The Fifth Column

About the book

#1 New York Times bestselling author of The One Man Andrew Gross returns with another gripping thriller, this time focusing on a family torn apart amid the chaos of a nation at war.

It's February 1939 and Europe is on the brink of conflict. In New York City, a crowd of twenty-two thousand Nazi supporters gather at Madison Square Garden for a raucous rally. Meanwhile, in a bar in Hell's Kitchen, Charles Mossman is struggling to cope with losing his job and his marriage when a group of Nazi sympathizers enter. In a drunken moment, Charlie lashes out, setting off a chain of events with far-reaching consequences.

Two years later, America is grappling with the decision of whether to join the war effort. Charles's wife and young daughter, Emma, now reside in a quiet neighborhood where pro-Hitler sentiments are not uncommon. Fresh out of prison, Charles attempts to rebuild his life, all the while keeping a watchful eye on his family's neighbors, who may not be who they claim to be.

With the looming threat of war and the specter of German spies lurking in the shadows, Charles grows suspicious of the seemingly friendly Bauers living across from Emma. As tensions escalate and America is thrust into World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Charles realizes the true danger posed by the Bauers and must act swiftly to protect his daughter from becoming a pawn in their deadly game.