, The Unquiet Genius resonated deeply with me to the point where this book reads more like historical fiction than straight thriller. That being said, it’s still quite an action-packed, thrilling race-to-the-finish novel with serious consequences and enough twists and turns to sow doubt into the mind of the reader as to how this episode will conclude. Add in some really interesting characters – including a Nazi that you just can’t wait to see him get what’s coming to him - sharp dialogue, solid spy craft and a romantic relationship with an uncertain future, and you have all the makings of an enjoyable page turning novel that’s hard to put down.
Also, The Unquiet Genius has the added benefit of making you ponder morals and ethics during wartime. The reader finds themselves in the position of the Italian Physicist, trying to come to terms with if they should play a role in developing the atomic bomb. If it ends the war and saves hundreds of thousands of lives, but at the expense of killing thousands of people, is it worth it? Is it the ethical thing to do? Or is it better to sit it out and let things happen without being involved? Hard questions to answer for someone on how they should or should not use their intelligence and knowledge to impact the war.
The Unquiet Genius is a well-written, suspenseful and deeply researched thriller that thrusts you into the atomic arms race during the critical days of WWII. You’ll find yourself deeply invested in the mission, urging the Allies forward to beat the Nazi’s and Russians to the punch. Buckle up and get ready for the ride.
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