Ratlines

Set on the eve of President Kennedy's 1963 visit to Ireland, this thrilling, historically informed stand-alone from Irish author Neville (Stolen Souls) charts the efforts of Irish intelligence officer Albert Ryan to discover who murdered three Nazis granted asylum in Ireland after WWII. Ryan has to be wary of real-life Col. Otto Skorzeny, one of the most dangerous surviving Nazis, to whom a note on one of the bodies was addressed: "We are coming for you." In his digging, Ryan learns of the titular "ratlines," the secret routes use to ferry postwar Nazis from one safe place to another. Complicating Ryan's investigation is his growing attraction to Celia Hume, a woman of mysterious means whose job it is to charm important men and ascertain secrets. As Ryan tracks the killer, he meets Mossad agent Goren Weiss, who's intent on getting to Skorzeny. Readers will hope to see more of Ryan, a formidable yet damaged hero. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Weber Associates. Author tour. (Jan.)