Jacob seeks refuge in a Dutch camp, which is soon turned into a transit camp run by the Nazis. He transforms from refugee to guard to prisoner. This story, based on true events, focuses on the risks people took to protect themselves and their family.

I listened to the audiobook and it was definitely a 5 star listen for me. Mike Paul narrates this in a theatrical way that kept me engaged the entire time. I've never had an audiobook keep me on the edge of my seat. This did. It was narrated perfectly.

Beyond that, the story is written so well and the characters are developed beautifully. It's easy to look back with 20-20 hindsight and question some of the decisions people made and the faith they had in the Nazis. This book takes you on a journey through the different stages of Jacob's life in a way that highlights how little was known, why decisions were made, and the moral ambiguity behind a lot of the decisions. It was full of perfectly structured one-liners that deeply made me feel the gravity of the situation Jacob was in. I like that this isn't a chick-lit version of the Holocaust. It's not romance-driven. It's not written to shock the conscience. It's written to show the unjust actions of the German Nazis, the bravery of people who didn't know the severity of what was coming, the strength of loyalty, and the moral ambiguity felt among the victims of this tragedy. I also appreciate how much research and thought Michael Reit put into telling lesser-known stories of such incredible people.

This is a phenomenal debut novel by Michael Reit. I have read countless books about the Holocaust and spent months studying the Holocaust in Germany and Poland, yet I still learned stuff in this book. I highly recommend.

Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook of #BeyondTheTracks in exchange for my honest review.

This was a book i got really excited for, since i love ww2 books. In the beginning I was afraid it would let me down, but eventually I was more invested. My heart ached for all the characters and I felt that the narrower was perfect for the book. I loved how he made the sounds that were described, instead of just saying “the man spat” but that he also spat after the sentence. For a debut book I am really impressed.
The author note was also interesting. I really liked that some of the characters were real life people or inspired by some that actually loved during The time period

This book is well researched, and the characters were well developed. There are several nonfiction books about the resistance that I would recommend over this. However, still a solid choice for those interested in his time period but may not tolerate the brutality in the other tellings.

Huge history buff here, so had to check this out. Very well done audiobook. Very interesting. Would definitely recommend this to anyone.

What a well written book about a very important subject. This is the type of book that should be in the school reading list. It is about death, love and deep friendship. You know that your friends is in trouble and you put your life on the line to save him. We all have a basic idea of the holocaust and the camps this book opens your eyes to the real situation. It read like a truthfully documentary. I would recommend this book to anyone with and interest in the history of the 2nd world war. I would really like anyone with no knowledge of Jewish history to read this. Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this arc.

Thank you to Netgalley and Revell publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

The book starts in 1938, Berlin. When people start disappearing in nightly raids, a young Jacob Kagan and his family know their time is running out, forced to flee the country they up in the Dutch refugee camp. Life is manageable there for a while until the Nazi's take over and Westerbork is soon transformed into a transit camp with weekly trains bound for the Eastern concentration camps. Being a Jewish German refugee he knows him and his father and best friend will soon be on one of those trains bound for Auschwitz and he does he's best to prevent that from happening. Jacobs story is an extraordinary one, it is split up into different sections of his life, always showing his will to survive against all the odds.

Let me start by saying, I think it is so important books like this continue to be written so my generation from the 80's and those after us realise the sacrifices our countrymen and ancestors made for us and our county. I can't even imagine some of the horrors they saw abroad and at home. Whilst the book is fictional, it is indeed based on lots of true events and stories of real people, which makes things like this even more harrowing and though provoking to read. And as always shows how utterly horrifying the holocaust was. Having read various on this subject they usually centre around Auschwitz and Birkenau and I had never heard about Westerbork before based in the Netherlands, just showing how much historical research has gone into this book. Which, I can't believe is the authors debut.

Whilst I enjoyed the book and the different perspective it gave on this period, the narrator not so much, I found his voice quite monotone and the extra noises he makes 'beard scratching' 'laughing' just didn't work for me at all. I think I wouldn't have preferred the book more if I had gotten a written copy rather than audio. It took me longer to get into the book and connect with the characters, which I did eventually. But I think had I read the opening I would have instantly sided with Jacob and his plight as it was it took me awhile to get over my annoyance with the narrator.

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read about the Holocaust and World War Two. It is clear that Reit has poured his whole heart and research skills into this book. It captured me from the very start and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Just when I thought I knew what was happening, it was turned on his head and pulled me further into the story. Every aspect of the Holocaust was given which is rare to find in any book based on the topic. Reit took the reader from Kristallnacht right up to after the war. Anyone with any interest in the Holocaust and the Second World War should pick up this book as it would be a welcome edition to any bookshelf! I can safely say, I will be purchasing the physical book for my own bookshelf.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction is one of my top genres, and "Beyond the Tracks" did not disappoint. A gripping WW2 novel based on a true story that follows Jacob Kagan, a German Jew, through the war. Jacob experiences horrors that no human should, all while staying positive and hopeful of life after the war. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Sorrow and hope ever-present. I highly recommend this book.

