This rousing thriller of a desperate chase across Nazi-occupied Europe picks up right where Miller left off in The Hunt for The Peggy C. After risking it all to help a Jewish family escape the Gestapo, Captain Jake Rogers has left his beloved Miriam Maduro safe in Palestine but must now set off to rescue her father, Solomon Maduro, from occupied Amsterdam. Surviving a shipwreck and some tragic losses, Jake must make his way to Holland overland, only to discover, upon finally finding the elder Maduro, that Miriam has made her own journey to visit her father—and has been missing for weeks. Now, as Jews are being imprisoned and killed, Jake must work with a team of allies, including Solomon, to track down Miriam and get themselves to safety once again.

Miller again delivers a page-turner with ample heart, tension, and engaging, lived-in historical detail, like hobnail boots sounding on wooden stairs as the heroes hide from the Gestapo. Jake and his allies must disguise themselves as they track Miriam while being tracked themselves, never fully knowing who to trust. Among their adversaries are Hitler’s bounty hunters—there’s a price on the heads of Jews in general and Miriam in particular, as she is accused of being a Jew, a British spy, and the killer of three policemen. Rescue Run is both breathless and thoughtful, moving fast while giving voice to an eclectic group of heroes, cultures, and perspectives that readers won't soon forget.

Suspense is potent, with tense standoffs, interrogations, and border crossings, and the action, when it bursts out, proves explosive. Miller steeps this spirited fiction in historical fact, offering extensive chapter notes that provide key context on battles, locales, political situations, wartime inventions, and important figures, like a Resistance banker or a notorious German spy. The open-ended conclusion will please lovers of realistic but exciting World War II fiction who are hoping for more.

Takeaway: Tense World War II thriller of a desperate chase across Nazi-occupied Europe.

Comparable Titles: Alan Furst’s Spies of the Balkans, Mark Sullivan's Beneath a Scarlet Sky.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A