The “Paris notebook” of the title contains the notes of a psychologist who treated Adolf Hitler during World War I, describing the Fuhrer as a dangerous and unstable personality. The novel describes the struggles Katja Heinz, the assistant of the treating doctor, to publish the notebook and bring the mental deficiencies and danger of Hitler to public attention.

This fast-paced novel kept my attention and interest through to the end. Although there were a lot of coincidences and near misses, and a bit too much romance for my taste, it was well written and will appeal to many readers who will root for Katja to get the notebook to the proper authorities and find happiness at last.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

rom page one - this is a perfect WWII feminist feeling novel! I've read so many stories about women's roles in history, and none of them felt quite as high stakes! Katja's heroism jumps off every page!

**Thank you to Harper 360, HQ Digitalw & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Katja Heinz was a single woman living with her mother taking care of all of her needs and trying to pay the bills. She lands a job with Dr. Viktor at his clinic. He asks her to type his manuscript that he had kept for many years hidden about a troubled teenager, who not only was troubled, but had evil thoughts about being very powerful. The patient turned out to be Hitler. The doctors mission is to get this published and Katja believes she can help him.

This book had me captivated from page one; the story of Katja Heinz and Doctor Viktor, attempting to get this very important manuscript published had me breathless at times. I almost felt like I was standing in the room, listening to their whispered conversations.

I love the characters they were so well developed. I loved how passionate they were about this mission that they had set out to accomplish.


Thank you NetGalley or allowing me access to read this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review.
While I often balk at books about World War II, especially Germany, I was drawn to the concept of The Paris Notebook, especially the angle it took, exploring the danger posed by the existence of notebooks documenting Hitler’s psychiatric treatment in the aftermath of a gas attack after World War I. I was drawn into the sections about the notebooks themselves, how it highlighted Hitler’s broken state during that period, and how the doctor unintentionally set Hitler on his megalomaniac path toward power, certain of his godlike status.
Katja makes a compelling protagonist to observe most of the action through, being a personal assistant to the aforementioned doctor, Dr. Viktor. She is initially unsure exactly the secrets Dr. Viktor carries, and observing her natural reaction first to Hitler’s tendencies, and slowly coming to the realization who he is, is truly poignant and terrifying.
The intrigue in the story builds slowly, with the narrative initially split between Katja and Dr. Viktor in Hamburg, and subtly connects to their contacts in Paris, namely Daniel, with the connections becoming more prominent as the story goes on. Having previously read about the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris, I was excited for that tie to the narrative, with the struggle to get the notebook published and expose Hitler’s past.
The two narratives do take their time to build, so the book was slow at first, but picked up over time. It was fairly well paced and packed in a lot, considering the book isn’t particularly long.
This was a satisfying read, and I enjoyed how it highlighted somewhat lesser known bits of World War II in Europe. If that also interests you, I’d recommend checking this book out!

In 1940, Katja is fortunate to land a job as a typist for psychiatrist Dr. Viktor, in Hamburg. The Nazis have come to power, but a document that Katja is typing could threaten their rule. In WWI, Dr. Viktor helped a young Adolph Hitler overcome a case of hysterical blindness, and his notes document just how unstable the man is. Katja and the doctor hope to smuggle the notes to Paris and get them published.
But Hitler recognizes Dr. Viktor in a crowd, and becomes obsessed with retrieving his medical files. Murders, sabotage, and courageous acts of rebellion ensue.
I loved the twist at the end!

"The Paris Notebook" by Tessa Harris is a riveting tale set against the backdrop of post-World War I Europe. Katja Heinz's unexpected journey as a typist takes a thrilling turn when she stumbles upon a secret notebook containing damning information about Adolf Hitler's psychological fitness. As she and Doctor Viktor embark on a perilous journey to Paris, the stakes escalate, weaving a suspenseful narrative of espionage and the quest for truth.

Harris skillfully captures the tension of wartime Paris, making this historical thriller a gripping read that explores the impact of a hidden secret on the course of history.

Katja Heinz works for Dr. Viktor as his assistant a typist at a mental health clinic in Germany on the cusp of WWII. She is typing the doctor’s personal notes about a soldier he treated near the end of WWI who had gone blind but there was no medical reason for the blindness. That soldier was Adolf Hitler.
The author takes a small amount of historical fact and gives us a fascinating story around it, with a fascinating ending.
Would be good for discussion groups that enjoy historical fiction. What would have happened if the world had known of Hitler’s mental health challenges and inability to be an effective soldier?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Paris Notebook!

This was one of my favorite books I’ve read recently. I loved the main character, Katja, and her story. The author did a great job with her character growth. I also really enjoyed Daniel, and how he grew and changed throughout the book.

This book kept my attention 100%. I was lost in it, didn’t even realize how late I stayed up reading it!

Spoiler alert ahead*
The only thing that kept it from being a 5-star read: the initial relationship between Daniel and Katja was rushed. I wanted to see more of the “connection” they kept talking about. Just a little more realism there.
Other than that though — I have no complaints. Really enjoyed this book!!

The Paris Notebook was such a gripping, suspenseful read. The beginning was a little slow, but I understand that the author had to set up everything just so in order to weave her tale in just a compelling way. Way to go Tessa Harris.

I was lucky to receive a copy through NetGalley for an honest review

I desperately wanted to really like this book but something gell short for me. It had an interesting premise. What happens when you get Hitlers medical journals? And how can they be used to help end WW2? Great interesting topic. But it was a little long and drawn out. I think if it had been shortened it would be better. Maybe I'll try it again sometime and see if it enjoy it more!

