Catherine Lockhart has a challenging case to defend. Her client is an elderly Danish woman who is being sued for slander. She painted on the alleged victim's restaurant words like 'Traitor' and 'Collaborator'. The man who owns the restaurant is being feted as a hero of the Danish resistance to Nazi Germany during World War II. Britta, the accused, admits she painted the words but claims there is no crime because what she wrote is true.

Catherine takes on the case but knows that the only way she will win Britta's case is if, indeed, she can prove that Olga, the restaurant owner, was not a hero but a collaborator who far from helping Danish Jewish families, turned them in to the Gestapo. Catherine's husband, Liam, is an investigator and he goes to Denmark to try to substantiate Britta's claims. In the meantime, Britta has been hospitalized and the case is in jeopardy on another front as she may not live to have her day in court.

This is the sixth novel in the Catherine Lockhart and Liam Taggert series. Readers will discover much information about how Denmark was treated by Germany during World War II. When the Gestapo decided to round up the entire Jewish population and send them to a concentration camp, the Danish population rallied around their Jewish friends and helped them escape to Sweden and other countries that offered asylum. More than ninety-five percent of the Jewish population were able to escape before they were rounded up. This is also an interesting legal thriller and is recommended to both readers of World War II novels and those interested in legal cases.

This audiobook was WONDERFUL! I loved each and every character, especially Britta! Britta is a Nonagenarian that is determined to bring a traitor to the Jewish community to light before she dies.

In this story, we listen as Britta goes over very detailed stories of her past and her escape from the Germans. A very good read and very emotional for me!! this is a must-read for Historical Fiction lovers!!

Attorney Catherine Lockhart defends Britta Stein, accused of spray-painting Nazi slurs on a fellow Danish immigrant's restaurant. Ms. Stein insists the slurs are true and that she has evidence that the restaurant owner was a Nazi collaborator. Over the next several days, the aging Ms. Stein relates the story of betrayal to her family to Catherine.

This book falls prey to the most common problem with dual-timeline stories. One timeline is much more well-developed than the other. The WWII timeline is a great, epic story of family, patriotism, loss, and betrayal. The modern timeline, in contrast, feels contrived. I also really could not relate to any of the supposedly "strong female characters." Both Catherine and Britta spent far too many pages being frivolous or overly emotional to pull off the "strong female" archetype. Britta worried about gaining weight and not fitting into her pretty clothes for the courtroom. Catherine no longer cared about the court case (according to her emotional rant) after Britta was hospitalized, yet somehow managed to pull it together in a rather devious, underhanded fashion. These weren't sassy, "I can take on this court case and still rock these stilettos" kind of women. They were emotional, weepy, break down when things don't go their way women. I just could not get behind them or see how anything would turn out well for them. I had to suspend disbelief a lot.

I'm giving it three stars due to the strength of the WWII timeline, but I would find it hard to recommend the book to anyone.

The sixth installment of the Liam Taggert & Catherine Lockhart series started off sounding very familiar to an earlier book in the series: war crime accusations against someone who claimed it was a case of mistaken identity. However, that’s where the similarities end. Ole Henryks, a popular 95-year-old Chicago restauranteur, is set to be inducted into the American Danish Hall of Fame as a war hero, but his past tells a different story according to 92-year-old Britta Stein. Britta tells the story throughout this book that paints a completely different picture of Ole Henryks. Defending Brittany Stein is full of mystery, suspense, history, and well thought out legal angles. The writing shows that a lot of research into the Danish way of life and the history of WWII in Denmark as well as the American legal processes. Not only did I learn a lot about history, but I also learned a lot about legal processes including legal terminology. I was captivated from beginning to end in this book. Britta tells her story with exceptional detail and memory that only one who has experienced such exceptionally cruel and evil things can remember so well. The dynamic duo of Taggert and Lockhart work extremely well together and this book continues to showcase that good working and marital chemistry.

I thoroughly enjoyed this ARC of the audiobook, narrated by Gabra Zackman. I have never listened to an audiobook narration by Gabra Zackman before, but I thoroughly enjoyed the way she made the characters come to life. The cadence of her narration flowed smoothly and, along with the story, her performance kept me captivated from beginning to end.

Britta Stein has been caught. And she is being sued. But, this 90 year old lady has nothing to hide and she is determined to get her story out there for the whole world to hear.

Ole Henryks is a popular restaurant owner in Chicago. He is about to be honored for his charitable contributions. But, Britta knows a secret from WWII and she is spreading the word by painting disparaging words on the side of his restaurant. Ole Henryks is not taking this lying down. He is suing Britta for defamation of character.

