I've always been fascinated by this part of history, and this was an interesting and detailed read. It kept me interested the whole time.

Compelling account of the Nazi Hunters, a dedicated and determined group of men and women who were insistent that no Nazi war criminal should go unpunished, especially after the Nuremburg trials seemed to draw a line under what had happened. With the emphasis turning toward the Cold war, fewer resources were available to hunt down Nazis, but thanks to the sometimes controversial efforts of a few hunters, many more malefactors were pursued and brought to justice. It's a comprehensive and meticulously researched book, although the structure jumps about a bit in time and place which makes for a rather disjointed narrative. But overall it’s an accessibly and engagingly written account that makes for some exciting, if shocking, reading. Although some names are familiar still today, such as Simon Wiesenthal, many were new to me and I found myself absorbed in their sometimes dangerous exploits to hunt down and call to account those who so often claimed that they were not, in fact, guilty of any crime but had been merely carrying out orders, that all too chilling excuse for their inhumanity. A thought-provoking and important work.

This is an interesting part of history, in part because it shows that history is more than the terse paragraphs that are set down in the history books. WWII ended, but it had many epilogues, and this book chronicles some of them. For some people, the war didn't entirely end....

Nagorski's The Nazi Hunters is one of the most fascinating WWII books I've ever read. The scope extends far beyond the conflict itself, but the content is both intense and relevant. More than a few have questioned why the last members of a dying generation are being brought to trial for their actions against the Jews in their final days as their health fails and while this volume doesn't answer those questions in full, it does shed light on the motivations and how the fight to bring the guilty to justice can ripple across generations.

Such through research and detail into what I'm sure many have seen or read about in fictitious works. At some points I felt bogged down, but this was well worth the read. I finished this book just as I was watching and finishing Five Came Back in Netflix and seeing and then reading about after really enhanced the experience of both

I have read many books on the Holocaust, straightforward histories of the people and events and memoirs. In the aftermath of the discovery of the camps, outrage was rampant. It would have been easy to seek out the perpetrators for revenge but most of those involved in the early investigations and trials wanted something far harder to achieve: justice.
As the years went by more and more barriers were thrown up to avoid confronting the horrors. Those who still believed that only through the legal system could those monsters be revealed in the hopes that no one would attempt to repeat the atrocities. Sadly with competing needs and changing alliances, many of those Nazi Hunters laboured against great odds. There were many successes and there were many disappointments.
The different groups who were trying to achieve the same goals often found themselves in conflict with others doing the same things. Egos and reputations clouded what might have been a more cohesive effort. This book tells this story of the heroic ends that the hunters would go to in order to hunt down their prey and bring them to justice.
This is not a light nor easy read. It can be frustrating as events conspired to obstruct once the initial demands for retribution were quelled. It talks about the survivors of the camps and the next generation who made hunting Nazis their life's work. It tells their stories fairly. They were and are a rare breed.
One can only hope, others of their ilk will not be required again.
I give this five purrs and two paws up.

While the defeat of the Third Reich and its allies was a remarkable triumph of the Allied forces, their record in "winning the peace" left a little to be desired. For one reason or another, the effort to find those responsible for the heinous war crimes never really got the full attention of the victors. Many of the greatest successes were those of the amateur sleuths and hunters...and this is their story.

=== The Good Stuff ===

* The hunt for ex-Nazis was a somewhat thankless subject, especially after the immediate burst of activity in 1945. Most of Europe, and the world, just wanted to get on with rebuilding, and was as interested in forgetting as they were in justice. Andrew Nagorski brings out the story of those individuals who, for a variety of reasons, just didn't accept that.

* The author puts together a story that tells not only of the tactics and determination required of the investigations, but also the motivations. The cast of characters is varied, and each have their own reasons for their actions. The "authorities" were not all that encouraging, and in many cases somewhat hostile, but whatever their motivation, these people were determined to succeed.

=== The Not-So-Good Stuff ===

* There is not a lot of new material here, and I had read most of it in one form or another. But if you are only going to read one book on the unofficial hunts for Nazi war criminals, this is probably as good a place to start as you will find.

=== Summary ===

The book breaks new ground, but does a credible job of summarizing the work of many amateur Nazi hunters, and giving the reader an overview of their motivation, struggles and triumphs.

If you have grown tired of reading the same accounts of Nazi terrorism, you should pick up this book and learn something new. "the Nazi Hunters," is a fine example of good research and the dedication of the human spirit to find answers to important mysteries.

I was impressed with this book from the get-go. Not only did I enjoy the point at which the author began his book, but I liked that he makes the reader think about how many people it took to become such a war machine and kill so many innocent people. We tend to hear the same names over and over again in connection with the Nazis, but what about the others? What about the lesser known operatives and those who chased them to the ends of the earth seeking justice? That is where this book becomes important. I never knew half the stuff, had never even heard of these people, until reading this.

For any scholar of Nazi history or WWII, this book will be an invaluable tool for reference or to promote discussions with students, colleagues and others. I absolutely recommend this book.

This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.