The Dolomite Challenge

Book excerpt: This is the third novel in a series following Vienna Police inspector Karl Marbach. This story takes place in the late summer of 1947. With encouragement from US Army Counterintelligence, Marbach is investigating Die Spinne, an escape route out of Germany and Austria for Nazi war criminals. Marbach and CIC major Millican learn about a new escape route called Odessa, a better-financed and more ambitious escape route, and they set out to obtain information about the location of the Odessa relay stations. They also hope to capture travelers on Odessa, including Adolf Eichmann, the architect of what became a mass deportation of Jews to extermination camps. Marbach enlists six men to go with him into the Tyrolian part of Austria to see if they can get the Odessa papersand hopefully also capture Adolf Eichmann. The seven-man team is a collection of men from different countries, including France, Austria, and Poland. At a point where the Odessa papers and Eichmann appear to be within grasp, a large force of Odessa men get into position on the mountain just below Marbachs team, and the only way to avoid getting killed is to climb all the way up to the top of the Dolomites and then down into Italy. A solid bond is forged among the men, who struggle and take risks for each other during the Dolomite climb. During the journey, the men learn a lot about each otherand themselves.