The Alpine Fortress
By Rowena Kinread
Publication Date: 12th September 2025
Publisher: Goldcrest Books
Page Length: 311
Genre: Thriller
In the shadow of the Bavarian Alps, a forgotten map leads to an unsolved mystery buried for decades. When Ivanna discovers the sketch among her late grandfather’s belongings, she stumbles upon a secret that connects her family’s harrowing past to the Nazi regime's stolen treasures.
What begins as a curious family discovery quickly escalates into a perilous adventure, drawing the attention of law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and dangerous criminals.
The Alpine Fortress is a thrilling tale of survival, betrayal, and redemption. From the chilling depths of Nazi conspiracies to the breathtaking heights of the Alps, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat as the past and present collide in an unforgettable race against time.
Will Ivanna uncover the truth—or will the secrets of the fortress remain buried forever?
I picked up The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread with a flutter of excitement — the premise promised Nazi-era secrets, a treasure map, a family mystery, and a chase across the mountains. And, I have to say, for the most part, the book delivered in ways I didn’t quite expect.
From the beginning, the novel had me hooked. The story opens with Ivanna, who is sorting out her late grandparents’ loft, and stumbles on a map — not just any map, but one that could lead to stolen Nazi treasure. Her grandfather’s past as a POW forced to work in an Austrian salt mine weaves in a haunting personal history. That emotional connection grounded the book for me: this was not just a treasure hunt, but also a way for Ivanna to connect with her family’s legacy.
I especially admired how Kinread balanced historical intrigue with modern crime: on one side there’s “the Lizard,” an Argentinian drug boss (and serious art collector) whose roots tie back to a high-ranking Nazi officer. On the other, there’s Matteo, a mountain guide and detective for the German federal police whose intimate knowledge of the Alps makes him invaluable. The contrast felt vivid — cold high-stakes geopolitics, but also the breathtaking, treacherous beauty of the mountains.
As the plot progresses, twenty-five detectives arrive in Berchtesgaden for training, only for things to go very wrong: one disappears, then more, and not everyone is who they seem. The sense of paranoia ramped up very effectively for me. I found the “cat-and-mouse” game thrilling: Kinread plays with tension beautifully, making me constantly question loyalties and motivations.
One of the strongest elements for me was the setting. The Alps are almost a character in themselves — the sheer danger of the terrain, the isolation, the way it shelters secrets. When you read passages describing the climb, or the remoteness of the hosts, you feel the weight of altitude, the thinness of the air, the threat of misstep. It underlines the seriousness of the treasure hunt and the peril these characters are walking into.
Yet, for all its strengths, I had a few reservations. At times, I felt the pacing wobbled: certain parts of the novel dragged just slightly, especially when we circle back to historical exposition or delve too deeply into backstory. Sometimes, I longed for a tighter focus. Similarly, while Ivanna and Matteo are well-drawn, I felt a few supporting characters could have been more developed so their betrayals or disappearances felt more personally impactful.
That said, the central themes resonated strongly with me: redemption, legacy, and the burden of history. Ivanna’s personal journey — discovering secrets about her grandfather, confronting the past — felt emotionally real. And the moral ambiguity of pursuing hidden treasure (looted art) alongside criminal activity made me reflect: who “owns” history? Who is justified in uncovering it?
In terms of style, Kinread writes cleanly, with vivid descriptive passages (especially in the Alps), but also enough brisk dialogue and action to keep things exciting.
Overall, reading The Alpine Fortress felt like being part of a precarious expedition: thrilling, a little dangerous, emotionally charged, and with enough surprises to keep me turning pages. If you like thrillers with a dash of conspiracy, mountain adventure, and a treasure hunt tangled in dark legacies, I think this book will hit a lot of sweet spots.
This novel is available on Amazon
Rowena Kinread
Rowena Kinread grew up in Ripon, Yorkshire with her large family and a horde of pets. Keen on travelling, her first job was with Lufthansa in Germany.
She began writing in the nineties. Her special area of interest is history, after researching her ancestry and finding family roots in Ireland with the Dalriada clan, particularly this era. Her debut fiction novel titled “The Missionary” is a historical novel about the dramatic life of St. Patrick. It was published by Pegasus Publishers on April 29th, 2021 and has been highly appraised by The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and the Irish Times.
Her second novel “The Scots of Dalriada” centres around Fergus Mór, the founder father of Scotland and takes place in 5th century Ireland and Scotland, and is published by Pegasus Publishers.
The author lives with her husband in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Lake Constance, Germany. They have three children and six grandchildren.
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I am so glad you enjoyed The Alpine Fortress. Thank you so much for hosting today's tour stop.
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