The Swiss Account [Hardcover]

Paul Emil Erdman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1992

Spymaster Allen Dulles and his two female sidekicks take on the corrupt Swiss banking establishment whose vaults are full of Nazi gold following World War II. 125,000 first printing. $75,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lengthy footnotes, wooden dialogue and plodding action hamper Erdman's (The Billion Dollar Sure Thing) latest financial thriller, set during WW II. In Switzerland, where some influential figures enjoy a less-than-neutral relationship with the Third Reich, the newly developing intelligence agencies of both the Allies and the Axis move freely. There novice U.S. spymaster Allen Dulles has established it back channel line to the White House, making him one of the most powerful Americans in the country. The lackluster plot follows a team of American operatives identified as the Swiss Account. The only drama involves the thwarted assassination of a high-ranking SS officer and a foray into Germany by a Dulles team (Swiss siblings Peter and Felicitas Burckhardt and American Nancy Reichman) for information that will allow the Allies to eliminate the Nazis' last hope of completing an atomic bomb. Erdman includes the painstaking details of his research at the expense of character and plot development and, thus, reader interest.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile

This is a masterful performance by Edward Woodward. With consummate skill, he modulates his voice to present a varied range of characters: a young American woman, a seasoned diplomat, as well as Nazi and Swiss characters. The individuals are not only vocally differentiated and always recognizable, but the nature of their personalities is revealed through Woodward's tonal color. Without hesitation he pronounces a difficult vocabulary of proper names and foreign phrases. The smoothness and polish of his delivery produce an exciting story based on World War II covert operations. M.G.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates; 1st edition (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312853211
• ISBN-13: 978-0312853211
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,003,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An account of the Swiss's "neutrality" during the WW II., December 4, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Swiss Account (Mass Market Paperback)

Erdman's does a very good job of explaining the Swiss government role in building Germany's war machine in a fact based novel. Fictional characters make this factual story easy and enjoyable to read. Footnotes are scattered throughout the book to make one realize that the Swiss government's idea of "neutrality" must be that they will trade with anyone to make a quick buck.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The book that ruined the "swiss banks", August 29, 1998

By 

Nathan Davies (Los Gatos, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Swiss Account (Mass Market Paperback)

We've all seen hundreds of books and films about world war 2, but here's one that takes you inside. This historical fiction provides the readed with an unfamiliar look at the war. The origins of the CIA and KGB, along with German intelligence are all depicted in this well documented novel

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly lightwieght coming from Erdman, September 23, 1999

By 

S. McHale (Costa Mesa, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Swiss Account (Mass Market Paperback)

Erdman is a man of many talents. But it seems like his fictional writing talents were diluted in order to make room for some pinches of historical data. It's not a ponderous read nor a fact-o-rama. In fact, he does do a good job keeping everything fairly easy and balanced for the reader. It's just that he usually does better.