"A penetrating, compelling, and skilfully vivid slice of historical fiction set as the war-torn fight for survival and their future."
Fascinating yet thrilling, stimulating yet shattering, this riveting read opens a path into the very nature of humankind. As the Second World War nears its end the defeated, vultures, and peace brokers continue using intelligence gathered by three very different men. The Spoils of War series is one of my favourites, its epic scale from the intimacy of the chosen few highlights the searing and hidden tragedy of conflict. If you’ve not yet met these books, do introduce yourself as this is a series not to be missed. The design and writing is such that you can step in at any point. I welcomed the main characters from Katastrophe back into my reading life, sitting opened mouthed at times as I witnessed the dark hidden depths of Russia and her people, the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany, and the scrabble for position by the leaders of the UK, US, and Russia. Using the murky world of intelligence Graham Hurley successfully took me into the final months of the war. The mix of fact and fiction here is beautifully balanced, the focus and blend of real and fictional characters seamlessly fills the page and I felt as though I was watching behind the scenes footage. From the huge scale and the people in power, through to the most ordinary of lives, each page holds an intense weight. My thoughts and feelings were knocked off balance and sent scrabbling for understanding. If anything is going demonstrate the utterly senseless and vicious nature of war it’s this and yet it’s also a hugely exciting read. Chosen as a LoveReading Star Book, Katastrophe hits with immense impact, it is a true powerhouse of a novel and comes as highly recommended by me.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
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Closing date: 02/08/2026
A fast moving story, accurate in its setting. This is a not just a war story, it is a "romance" in the best of such genre. Well set, well written and an excellent story throughout, I thoroughly recommend Graham Hurley's "Katastrophe".
Set in the dying days of World War 2, Graham Hurley gives us a "broad brush" view through the eyes of individuals caught in the verbal crossfire of Russian and British politicians. We have a story of love, treachery and finally victory.
It seems as though the 3rd Reich will last forever, with the Leaders striving to maintain the falsehood of victory, with massive displays of weaponry, fighting men and women, but the truth is far different.
In the West, America waits, in the East, Russia begins to move, each day Katastrophe is a reality for ordinary people.
This is not a "history" book, it is a novel with war as it's back cloth. It is a story of individuals coming to terms with a new way of life, where romance can flourish and heroism becomes normal.... Read Full Review
The new blockbuster thriller from Graham Hurley set against the final stages of the Second World War.
Confidant of Goebbels. Instrument of Stalin. What's the worst that could happen?
January 1945. Wherever you look on the map, the Thousand Year Reich is shrinking. Even Goebbels has run out of lies to sweeten the reckoning to come. An Allied victory is inevitable, but who will reap the spoils of war?
Two years ago, Werner Nehmann's war came to an abrupt end in Stalingrad. With the city in ruins, the remains of General Paulus' Sixth Army surrendered to the Soviets, and Nehmann was taken captive. But now he's riding on the back of one of Marshal Zhukov's T-34 tanks, heading home with a message for the man who consigned him to the Stalingrad Cauldron.
With the Red Army about to fall on Berlin, Stalin fears his sometime allies are conspiring to deny him his prize. He needs to speak to Goebbels - and who better to broker the contact than Nehmann, Goebbels' one-time confidant?
Having swapped the ruins of Stalingrad for the wreckage of Berlin, the influence of Goebbels for the machinations of Stalin, and Gulag rags for a Red Army uniform, Nehmann's war has taken a turn for the worse. The Germans have a word for it:
Katastrophe.
Katastrophe features in the following genres: Historical Fiction, Books of the Month, Star Books, Action Adventure, Espionage and spy thriller, Thriller and Suspense, Second World War fiction, Fiction, War, combat and military adventure fiction, Narrative theme: Displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Recommendations, Fiction: narrative themes
Katastrophe is available in Paperback, Hardback, Ebook (Epub)
Katastrophe was written by Graham Hurley and published by Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Katastrophe has 440 pages
Yes it is part of Spoils of War series
£8.99
