Anika Scott

The story follows Clara Falkenberg, one of the last survivors of a once-powerful industrial family in Essen. In 1946, she comes out of hiding to search for her missing friend.

A battle-scarred black marketeer holds the key to her quest: a boy soldier, underground since the war, who refuses to believe the war is over.

To uncover the truth about the boy, Clara must excavate her past in the ruins of one of Germany’s most devastated cities. How guilty is she? Can good intentions weigh as heavily as her crimes? What future does she deserve?

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“Scott’s magnetic debut follows one woman’s quest for survival amid the devastation of post-WWII Germany. . .Fans of WWII fiction will be intrigued by Scott’s exploration of how war changes the moral compass of its victims.”

– Publishers Weekly

“The German Heiress is the kind of novel we need now more than ever. Set in Germany, eighteen months after the war, reckonings of every sort are playing out and Anika Scott deftly builds a world in which all the shades of gray–Nazi collaboration and complicity among civilians–are brought to life.  The German Heiress achieves what the best historical fiction can, asking us to see the past, and then pushing us to see ourselves in that past, demanding: Who would you have been then? What would you have done? Unflinching and absorbing, The German Heiress does not let you look away.

—Sarah Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress and The Guest Book

“I loved Finding Clara. It’s a special novel that opens one’s mind to aspects of history we on the “winning” side have given little thought to, and a moving story of courage and everyday heroism rising to meet unbearable challenges.”

– Alex Marwood, international bestseller and Edgar and Macavity Award winning author of The Wicked Girls

“Meticulously researched and plotted like a noir thriller, The German Heiress tells a different story of WWII — of characters grappling with their own guilt and driven by the question of what they could have done to change the past.”

– Jessica Shattuck, New York Times bestselling author of The Women in the Castle

“Anika Scott’s riveting novel, The German Heiress, compellingly explores the nature of innocence and guilt, and the human desire for redemption. A terrific book with historical detail skillfully woven into the fabric of the story. An absolute must-read for all fans of World War II fiction!”

—David Gillham, New York Times bestselling author of City of Women and Annelies:

“Scott transports readers back to Germany in the aftermath of this war, showing both the heartbreak and heroism of a once powerful businesswoman known as the Iron Fräulein. Clara Falkenberg’s confusion and compassion, the courage and corruption of those she loved —  it resonated deeply and led me to ask, what would I have done if I were forced into her tragic position? It’s impossible to know, of course, but this remarkable novel made me dig even deeper, longing to be resilient like Clara in the face of evil. . .a story that will stick with you for a lifetime!”

– Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of Catching the Wind and Memories of Glass

“Anika Scott’s finely drawn characters in The German Heiress bring to life not only the struggle to rise from the ashes of war, but also the depth of resolve often required to gain redemption. Illuminating and beautifully rendered.”

—Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War

“…a captivating tour through the reckoning years that followed WWII when clarifying identities, unearthing truths, and facing judgements was the only way to rebuild a life.”

—Devin Murphy, bestselling author of The Boat Runner

“There is something to be said for the unique perspective [The German Heiress] offers, especially compared to many WWII thrillers. The novel delivers interesting discussions on guilt, redemption, and the actions of ordinary people in extraordinary times.”

– Booklist

Excited to announce my second historical novel will be coming at you in summer 2022!