Rebecca Cantrell Books In Order

Publication Order of Hannah Vogel Books

Publication Order of iMonsters Books

Publication Order of Joe Tesla Books

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Malibu Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Order Of The Sanguines Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Rebecca Cantrell is USA Today and New York Times, bestselling author. Most of her novels have been translated into over ten languages, and other won the Macavity, the ITW Thriller, and Bruce Alexander Awards. Others have been nominated for the Barry, Goodreads Choice Award, the APPY award, and the RT Reviewers Choice. The author lives in Berlin with her family; husband and son.

Cantrell is the author of book series featuring Hannah Vogel, working as a crime reported in 1930’s Berlin. The first book in the series is A Trace of Smoke which won the 2010 Bruce Alexander Award and 2010 Sue Feder Award.

A City of Broken Glass, the fourth book in Hannah Vogel was nominated for 2013 Sue Feder Macavity Award and also for the 2013 Mary Higgins Clark Award. Furthermore, the author also joined hands with novelist James Rollins to write Order of the Sanguines trilogy in which the first novel in the trilogy, The Blood Gospel was a New York Times bestseller.

Rebecca Cantrell is also the writer of a series of books that feature Joe Tesla, an agoraphobic billionaire who is confined to the tunnels under the New York and to Grand Central Terminal. The first book in this epic series The World Beneath was the winner of the 2014 Best Original Award awarded by the International Thriller Writers.

A Trace of Smoke

It is the year 1931 in Berlin, and the world is on the verge of change- the rich still dance in their privileged cage, but more and more people are poor and living under threat. Hanna Vogel worked as a crime reporter but forced to write under a pseudonym Peter Weill. She is a widow of the Great War, and thus she is used to doing whatever it takes to survive. Her façade illusion is threatened when she comes across a picture of her beloved brother in the Hall of the Unnamed Dead. She is at first hesitant to make an official identification until she has all the detail on the fingertips and then she decides to investigate the case herself. She must, however, be careful since Ernst; a lounge singer at a sordid nightclub had many dark secrets, an extensive list of girlfriends and many chances to get involved in trouble.

It not so much time into her investigation when a cute 5-year-old orphan comes knocking on her door holding a birth certificate indicating her deceased brother Ernst as his dad and calling Hannah “Mother.” Complicating matters are Hannah’s growing feelings for Boris Krause, whose world is the exact opposite of Hannah’s. The banker has built a wall preventing anyone from interfering with his or his daughter’s well-managed life- but this wall is what Hannah and Antony are gradually breaking down.

As Hannah Vogel digs deeper, she discovers political scandals and intrigues touching the top ranks of the rising Nazi. Discontinued from her job and on the run from the Hitler’s troops, she must flee for her safety and protect the little boy who has come to love her fondly, but can she finally find love for herself?

The first books in Hannah Vogel series, A Trace of Smoke is a quite an engaging novel. The characters and setting are refreshing, and the strong lead character and her detective adventures in 1930’s Germany will keep you wanting more and more. One of the most refreshing aspects of A Trace of Smoke is how is vividly conveys relationship and moods without melodramas that seem to overcrowd in many bestsellers.

The novel is told from the first-person perspective of the main character, Hannah Vogel, the lead above character brought up by strict Prussian dad and a cold mother and develops internalized self-restraint and her inner thought is frequently analytic and observant. She is brave, strong and overall she is an interesting character.

The rest of the cast is portrayed in a remarkable manner; from the lovable Anton to the villainous Rudolph. Even the Nazi supporting characters, who make an appearance, while not glorified or admirable at all, are not the 2-dimensional villains that one usually encounters. Even the fictionalized Ernst makes more than just an appearance as a multi-faceted character in his own stand. Overall, A Trace of Smoke is a real page turner with a taut sequence and well-realized character to load.

A Night of Long Knives

Following the events that occurred in the first novel, A Trace of Smoke, the crime reporter Hannah Vogel has been on the run and has spent three years in Bolivia with her the little boy, Anton. She believes that she has outsmarted Ernst Rohm, the head of Storm Troopers who thinks that he is the kid’s father.

When an offer comes knocking she seizes the opportunity to cover the journey of a Zeppelin all the way from South America to Switzerland, more because it will give her a rare chance to meet with the only man that she has ever loved, Boris Krause. However, when the Zeppelin diverts its route and heads straight to Germany, Hannah knows pretty well that she has walked into a trap.

On the other hand, Ernst Rohm is expelled from the Nazi party due to the allegations of his homosexuality and has decided to claim his putative son and marry Hannah as well. Unfortunately, for Ernst, this decision has come too late. Hitler has replaced the Storm Troopers with the SS, led by Himmler, and the resulting purge, known as The Night of the Long Knives has just begun. Hannah carefully manages to escape in the fracas while Rohm, on the other hand, faces a firing squad.

Unfortunately, Hannah and Anton are separated forcing her to enlist all her allies and a few of her opponents and track the lost boy down before Gestapo can. With no one to turn to, she finds herself at Boris door- and expecting a haven at Boris house she soon learns that her presence, as well as the search for Anton, is placing Boris at risk. Finally, Hannah manages to trace Anton to Rohm’s mother place who offers her a deal- Rohm’s body in exchange for the little boy. While traveling back to Berlin, she is caught up in the purge and she must learn to trust and ensure the safety of those she has hated and loved so as to survive.

One Response to “Rebecca Cantrell”

1. Annette Hall: 10 months ago

   Will you be adding any books to the Hannah Vogel series?
   I have read the first 4 and would love to read another with these characters.

   Reply