Exceptionally written, I was riveted from minute one. I enjoyed the intense detail and historical information throughout. I love learning new things about a topic I've read extensively, and the Dutch Refugee-turned-transit camp of Westerbork was a fascinating new bit of information. Reit did fantastic research to get the details right, and I could tell.

One of the best audiobooks I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I felt like I was imagining the plot taking place in my mind with the vivid descriptions and amazing voice work. The accents, the timing, the production... all of it was incredible to hear. The narrator, Mike Paul, was absolutely phenomenal and I will be seeking out his other work.

I really loved the way this story was told. The author really got to the heart of the feelings of Jews from the beginning through the end of the holocaust. I loved that it was expressed that many thought the Germans WERE there to help in the beginning, then it takes to through rumors from one camp to another, and the way these thoughts and feelings changed for this group of people.

Engaging and heartfelt read. Really enjoyed this book!

Beyond the Tracks by Michael Reit (Author), Mike Paul (Narrator)

It's 1938 Berlin and Jacob Kagan, his mother, and father fear they don't have much time. Despite their pharmacy still being open, German Jews are being rounded up daily and sent away on trains. Stores of German Jews are being looted and burned, Jews are being burned out of their homes, Jews are being shot on the street for the slightest or no offence. Then the Kagan pharmacy is taken away from them and the family knows they need to flee to a refugee camp in the Netherlands.

This story is broken into distinct parts of Jacob's life in the years after his family flees Germany. The family settles in at the Dutch refugee camp of Westerbork but eventually the camp is turned into a transit camp for the weekly transports of "cargo" to Eastern concentration camps. For several years Jacob and his family are relatively safe because their jobs at Westerbork but word from elsewhere makes it obvious that they are living on borrowed time. Eventually, Jacob and his dad are loaded on the very same train cars that Jacob had loaded others on while he was still employed in the camp. We are in the car with Jacob, his dad, and so many others as they live (and many die) on the long journey to their next destination.

But Jacob's story takes a turn here and he doesn't make it to Auschwitz at this time. What happens here, with Jacob, may be fiction but from the author notes at the end of the book we learn that many of the things that happen to Jacob happened in real life. Later, Jacob does make it to Auschwitz in a daring manner, which is one again based on real life events.

There are large gaps between the various stages of Jacob's years as a prisoner/escapee. What we get are concentrated views of specific times during Jacob's horrific journey through the Nazi's massive extermination plan. I was able to see events differently than I've seen them in other stories, leading me to want to know more about Westerbork, the Dutch Resistance, and the real life people who make appearances in this story.

The narration of this book is almost theatrical and it took me a bit to get used to it but once I did, it fit the story well. I plan to learn more about the real people mentioned in this story and the escapes that are based on real life events. We are presented with the Holocaust from a different angle and as always, it's a horrific picture.

Thank you to Michael Reit/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks and NetGalley for this ARC.

Beyond the Tracks by Michael Reit was one of the best books about World War II and the Holocaust that I have read in a long time. I was even more impressed when I discovered that this was Michael Reit’s debut novel. It was based on many true and harrowing events and some of the characters were real people that actually existed. Beyond the Tracks was well researched and included many details that had not been written about in the past. The characters in Beyond the Tracks were very credible. Some of the characters were more endearing than others but they stayed with me long after I finished listening to this audiobook. I became immersed in this book from the onset. It was brilliantly narrated by Mike Paul. His performance led me to feel as if I was actually there with the characters in the book. I was quite impressed by how Michael Reit was able to weave truth with fiction throughout the book.

Jacob Kagan lived in Berlin with his mother and father when the Nazis came to power. The handwriting was on the wall as for the fate of German Jews that lived in Berlin at this time. Many people started to disappear and large roundups started. The people that disappeared were never seen again. Rumors circulated that they were taken to work camps but no one knew for sure. Jacob’s father was a pharmacist and was well respected but when their pharmacy shop was looted and destroyed in “the night of the broken glass” both Jacob and his father knew that they had to leave Berlin if they were to survive. The Kagan family decided to make their way to The Netherlands but getting there was challenging. Jacob’s father had helped an official at the railway station when his wife was dying from cancer by obtaining medicine for her to ease her pain and the man had never forgotten Jacob’s father kindness. He got them a ticket for the train headed for The Netherlands. Jacob’s best friend was also able to secure passage on the same train. Jacob and his family and Jacob’s best friend and his father found refuge in the Dutch refugee camp, Westerbork.

Life at Westerbork was predictable, safe and fair until the Nazis took over and turned Westerbork into a transit camp from the refugee camp it had been. The Nazis immediately assigned a great number of male “prisoners “ to build new barracks for all the new arrivals. Jacob and his friend were picked for this work detail. Their hours of work were expanded greatly and food became less abundant and much less nourishing.. The workers were threatened with deportation or worse if the barracks were not completed on time. Over time, Westerbork became more and more crowded. The Nazis began to make daily selections of prisoners that would be transported to work camps in the East. Jacob’s and his best friend’s job was to tell these people their fates. As they looked at their lists they hoped they would not recognize any of the names. The vivid descriptions and reactions of the people that were chosen were depicted in ways I had not previously encountered in other books. During the initial selections, there were protests and some of those chosen for the trains flatly refused to board. Ultimately, the departures became the saddest and hardest thing Jacob had to witness, it became evident that the Nazis were determined to liquidate Westerbork entirely. Jacob, his father and Jacob’s best friend were eventually put on one of those lists and found themselves headed for Auschwitz, Jacob’s father sadly did not survive. As the cattle car made its way into Poland, Jacob grieved for his father but was determined to find a way to escape from the train. Would Jacob be able to achieve this feat? If he did escape, where would he go and could he somehow help his fellow Jews?

