Prologue to the Cassiopeia Grail
The story begins in a solitary confinement cell of an old Boston prison, where two inmates are housed in side to side cells. They are suffering a fierce north easter storm over abound with electric lightning that terrifies as it strikes the metal windows and screens while its deadly ghostlike fingers reach inside through the prison bars. They attempt diversion by reading a diary belonging to the younger of the two prisoners.
The book: is about a mid age doctor a lifelong stargazer who is given a chance he has always hoped for - to return to his early life and friends in Europe and to relive his years of adventure.
He was still obsessed by a group of candid photos in his possession apparently taken by a personal photographer of Adolf Hitler during World War II. The now valuable photos (1) that to my knowledge have never been published and the photographer who took them are the center of the story. They appear to have a direct relationship to clandestine high level groups in charge of the political hierarchy of U.S. government administrations - “they are a Silent Legion”.
After a recent ocean liner voyage to Europe, the doctor is approached by Jewish Nazi hunters who seek help finding the elusive photographer of Hitler. He decides to accept this mission and also to continue to search for his old friends in Europe.
As the story proceeds the doctor finds himself becoming more the prey than a hunter. He realizes he is being closely watched and followed. He is able to recover the photos from the elusive photographer after trapping him high on a mountain in Yugoslavia. Then follows a deadly chase across the south of Europe in a world now very strange and hostile.
He is finally able to return to his home in New England and to come to an epiphany.
He discovers the Senator Joseph McCarthy involvement and the "lists of subversives in government" as part of a plot by persons called "sleepers" or clandestines in government service who had been allowed into the U.S. as refugees of World War II. The protagonist's son from a young affair has re-entered the story and will play a significant role in the resolution of the adventure.
The ending brings a final twist, revenge and a vow.
(1) A limited supply of book with packets of 31 candid photos by a personal photographer of A. Hitler will be available Sept. - Oct. from AtlasBooks and E-Bay.
