The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread follows Ivanna Petrenko, a federal policewoman, as she becomes embroiled in a high-stakes pursuit of Nazi-looted treasure hidden in Austrian salt mines. After discovering a map left by her grandfather, she travels to Berchtesgaden in place of her pregnant friend Alina Schuster, only to be stalked, captured, and drugged by Benni and Danny, who are working for Esteban Vargas, aka “the Lizard,” son of a ratline fugitive and head of the powerful Los Ortegas cartel. Meanwhile, Matteo Stocker, mountain guide and course coordinator, alongside cousins Toby and Olivia, Federal Police colleagues like Sven Wassmer, and other operatives, navigate a series of disappearances, assaults, and murders, including a fatal fall, to rescue innocents, locate the treasure, and identify, apprehend, and put a stop to Vargas’s network.

Rowena Kinread’s The Alpine Fortress delivers precise, high-stakes intelligence work set against both urban and alpine environments. Matteo, Sven, and Ivanna coordinate surveillance across Munich hotels, holiday flats, and the Kempinski, while navigating the treacherous cliffs, icy gullies, and hidden salt mines of the Alps. Kinread pays particular attention to tactical planning, showing the team creating false trails, tracking Esteban Vargas and his associates, and responding to ambushes with clear operational logic. I loved the more hair-raising moments, such as Ivanna’s forced mapping of the salt mine, the GSG 9 units disguising themselves as tourists, and Matteo’s incredible attempt to climb across the east face of the Watzmann, all of which pit very human decision-making against massive environmental challenges. Overall, this is a tightly written, brilliantly cinematic novel that has just earned Kinread a new and devoted fan. Very highly recommended.

When Ivanna finds an old map hidden in her grandfather’s loft, she suspects it may lead to discovering buried treasure from World War II. She is keen to do the right thing and reports it to the authorities, but they are not interested. In The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread, Ivanna and her brother Toby have no idea what they are up against. It is not simply a race to find gold, jewels, and paintings. Esteban Vargas, grandson of a Nazi and known as The Lizard, is also head of a major cartel shipping drugs to Europe. The desperation of recovering the treasure has brought him from the safety of Argentina to Germany. Ivanna, under the name of Alina, takes refuge in the Alps in a team-building course for detectives, but she has been followed. Thus begins a series of missing people, many of them who are not what they seem, and a succession of accidents and deaths. Ivanna, Matteo, Toby, and a host of government organizations face a fire, explosions, car wrecks, and kidnapping, all set in the breathtaking beauty of the Alps.

The Alpine Fortress is set over five days against the backdrop of the south-east Alps in Germany. There are many likeable and real characters. Rowena Kinread does not hold back in a tale of good versus evil, but for me, this made the story more real and believable. I loved the descriptions of the scenery, and I learned a lot about mountaineering, too. The author skillfully weaves both history and modern-day narratives together. There is a huge cast, but the summary of events as told to the authorities helps to clarify the swift-moving action. I liked the way the author ties up all the loose ends in the final few pages, and the glossary of characters at the beginning was also useful. For readers who like both history and a fast-moving adventure novel, this will appeal, and I suspect you will enjoy it as much as I did.

The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread is a compelling novel that delves into the enduring mysteries of World War II. The narrative follows Ivanna, who discovers a map suggesting that treasures stolen by Adolf Hitler may be concealed in a salt mine in the Alps. Her grandfather, a former prisoner of war, sketched the map based on his observations, though he was unaware of his precise location at the time. With limited information, Ivanna and her cousin Toby attempt to give the map to the authorities, inadvertently drawing the attention of criminals. To evade pursuit and investigate further, Ivanna joins a group of police officers during a week-long training session, where she faces opposition from those intent on preventing her discovery. Matteo, the officer overseeing the training, promptly alerts his superiors when officers go missing and criminals infiltrate the camp. As Matteo tries to unravel the surrounding violence and secrecy, he is unaware that the greatest threat is much closer than anticipated.

Rowena Kinread will surprise you with her bold writing style, as she isn’t afraid to include uncomfortable scenes. The Alpine Fortress keeps you guessing as the notorious Argentinian drug boss, the Lizard, stays one step ahead of Matteo and the various departments he is working with to prevent him from discovering the salt cave, which contains millions of dollars' worth of stolen artifacts that could fund his criminal activities. The story is told from different points of view as they peel back the layers of the henchmen and their carnage. This is a fast-paced novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters have complex lives and live in a world of extremes, characterized by weather, terrain, and danger. I absolutely enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from this author.

The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread is a thrilling drama centered around the hunt for hidden Nazi treasure. Following the death of their grandfather, Konstantyn Petrenko, a prisoner during World War II, Ivanna and her cousin Toby discover a map to stolen art while sorting through his belongings. Ivanna takes the responsible step of reporting the findings to the authorities, hoping they will ensure the art and valuable items are found and returned to their rightful owners. Unfortunately, her report is not taken seriously, and she soon realizes that someone is stalking her. In her attempt to escape, she is kidnapped but ultimately rescued. During this ordeal, she learns that an Argentinian drug lord, linked to Nazi Germans who sought refuge in the Americas, is also after the treasure. As the drug lord's mercenaries pursue them, Ivanna, Toby, and the mountain guides from the federal police risk their lives and the safety of their loved ones to find the treasure before it falls into the wrong hands.

The Alpine Fortress is both entertaining and informative, skillfully blending fiction with historical elements from World War II. Rowena Kinread presents a perfect balance, offering glossaries and historical facts about the Nazi regime and their art thefts in a compelling narrative filled with realistic, formidable characters. The story addresses serious issues such as murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, rape, and greed, emphasizing the extremes to which people will go for wealth. The narrative is suspenseful and intriguing, with unexpected twists and turns that you will not see coming. There were moments when I thought the story was over, but the bad guys just had more tricks up their sleeves. Another aspect I loved is the vivid descriptions of the scenery, which transport readers to the mountains, highlighting both the beauty and danger of the terrain. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in adventure and historical drama.