The Einstein Vendetta

A true crime investigation into the murder of the relatives of Albert Einstein, set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Florence during WWII. Florence, August 1944. Fifteen miles southeast of the city, a unit of German soldiers arrive at Il Focardo, the home of Robert Einstein, first cousin of the famous scientist Albert Einstein. Nearby, Robert is hiding out in the Tuscan countryside, while his wife and daughters remain in the villa. Twelve hours later, Nina, Luce, and Anna-Maria are brutally murdered.

In The Einstein Vendetta, Thomas Harding recounts the story of an unthinkable crime, one that unspools to reveal Italy’s brutal wartime history—its fall to fascism, antisemitism, and bitter partisanship—and a family’s search for justice. Vividly told, Harding threads history and detective story to build an unquiet, haunting testimony.

Author Biography

Thomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than 16 languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post, and The Guardian, among other publications. He is the bestselling author of Hanns and Rudolf, which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; The House by the Lake, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; Blood on the Page, which won the Crime Writers’ Association Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction; and most recently, White Debt. Harding’s previous books have been Sunday Times bestsellers, prize-winning publications and praised by authors including John le Carré, Ben Macintyre, and Max Hastings.