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Dick Rosano
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The Secret of Altamura: Nazi Crimes, Italian Treasure Kindle Edition

by Dick Rosano (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 173
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It is 1943, and the Nazis control large parts of Italy. Colonel Anselm Bernhardt devotes his attention to stealing Italian art – and having his way with Italian women – but there is one great treasure that he covets even more.

In present day, his grandson swears to make amends for Bernhardt’s crimes, but is bitten by the same temptation. When he begins his search for the mysterious treasure in southern Italy, he discovers a secret that can change the course of history.

Based on historical events, The Secret of Altamura takes you back to the cloud of terror that hung over wartime Italy, and invites you to explore the secrets that were hidden from the Nazi invaders.

Praise:

★★★★★ - "If you’re a fan of Italy, this book is for you. You’ll see the countryside, taste the food, and live with the people. If you’re a fan of mysteries, this book is for you. It will keep you guessing until the very end. And if you’re a fan of World War II history, this book is for you. You’ll glimpse a part of the Italian campaign through the eyes of the people who lived there. In The Secret of Altamura, Rosano skillfully blends all three themes into one well-written, emotionally engaging narrative."

★★★★★ - "Kept me intrigued with the history of Southern Italy during WW2. Makes me want to visit Italy and discover the culture myself. I'm amazed at the details and research that were woven into the story."

Previous page
  1. Print length
    202 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 15, 2016
  5. Reading age
    16 - 18 years
  6. Grade level
    10 - 12
  7. File size
    300 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

If you're a fan of Italy, this book is for you. You'll see the countryside, taste the food, and live with the people. If you're a fan of mysteries, this book is for you. It will keep you guessing until the very end. And if you're a fan of World War II history, this book is for you. You'll glimpse a part of the Italian campaign through the eyes of the people who lived there. In The Secret of Altamura, Rosano skillfully blends all three themes into one well-written, emotionally engaging narrative. Readers' Favorite, 5 Stars
"The touches of language, customs, and tradition implanted throughout the narrative create an authentic and alluring story...eloquently brought to life." ReadersFavorite.com

About the Author

Dick Rosano is a wine, food,and travel writer with long-running columns in The Washington Post, AmbassadorMagazine, Wine Enthusiast and other publications. His travels have taken him tothe wine regions of Europe, South America, and throughout the United States,and he has lectured on wine at the Smithsonian Institution, L'Academie deCuisine, and aboard Viking Cruise Lines. His recent books include A Death inTuscany; The Secret of Altamura: Nazi Crimes, Italian Treasure; HuntingTruffles: A Mystery; and Wine Heritage: The Story of Italian-American Vintners.His novels are set in Italy, featuring picturesque landscapes, intriguingcharacters, and the wine, food, and culture of the region. More on DickRosanoBooks.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01FRAHM7Q
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creativia; 2nd edition (May 15, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 15, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 300 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 173

About the author

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Dick Rosano

Dick Rosano

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Dick Rosano is an historian as well as a wine, food, and travel writer with long-running columns in The Washington Post, Ambassador Magazine, Wine Enthusiast and other publications. His travels have taken him to Europe, South America, Asia and throughout the United States, and he has lectured at the Smithsonian Institution, L'Academie de Cuisine, and aboard Viking Cruise Lines. His recent books include The Etruscan Connection; The Sicily Chronicles (2 volumes); A Death in Tuscany; The Secret of Altamura: Nazi Crimes, Italian Treasure; The Vienna Connection; and Hunting Truffles. His novels are set in Italy, featuring picturesque landscapes, intriguing characters, and the wine, food, and culture of the region. See his novellas published under D.P. Rosano.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
173 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

whimsical_one
5.0 out of 5 stars Bounces back and forth through time
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
I am not an avid reader. I read so slowly that I put myself to sleep. I also get bored when I am read to... until I got this Kindle. The Kindle reads to, and I read along with the audio at the same time. I can go back and reread things that I have missed, so I understand more, and better.

This book took me along time to read because it bounces back and forth through time. It was well worth the effort. In a movie, there are visual cues when the scene changes from one decade to another. But in a novel,those cues don't exist.

I am glad the Kindle has made it possible to enjoy this wonderful book.
2 people found this helpful
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sharon f. leff
4.0 out of 5 stars Lost or Safe?
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2022
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Perhaps, what matters most is the treasures of humanity that survived Nazi persecution. If the sacred vestments of church remain “lost”, at least they have remained safe from Nazi plunder and degradation or desecration.

The very real places of Italy are these hidden treasures of community, creativity, and compassion. Priceless treasures.
One person found this helpful
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M. J. Joachim
3.0 out of 5 stars If Not for the Ending...
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2017
Verified Purchase
As a fictional story about WWII, this book provides an interesting perspective of Italy's role, and the things that might have taken place there. There were a couple different story lines going on, which merged together adequately in the end. The climax to get to the end was like slowly climbing higher and higher on a roller coaster, knowing when you get to the top the ride will drop your belly, blow fast wind through your hair and sting your eyes on your descent into a wild and completely unexpected ride.

Except it didn't. Instead it took a turn, albeit unexpected, that left me disheartened due to a conspiracy theory that doesn't jibe with the rest of what has been led up to and takes place in this book. It doesn't even make sense with the proposed ending, contradicting itself in the writing. And there were typos, or poor editing, perhaps both. I might have overlooked them, but the ending really let me down.
One person found this helpful
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D. Mac
5.0 out of 5 stars History comes alive.
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2017
Verified Purchase
I found this quite interesting especially since I enjoy history and am currently living in Italy. I found some of the historical references vividly coming to mind as I connected the events mentioned in the book with current areas I have walked today. Unlike some books involving transitions back and forth between past events and current events, the back and forth transition of Martin and Carlo to the WWII events involving Martin's grandfather and the Nazi regime in Italy were easy to follow. I think it is time to check out the city of Altamura and explore hidden areas!
6 people found this helpful
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Gail & Emery
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2017
Verified Purchase
What a great read! I don't usually read "war stories", but this one was definitely NOT your typical war story. Very interesting, all the way through. I wasn't thrilled with the ending, but overall, it's definitely a 4-star!!
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Tim K
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
Dick does an amazing job of setting scenes so it makes you feel like you're in Italy. With his wonderful way of being able to share his history of travel, food and wine, I am inspired to attempt to replicate his experiences. This is a great book!
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Mutti
2.0 out of 5 stars Hidden agenda
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2018
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The purpose of the book is to discredit the Bible and undermine the verities of Christianity. A poor imitation of a Dan Brown book.
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Pansey
5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing ,mysterious and historical
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2017
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Although I seldom read mystery books, I am glad I read this one. The characters were well developed and the culture of southern Italy was a major feature. The role that Italy played in world war 11 was historical but made real by the characters living it.
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Holiday read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2017
Verified Purchase
Enjoyable holiday read
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Alli
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Read
Reviewed in Australia on May 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
A good read for someone who loves Italy, it's wartime history and a previous visitor of Matera and Altamura. Not too long for a ''non book reader'' but interesting enough to keep going. Certainly not the ending I envisaged.
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IhateTV
4.0 out of 5 stars War crimes and food
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
German war crimes, tourist tips, local food, bread, church and some village intrigue added for taste.
A good book, but a little short, I read it in one sitting.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing and easy to read. Engaging and tense. Good descriptions of people and places, liked the different stories and how they interact and overlap
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
Would have liked it to be slightly longer and the stories slightly more developed but otherwise good pace, characters and locations
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2017
Verified Purchase
Excellent
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