The runaway #1 New York Times bestseller ' Timely and fascinating... There are many
astonishing vignettes... an important book' Max Hastings Sunday Times 'A ripping read. . . .
The parallels to the present day are strong even startling' New York Times As Hitler's
ascendancy began to make a Second World War inevitable a clandestine network flooded the
United States with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength of its war effort and
persuading Americans that their natural alliance was with the Nazis. It was a sophisticated
and shockingly well-funded campaign to undermine democratic institutions promote antisemitism
and destroy citizens' confidence in their elected leaders with the ultimate goal of
overthrowing the US government and installing authoritarian rule. Some of the country's most
influential elected officials including senators and members of Congress worked to
disseminate Nazi talking points while fascist paramilitaries stockpiled bombs and weapons in
preparation for violent insurrection. Prequel unearths the forgotten story of these
insurrectionists as well as the heroic efforts of the journalists prosecutors and regular
citizens who sought to expose their plot and bring them to justice. Deeply researched the
story of how the crisis was averted is also a deeply relevant tale for our own disquieting
times. #1 New York Times bestseller November 2023
