Book Description:
The lake was flat and calm, with barely a ripple. Its dark waters glistening, reflecting the moonlight, as though it were a mirror. A myriad of stars shone brightly in a cloudless sky. Their light shimmering; dancing across the surface of the water. Fritz Marschall knew that neither he, nor his friend, should really have been there. They, like many others before them, had been attracted to the lake by the many rumours that had been circulating. He rubbed his eyes, then closed them for a moment, and became lost in his own thoughts. He thought of the endless stories there had been, of treasures sunken in, or buried around, Toplitzsee. He recalled the stories of the lake being used to develop torpedoes and rockets during the war. He wondered how true these stories were. He could hardly believe that there had actually been a weapons testing site located on the lake. The waters were so still, and so peaceful. How could such a beautiful area be used for such a deadly pursuit. Looking out across the dark water, he wondered where the site had actually been located. How had it looked? He wondered what secrets were hidden beneath the surface. He looked deep into the water, staring, as though penetrating into the murky depths. As though he could see them clearly. What was hidden in there, he whispered, what treasures, if any, were lying just beneath him, just out of reach, waiting to be discovered. SS Major Dietrich Hartman, the Security Officer at the test site, had certainly known the answer to that question. The American Army Sergeant had a suspicion, a gut feeling, but was not absolutely sure. The four German troopers, now lying dead at the edge of the lake, had accidentally discovered the truth. That is why they were killed. That was also the reason the unsuspecting American GI was killed. Gold bullion that was the secret. Fifty crates of Nazi Gold to be precise. So the scene is set for a story involving blackmail, murder, and revenge. A story that begins in Austria, as the war in Europe draws to a close; and finishes ten years later in a small cottage in the Connecticut countryside.
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