Catherine Lockhart has decided to take the case. It is going to be difficult to prove Britta is telling the truth. It has been around 75 years since the war. Plus, Britta and Ole are in their 90s. This trial is going to be very strenuous to both parties.

Britta is a character which pulls at your heart and your soul. As she tells her narrative, the reader is captivated by her country, her family and their situation.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. I devoured this story. It is so well researched and so well written. I also believe the uniqueness of the Danish situation in WWII is another reason for my fascination. I do not think I have ever read about the Danes during the war.

Gabra Zackman is the narrator and is excellent! She was Britta. No doubt in my mind. She made this character come alive.

Need a fantastic story with a unique setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Ronald H. Balson is a fantastic author, he’s able to bring together the past and present of Nazi Occupied Countries as historical fiction. Defending Britta Stein is the 6th book in the Lockhart/Taggart series. A story of Bravery, Strength and Vindication, this book is the winner of the National Jewish Book Award.
Ole Henryks is a local restaurant owner whose about to be honored by the Danish/American Association for his heroic actions during WWII, he is said to have helped Jewish families flee Nazi Occupied Denmark. Britt Stein however doesn’t agree and begins to graffiti Ole’s restaurant by spray painting “Coward”, “Traitor”, “Nazi Collaborator” and “War Crimes” on the back walls of his restaurant in the wee hours of the morning. Britta is arrested and charged with defacement of property. That’s not enough for Ole Henryks, Britta has defamed his character and he’s not about to let her get away with it, he sues her for $5M. Britta is not going to back down as she knows in her heart that Ole in fact is all of those things and is therefore telling the truth. A lawsuit ensues and Britta Stein hires Catherine Lockhart as her attorney; Liam Taggart, Catherine’s husband and an excellent private investigator makes an appearance in this book series as well. Britta begins to tell her story of life in Denmark hoping to prove her innocence. Chapter’s alternate between Britta’s life story and the present courtroom drama.
Thank you Netgalley for choosing me. I have read and listened to the whole Lockhart/Taggart series so to be chosen to listen to the audiobook of Defending Britta Stein, I was very excited. I gave this book 5 stars, Ronald H.Balson did it again!

Thoroughly enjoyed this WWII perspective. The story takes place in Denmark, while Jews are rounded up, abused, and hide there are only hints of concentration camps. It felt like, they didn't really know what could happen if sent to Germany. An elderly woman sees a news clip and recognizes a war criminal. The story goes from there. Sadly, the victim is questioned as her memories are more than 70 years old. The war criminal has really fans; those who feel he is wrongly charged.

I had the audiobook, and liked how I could sit back, eyes closed, and hear Britta's story. The narrator did a good job.

Four stars: There is some profanity.

I would recommend this for young readers, pre YA and for those interested in exploring historical fiction . Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Ronald H. Balson, I would love more books like this.

#NetGalley
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#NationalJewishBookAward
#MacmillanAudio
#StMartinsPress

I was glad to see that Ron Balson brought back attorney Catherine Lockhart and her spouse, investigator Liam Taggart. As with this author’s first couple of books, ‘Once We Were Brothers’ and ‘ Karolina’s Twins,’ we go back to the late 1930s and 1940s during WW2, this story centering around Denmark and the danish jews who lived there. From the very beginning, the reader is drawn into Britta’s life and if you’re like me, very interested in what happened to her all those years ago. While this is not one of my favorite stories by this author, I did enjoy it. Listening to the audiobook was different, I liked the voice for Emma but the voices for Liam and Catherine would not be what I would have chosen based on my opinion of the characters from past stories. #netgalley

https://wendyreadit.wordpress.com/2021/09/12/defending-britta-stein/

I am a fan of Ronald H. Balson's novels, so I was so glad to be granted an early download of Defending Britta Stein, his latest audiobook for review.

The Britta Stein of the title, is ninety years old in 2018 and living in Chicago. When she hears that Ole Henryks is being honoured for his effort in WW2 that helped save innocent people from the Nazis, she defaces Ole's bar with slurs like traitor and liar, because she KNOWS the truth., that Ole Henryks was actually an informant to the Nazis.

Ole Henryks takes action against Britta. Britta shows up at the office of Catherine Lockhart requiring Catherine's services for her own defence. The story explains in detail what happened 75 years ago in Denmark. Nothing, (no obstacle) can stop Britta from proving the truth about Henryk.

This is a 5 star read as a book and Gabra Zackman is one of my favourite audiobook narrators! Thank you #netgalley and @Macmillanaudio for the early audiobook in return for my honest review,

Extremely cliched dialogue. It was just painful to try to read it. I just couldn't convince myself to finish it.

(It's a short review because I didn't finish it.)