The Einstein Vendetta

Summary

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From the Sunday Times bestselling author of HANNS AND RUDOLF, THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE and BLOOD ON THE PAGE, pre-order the gripping story of an unsolved triple-murder which took place against the extraordinary background of Nazi-occupied Florence during World War Two . . .

Florence, August 1944.

Fifteen miles south-east of the city, a unit of German soldiers arrive at Il Focardo, the home of Robert Einstein. Nearby, Robert is hiding out in the Tuscan countryside, while his wife and two daughters remain in the villa. The Germans knock hard. The owner of the house, Nina Einstein, answers the door.

‘Where is your husband, Robert Einstein?’, she is asked, ‘Where is Robert Einstein, the first cousin of the world-famous Albert Einstein?’

Twelve hours later, Nina, Luce and Anna-Maria are brutally murdered.

The following day, British troops arrive in the area, pushing the German forces away from Florence to the north. A murder investigation is launched but the perpetrators never found.

In The Einstein Vendetta, Thomas Harding recounts the story of an unthinkable crime, one that unspools to reveal Italy’s brutal wartime history – its fall to fascism, antisemitism and bitter partisanship – and a family’s search for justice. Vividly told, drawing on previously unpublished archival sources and first-hand accounts, Harding threads history and detective story to build an unquiet, haunting testimony.

Praise for Thomas Harding:

Hanns and Rudolf

'A gripping thriller, an unspeakable crime, an essential history' John le Carré

'Thomas Harding has shed intriguing new light on the strange poison of Nazism, and one of its most lethal practitioners... Meticulously researched and deeply felt' Ben Macintyre, Times Book of the Week

'Fascinating and moving...This is a remarkable book, which deserves a wide readership' Max Hastings, Sunday Times

© Thomas Harding 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025