The Runner

By Christopher Reich

It's not often I say this but, of all the books I've reviewed this has to be one of the most disappointing. Perhaps it was because Reich's debut novel was so brilliant, maybe there was only one way to go. Having read many other novels by Reich I prefer to think of this one a slow, deep breath before beginning the long distance race which is the creation of a successful career as a novelist with many, many compelling thrillers in the canon.
Or maybe I was just wasn't compelled by the premise. It could easily be just your cup of tea.

Synopsis

July 1945. For Germany the war is over.
But in POW Camp 8 on the outskirts of Garmisch, one man refuses to believe his duty to the Fatherland is finished. Erich Seyss, once one of Germany's greatest Olympic sprinters, now awaits trial for war crimes committed as a fanatical officer in Hitler's SS. But he has no intention of facing his accusers. Instead, he is determined to run one last race for Germany.
Given only seven days to track down Seyss, Devlin Judge, a lawyer with in the international Military Tribunal set up to try Nazi war criminals, faces an almost task. Not only must he outwit an elite killer trained to operate behind enemy lines, but he must also fathom the extraordinary conspiracy to which Seyss is the key. A conspiracy that could change the face of Europe forever.

Author

He was born in Tokyo on November 12, 1961. He moved to the United States in 1965. He attended Georgetown University and the University of Texas and worked in Switzerland before returning to the United States to become an author. He lives in San Diego and is the author of nine novels. 

Other Books by the Author

Numbered Account (1998)
The Runner (2000)
The First Billion (2002)
The Devil's Banker (2003)
The Patriots' Club (2004)
Rules of Deception (2008)
Rules of Vengeance (2009)
Rules of Betrayal (2010)
The Prince of Risk (2013)
Invasion Of Privacy (2015)
The Take (2018)