“The Guilty” by Samuel Hawken, is a 380-page fiction book released this year. It was published by Betimes Books CLG in Dublin, Ireland. Its design was produced by TheBookDesigners; the cover image was produced by Keisot Lewap, and the cover design by Masa Radanic. The paperback has the ISBN 978-1-0686170-5-8 and costs $15.99.

Samuel Hawken is a renowned crime writer and historian with a specialty in Holocaust studies.

This story takes place between the mid-1960s and 1970s in post-bellum Germany and centers on Ella Kaffenberger, a 20-year-old pediatric nurse intern at Engelmann Hospital. She makes friends and takes care of patients diligently. Following her breakup with Albert Brunke and recovery from a near-fatal accident, her superiors transferred Ella to the night shift in the spooky mental asylum wing for 90 days, where she constantly hears a mysterious haunting voice that no one discusses. Curious, she decides to delve into the mystery of the phantom voice, leading to an array of incidents that affect not only her but all those around her.

Who is this mysterious voice in the hospital? Will Ella be okay? What are the dark secrets to be uncovered? Find out, readers, in this epic thriller!

A notable aspect of this book is the protagonist’s peery personality. Ella is a naturally curious woman with a penchant for hidden knowledge. Herr Muller thinks her inquisitiveness is a wonderful gift. She considers it her responsibility to unravel the mystery behind each story, a trait that Ernst, Bruno, and even Muller counselled against. Her extreme empathy with the Strobels, however, makes her appear irrational in front of the other health workers, except Dr. Fischer.

Her role as a pediatric nurse aligns with her affection for others around her, which I find admirable. Her compassion towards the children she meets in the hospital is genuine. A relevant example is her friendship with Michael Gottschalk, both before and after his recovery. Her open-heartedness touches the soft sides of both former Nazi lieutenants, Bruno and Muller, who become protective of her in times of need.

I do not have any negative views in the book. It is an interesting psychological thriller filled with dark mysteries gradually unraveled with each page turn. Each character in the book is a vessel of secrets, and I am elated at the author’s open-mindedness in revealing the history of Engelmann, and the thoughts of all who were former supporters and victims of the Reich, especially Dr. Wohlauf and Dr. Fischer, respectively.

I did not find any typographical mistakes or grammatical errors because this book is excellently and thoroughly edited. I, Michael Lartey, the reviewer, find this book to be filled with sobriety, emotional intensity, and in-depthness. Because of this, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this novel to young adult readers who love psychological thrillers and European history. It serves as a reminder of the dark days of German propaganda, the past lives of its victims, and unveils the guilt and fear of all those who once were partakers of its cause.

The book, however, contains profane words and mild sexual content; hence, it is most suitable for young adults.