Skip Hoffman, Missing-In-Action as a result of a World War II military blunder, lives a secret, tormented existence in Germany as Zig Hoffmann. His anguish is magnified by an ironic twist of fate when his son is declared Missing-In-Action in Viet Nam.
Paid-In-Full follows the trail of Skip Hoffman, an American, and Ziggy Hoffmann, a German from their 1944 meeting on an Alpine mountain. Discovery of their probable relationship triggers Skip’s memory of a haunted youth, Ziggy’s recollection of a lonely childhood and leads to the ultimate terror visited on them.
Skip’s search for his son, like his mother’s search for him, leads to walls of silence, hidden information and official misconduct by high level officials.
Among the book’s characters is Maury Daniels, a writer for The New York Times. Other characters include a psychiatrist, devoted to working with Viet Nam veterans, the German Ambassador, four veterans on the run and several American Generals. Skip’s mother devotes her life searching for her missing son and is central to formation of his character.
The novel spans the period 1940 to 1984, courses from Europe through North America and leads to Skip’s healing at the conclusion as a result of newfound wisdom, compassion and redemption.
