A Standalone Novel of Secrets, Survival and the Ghosts of War

From the desk of multi-award-winning author John McKay, The Absolution of Otto Finkel is a profound and haunting World War II thriller about friendship and betrayal, memory and morality, and the unbearable weight of living with the choices that shape a life.

"Thoroughly enthralling, well researched book that is impossible to put down."

"Truly a unique take on a time of history that we will never forget. Highly recommended."

"... a fascinating story, full of action and adventure... all told with skill and grace."

Brittany, 1964.
In a quiet hotel room, a man waits - armed, silent, and haunted - for the return of an old acquaintance, now a fugitive. When the door opens, two lives collide: one seeking justice, the other running from the past.

Decades earlier, on the bright shores of St. Malo, five boys - English, German, Italian, and French - shared a summer of laughter and innocence. But a moment of recklessness shattered their bond, leaving scars that time and distance could not erase.

As Europe descends into war, their paths cross again in the unlikeliest of places: on the beaches of Dunkirk, in the ghettos of Rome, the torture chambers of Lyon, and in the shadow of Auschwitz. At the centre stands Otto Finkel - a once-carefree boy now turned SS officer - haunted by the faces he can neither forget nor forgive.

From the ruins of war to the exile of postwar Argentina, Otto's story becomes one of guilt, survival, and the fragile hope of redemption. But when the past demands its reckoning, he must ask a question that has no easy answer...

Can confronting evil ever bring absolution, or are some sins beyond forgiveness?

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All Books by John McKay:

The WW2 France Trilogy
The Absolution of Otto Finkel
Codename Greyman
V for Victory

The Manner of Men Series
Operation Codicil
Target Arnhem
In For The Kill

The Darkest Hour: WWII Tales of Resistance
The Sun Will Always Shine
Surviving the Arctic Convoys
Arctic Convoy PQ18: 25 Days That Changed the Course of the War
Mosquitoes
The Lost Patrol

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• Literature & FictionHistorical FictionBiographical
• Literature & FictionHistorical FictionWorld War II

• Publication Date: January 15, 2026
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 441 Pages
• File Size: 33 KB