What would you risk to get Hitler's psychiatric and medical records out of Germany at the beginning of the war? Can it be published? How can it get into the proper hands to alert the world to Hitler's madness? When Katja goes to work for Dr. Victor, her mail job is to transcribe his notes from the time when he was Hitler's doctor. The Paris Notebook, by Tessa Harr tells the harrowing story of the attempts of Dr. Victor, Katja, and their friends to get this notebook to the right people. It takes you from Hamburg to Paris to Calais to England and back to Paris. It was an interesting read. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

The Paris Notebook, written by Tessa Harris, is a gripping, compelling, and beautifully crafted read.

In Hamburg, Germany, Katja is dealing with the loss of her father and her mother’s subsequent depression. To pay the bills, she gets a job as an assistant to Dr. Ernst Viktor, and he asks her to transcribe his medical notes on a patient he had after the First World War. As she transcribes the notes, she quickly realizes these notes refer to a famous, dangerous dictator whose goal is to rule over Europe. She and Dr. Viktor work to get his medical notes to Paris to have them published and warn the Allies about this tyrant, but the war intervenes. Meanwhile, while visiting Paris, Katja meets Daniel, an Irish journalist, at the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company. Together, they help one another heal from their personal wounds.

Tessa Harris describes pre-war Germany well, giving the reader a solid understanding of the fear that Hilter’s rise to power has caused—and also the fervor of his supporters. The way Dr. Viktor is treated by his fellow psychiatrists—who are Nazi party members while he isn’t—is accurate to the times. The urgency and the terror felt by Katja when she encounters Nazi officers felt real to me.

On the other hand, I thought the book could have focused less on the medical notes (I got tired of this story after a while) and more on Katja's role in the war itself. The book closes with an epilogue set after the war, and in just a few pages, we learn the basics of what Katja did during the past five years. It seemed a bit rushed, while the story of the notebook’s travels took too long. I wish the focus was less on getting the notebook to where it needed to be and more on the larger story, but I do realize that wasn’t the point of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book although it wasn’t one of my favorite WWII historical fiction books.

I absolutely adored this book! Another one I couldn’t put down until I had reached the end. It was suspenseful, picking up your heart rate, to heart wrenching, breaking your heart. There is no book I love more than one that can take you through the emotions and not let you put the book down. This was was written superbly by the author. I also cannot wait due the audiobook on this. I bet it is amazing to listen to.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a historical WWII fiction with a unique premise of Hitlers medical records being released. I enjoyed this novel although it was a little slow to start.

What would you do if you found yourself in possession of the psychological medical records of Adolf Hitler right before the beginning of World War II? This is the historical drama that unfolds when Katje Heinz begins a job working for psychiatrist Dr. Viktor in Hamburg Germany.

At the hands of the Nazi’s, Katje loses everything including her family. By chance she begins working for the Dr. that treated Adolf Hitler in Word War I. Working together to turn his medical notes into a book, they must travel to Paris to have it published, this is where the story truly begins. Katje one vow and promise to Dr. Viktor, is to let the world know how psychotic Hitler truly is before it’s too late. While in Paris she meets Daniel, a man that also knows hurt and sorrow, and Sylvia Beach. Together they forge a bond to expose Hitler that takes them from Germany, France and onto England…all with the Nazi’s just steps behind.

The reader will instantly get caught up in this story even if you have read countless WWII novels. Ms. Harris writes about this World War II fact that I have never heard of before. I found it easy to get through and at many times griping. I do wish the end didn’t feel so rushed as it certainly could have covered more depth. All in all, a great read!

It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical fiction novel like this one, but I am so glad I read The Paris Notebook. This is a wonderful blend of soft and lovely romance, tragedy and heartbreak, and the dangers and sacrifice of war and political unrest. Taking on a topic such as an “exposure” of Hitler’s mental state is very tricky because there’s a risk of simplifying this time in history, or of making the main characters too individually heroic. However, the fate of the papers and the way the focus remained on Katja and Daniel’s own journey helped the story to avoid this. The stakes felt high enough without romanticizing the resistance effort to Hitler’s regime, which I really appreciated. By the end of the book, I was crying both from shock and sadness, and then happiness later. The characters are beautifully written and their affection flies off the page. Thank you so much for the advance copy!

I was hooked from the prologue and devoured this book in two sittings. I enjoyed the fast pace which is not all that common in historical fiction books of ww2 era. The ending got a tad far fetched for me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and would highly recommend to readers that enjoy historical fiction and suspense. Solid 4.5 stars for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Paris Notebook is a unique twist on the dime-a-dozen World War 2 novels that have become so ubiquitous the past decade. Don't get me wrong, many of them are marvelous books. But so many share the same general plot. This is a fresh idea, and superbly written.

Katja is a typist for Doctor Viktor's office. When she comes across some of the psychological records of a young man treated after the Great War, and watches in horror as he continues gaining political power. She and the doctor decide the public needs to be aware of his mental health issues, but Nazi Germany will do anything to stop them from publishing his records.

Beautifully written, yet bone chilling, this will have you turning pages late at night until you come to the wonderfully-told end of this story. Fantastic, fresh, and frightening! ❤️❤️❤️


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of the most riveting historical fiction novels I've ever read, The Paris Notebook had me on the edge of my seat! By the time I reached the halfway point of this novel I couldn't put it down and all other daily tasks had to take a back seat. I simply HAD to know what was going to happen next.

Author Tessa Harris does a masterful job of combining suspenseful action with tragedy and a touch of romance so readers aren't too distraught throughout! It is very well paced featuring believable characters that your heart just bleeds for. Their trials, tribulations and relationships kept me engaged until the very end. There is never a dull moment, and the twists and turns along the way just seem to keep coming!

A gripping novel that I undoubtedly will return to over the years in amongst my recommendations to friends and colleagues to give it a read!