This novel is “based on the true story of a sometime hero” named Samuel Solonsch, a British-German Jew. Solonsch also used an alias, John Douglas, and was an ancestor of the author’s husband. The story begins in a POW hospital camp in Batavia during World War II, narrated by a Dutch prisoner who befriends the mysterious older man, John. “Older” being about 40.

The scenes in the prison alternate with Sam’s life just prior to World War I and moving forward. When Sam’s older brother, William, joins the war effort, underage Sam and a friend attempt to sign up, too. They are pushed into the merchant navy instead. After the war, Sam and William emigrate to Australia.

In order to obtain lodging, Sam allows the landlady to think he and William are Catholic, a ruse Sam maintains even as he weds a devout Catholic woman. In work, Sam is mostly above board, but sometimes transports contraband in league with a Jewish mentor. Naturally, his deceptions lead to trouble.

As WWII rumbles into southeast Asia, Sam signs up. He sees that he has not lived up to his promises as a husband and father. Perhaps his wartime service will redeem him.

Douglas deftly weaves these two narratives as the time between them merges. She paints Sam as a sympathetic conman with a heart of gold. Perhaps a bit over the top in that regard, but if the story is largely true, we should give her the benefit of the doubt. Sam did what he had to do to survive.

I try to limit the number of war stories I consume. They do distress me—can’t we leave our violent natures behind us? But Douglas’s descriptions feel uber-real, and she does not shy away from the horrific Japanese treatment of their prisoners. I became emotionally invested in the outcome, since this story is based on fact.

The descriptive writing in the book is excellent, and has made me a Mila Douglas fan. I look forward to reading her other works.