"Extraordinarily cinematic . . . . Freedland makes his narrative into a tense cat-and-mouse game, pitting sadistic Nazi apparatchiks and their unsavory minions against prey whose considerable resources, privileged sense of entitlement, and sheer moxie give them a fighting chance. It’s a thrilling account of the struggle against Nazism at its most up-close and nerve-wracking." - Publishers Weekly

“Vivid portraits of a group of admirable anti-Nazis . . . excellent history of heroes who defied Hitler.” - Kirkus Reviews

"Magnificent . . . . The book’s set-up—clear location, colourful characters, clandestine villain—is very much that of a thriller, and Freedland . . . writes with verve and pace . . . . It’s testament to Freedland’s skill that if you go in blind you will be not only trying to work out who the mole is ahead of time, but also desperately hoping that it won’t be one of those characters who you’ve admired and rooted for." - Telegraph (UK)

"In this absolutely riveting book, Freedland shines a light on a little-known yet vitally important part of WWII history . . . . Freedland . . . is a wonderful storyteller; this is no dry recitation of historical facts, but a gripping, true-to-life thriller,full of suspense, intrigue, and beautifully described real-life characters. A must-read for devotees of WWII-era nonfiction." – Booklist

"An astonishing true story of courage, love and betrayal, told with the verve of a thriller. Freedland is a master at weaving spellbinding entertainments drawn from forgotten corners of history." - Mick Herron, bestselling author of Slow Horsess

"In this excellent new book, Jonathan Freedland tells a gripping story but also asks a timely question: Why do some people collaborate? Why do others fight tyrants? The Traitors Circle is both history and parable, perfect reading for this moment." - Anne Applebaum, author of Autocracy Inc.

"Haunting and heart-poundingly suspenseful—an extraordinary exploration of moral courage in a world overwhelmed by Nazi darkness. Freedland’s passionate narrative takes us into secret and sometimes surprising corners of Hitler’s Germany. In those shadows of vicious totalitarianism and betrayal—and facing the abyss of the Holocaust—is a circle of friends who embody unwavering human decency and faith and love. Freedland’s powerful storytelling has intense resonance in today’s darkening world. The moral questions are eternal.' - Sinclair McKay, bestselling author of Dresden

The Traitor’s Circle as reviewed by Linda Hitchcock for Book Trib – February 4, 2026

About the book: 
The Traitors Circle: The True Story of a Secret Resistance Network in Nazi Germany—and the Spy Who Betrayed Them – Berlin's Elite Defying Tyranny in 1943
by Jonathan Freedland
Harper – 428 pages 14.99 (Kobo)
Publication Date: October 28, 2025

About the Author: Jonathan Freedland

Jonathan Freedland is an award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster. He writes a weekly column for The Guardian and is the presenter of BBC Radio 4′s contemporary history series, "The Long View." He also writes a monthly piece for the Jewish Chronicle and is a regular contributor to a range of US publications, including The New York Times, The New York Review of Books and The New Republic. In 2008 he was awarded the David Watt Prize for Journalism, having been named  ‘Columnist of the Year’ in the What the Papers Say awards for 2002, where the judges praised him for his “incisive, original, strong and very outspoken views”.

He is the author of seven books, two of them non-fiction under his own name. The first, BRING HOME THE REVOLUTION, was both acclaimed, winning a Somerset Maugham Award, and controversial: it argued that Britain was in dire need of a constitutional and cultural overhaul, one that could learn much from America. The book was later adapted into a TV series for BBC Two. In 2005, he published JACOB'S GIFT, a memoir telling the stories of three generations of his own family, as well as exploring wider questions of identity and belonging.

Since 2006 he has published five best-selling novels under the pseudonym Sam Bourne. The first, THE RIGHTEOUS MEN, became a Number One bestseller in the UK and went on to win a Gold Book Award after selling more than 500,000 copies. It has been translated into 30 languages. That was followed by THE LAST TESTAMENT (2007), THE FINAL RECKONING (2008), THE CHOSEN ONE (2010) and PANTHEON (2012).

Before 1997, Jonathan served for four years as The Guardian’s Washington Correspondent and the US remains an area of specialist interest, along with the politics of Britain and the Middle East. Earlier in his career, he worked as a reporter for The Washington Post, for BBC News – chiefly for Radio 4′s Today and World at One programmes but also for Radio 1′s Newsbeat --- and for the Sunday Correspondent newspaper. In 1998 he was the presenter of the short-lived Channel 4 series, "Zeitgeist."

He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford --- where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and edited the university newspaper, Cherwell --- and, earlier, at University College School, London.

Biography Credit: Bookreporter