Michael Reit was able to write Beyond the Tracks from a different perspective than most books written about this horrific time in the history of mankind. I felt like I was there with Jacob, right beside him, rather than reading about what he was doing. The courage and strength of the Polish resistance was told and described in ways that I had never read about. From Michael Reit’s impeccable research, I learned about two actual escapes from Auschwitz, one in September of 1944 and one in October of 1944. Some of the characters in Beyond the Tracks actually existed and played roles within the pages of this incredible book. The themes in this book included loyalty, friendship, family, bravery, survival, strength and determination. As I previously mentioned, this was one of the best books I have read about World War II and the Holocaust. I look forward to reading more books by Michael Reit in the future. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Independent Book Publishers Association for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a fictional account based on true events and true people. It was an interesting perspective, too; I hadn’t previously considered the temporary transit points that the prisoners would stay at along the way to their horrifying destinations. The characters in this novel were well-crafted, and I was particularly intrigued to read the author’s note at the end that specified which parts were based on real accounts.

I listened to the audiobook version of this, and I think this ruined it for me a little. I understand that a speaker must portray many different accents in order to make the characters’ voices distinguishable, but sometimes these accents were jarring. Some of the characters had Eastern-European accents (usually the Nazis) but the main characters all had various English dialects. It was particularly strange that Agnes seemed to come from Lancashire, and Jacob’s parents and best friend all spoke in varying degrees of cockney.

Aside from this, though, it was a good read.

This one was loosely based on true events and was the story of family and friends and escaping the concentration camps.

An enjoyable and unique perspective.

With all the historical fiction books written about WW2, this one was different for me. This was about how some Jewish Germans left Berlin, their home, and were lucky enough to get a ticket on a train to the Netherlands. There, a refugee camp was set up, but that camp quickly became a transport station and prison under Nazi rule. The trains took people to the work camps of the west, Auschwitz being one of them. This is the story of two families and two teenage friends and their journey and survival. The story is also about the townspeople who resisted the Nazi occupation and did what they could to help those in need.

Beyond the Tracks is based on a true story. It follows the story of a Jewish family who escape Berlin to the Netherlands and who create and stay in an immigration camp. As the Germans conquer Europe the SS soon come to control the camp and turn it into a concentration camp.

The narrators voice is smooth and he differentiates the characters well although the different English accents were a bit confusing - I'd have expected even English with Dutch accents? was a bit strange to start off with but you soon get used to it. His voice is also young - the character is young but it reminded me on Young Adult genres and this book isn't necessarily young adult.

Its a different and interesting explanation of the concentration camps - I didn't realise that some were immigration camps originally. I think I would have enjoyed the book more than the audiobook, the narration accents and young voice distracted me quite a bit.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Fantastic debut novel! I loved the narration and feel it made it more real. A story about Jacob who became a refugee in a Dutch camp with friends. While they try to stay under the radar and not accepting the fate it seems they may not be able to escape, he finds courage and hope. They eventually are forced on a train to Aushwitz. But what happens on the train changes everything. What a ending! I look forward to reading more books by this author and loved the audio!

Another harrowing story of the horrors of WW2 and the experiences of Jewish people of Europe. The narrator was incredible and was a great performer.

We follow Jakob and Ethan as they grow up through their experiences and the camps they lived in. For anyone that wants to learn more about the war, this is a fantastic historical fiction piece.

I have read hundreds of WWII book and listened to numerous audiobooks. There’s something about this timeframe that intrigues me. Beyond The Tracks rates easily in my top 20 historical fiction books. The story of Jacob and his journey throughout the Nazi invasion gripped me. I could feel what he felt, see what he saw, and grieve who he grieved. 5 out of 5 stars for me. Highly recommend this book!

The audio version also was well done. Normally I prefer women narrators over male, but this was a definite exception. I could easily listen to the smooth baritone voice for hours at a time. Well done!

This was such a great story!

I was quickly immersed into Jacob’s life and how quickly things took a turn. It was jarring to read so it really helped me get a small grasp of how it would have felt for something so quickly to change for the worst and feel so discombobulated by that change.

I loved Ethan and Jacob’s story. Their friendship is so heartwarming and the amount of bravery both showed throughout this story was amazing.

I highly recommend this read! The audiobook was amazing too and the narrator did wonderfully!

This was a very interesting look at the very early days of the war. It seems the beginning the camp Jacob and his family was sent to was a camp that was relatively good, only to fall once the Germans took it over. I enjoyed following Jacob and his instinct of survival. Though he did loose his father on the way to Aushwitz, he helped others escape. In all a good debut, and I look forward to reading more from Michael Reit.