The Kaiser’s Last Kiss by Alan Judd (review by Veronica James)

The Kaiser’s Last Kiss takes place during World War II. Kaiser Wilhelm was born to Germany’s Frederick III and Victoria, Queen of England’s oldest daughter. He was Germany’s emperor until he was exiled to the Netherlands at the end of World War I. The story focuses on the Kaiser’s exile in 1940 when he is confined to his Dutch chateau. He spends his days chopping wood as an old man. The Nazi invasion of Holland brings SS Soldiers to his chateau to see where his alliances are. One officer in particular, Martin Krebbs, makes it his mission to monitor the Kaiser and the household, especially Akki, a Jewish maid he is fond of to see if there are acts of treason. Krebbs discovers that messages are being relayed to Britain from the chateau but he must decide if he will be faithful to a war that has committed atrocities or faithful to the Jewish woman he is falling for. Although there is a trace of a love story in this book, it is more about a man finding where his loyalties lie during a time of war. If you like historical fiction this might be of interest for you, although I would recommend reading up on Kaiser Wilhelm beforehand so that you may better understand the history behind the story. A Review by Veronica James