New novel by Fylde coast man Christopher Kerr resonates terrifyingly with Ukraine crisis

Although largely based in the latter stages of the Second World War, Christopher Kerr’s work poses shocking connotations for both past and present-day political life.

While this is not the author’s first novel – his debut work The Covenant was published last year – Christopher believes this second book will cause a stir with readers and says there is already a buzz of interest in it.

‘The Barbarossa Secret’ highlights a cover-up with staggering implications within the highest echelons of European institutions, Government and Society stretching from WW2 to the present day.

The death of a man in Bavaria in 2020 is the first in a long line of dominos to fall as the journalist searches to uncover the truth of his family’s very personal involvement in one of the greatest hidden episodes of the war.

A highly-secret pact is revealed between Nazi Germany and the Allies that few ever knew, could ever acknowledge, or even dare speak of – with implications for international relations today.

But powerful factions want to keep things secret, putting the journalist’s life in danger.

Christopher, 66, spent his youth growing up in Cleveleys and attended Rossall School in Fleetwood, eventually becoming a civil servant and then a businessman working with “oils and chemicals” before moving into management consultancy.

Now living near Colwyn Bay in north Wales, the father-of-three is delighted to at last call himself a full-time writer and is already well into his third novel, Fission.

He said: “The political fall-out from the Second World War still casts long shadows.

"Towards the end of the campaign Britain and America were fast coming to the conclusion that their supposed ally, the Soviet Union, posed a greater risk to them than the official enemy, Hitler and Nazi Germany.

"People in the highest echelons of British society were involved in some very murky plots which have somehow stayed secret for decades and have never been properly explained or answered.

"I went to ridiculous degrees to gather my research, even down to where Hitler’s desk was positioned in his study!

"The book is a human story at its heart, but it’s one which I hope will make people think.”

Christopher says writing is his passion and he was encouraged by his late wife – but he admits the publishing world is not an easy place for would-be novelists.

He said: “It’s tough out there – publishers often tend to be not very nice, I’d even call the whole process cruel. I had a dozen rejections for my first book.

"You put your heart and soul into it and you get just one line back – most of them don’t give a reason for rejecting your work.

"But I did take comfort from JK Rowling. She had so many knockbacks it might have put some people off, but she kept going - and we know how that ended.”

Pre-orders of the Barbarossa Secret, published by the Book Guild on May 28, can now be made online from major stockists such as Amazon and Waterstones.