by Pamela Kelt and Robert J Deeth
It is autumn 1936 ...
It is autumn 1936 ...
Clouds of war are gathering in Europe and the Fascists are covertly assessing possible nuclear resources in Scandinavia. High-flying Cambridge nuclear scientist Dr Dulcie Bennett travels to northern Norway to join an elite group of researchers eager to unlock the secrets of the atom. She makes a startling breakthrough on an experiment but a suspicious lab explosion derails her plans. As she investigates, she encounters troubled Canadian journalist John Kirkwall, in Sohlberg on a personal quest, and they are drawn to each other despite initial misunderstandings.
As winter grips, they become embroiled in a shady world of murky political skulduggery and sexual intrigue, populated by spies, saboteurs, neurotic academics and secret police in a tense race where the victor could tilt the balance of power in Hitler’s favour.
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Background
Fascism was gaining a hold in Norway, with the help of the infamous Vidkun Quisling and his nationalist party, who were courting the top Nazis prior to invasion.
In the science world, Fermi’s experiments of 1934 were the source of much discussion, with some believing he had, indeed, created nuclear fission. For the next four years, nuclear chemists and physicists all over the world strove to split the atom, paving the way for the nuclear bomb. It took until 1938 until two German scientists solved the mystery – the third member of the team, Lise Meitner, had already fled Nazi oppression, and only gained recognition for her calculations in later years. The real-life adventures of the exploits of Arctic explorers in the early 20th century are well document. However, the plight of the Sami is one of Norway’s best-kept secrets, and their persecution parallels the plight of many victims of the Third Reich.
