The body of a stranger is found near the railroad tracks, apparently a homicide victim. The stranger's only unique identifying mark is a number tattooed on his wrist. Sam has a strong sense of justice and begins to make inquiries to identify the victim, but he is ordered by his boss to quit working on the case.

Roosevelt, whom the country loved, has been assassinated and the former governor of Louisiana, Huey Long has been elected president. Long has been talking with Hitler and has agreed to take a large contingent of Jews that Hitler has designated for concentration camps as prisoners in the United States. Both leaders seem satisfied with the arrangement. Hitler gets rid of the Jews and Long gets an increase to his work force.

A summit meeting has been arranged for Hitler and Long to meet in Portsmouth. This meeting will test the capability of the police force as there are numerous rumors of potential assassination attempts of both leaders during the meeting. Sam has some suspects among the locals. Who might be involved in the plot or plots to kill these two prominent men? Whether his hunches are correct and whether he can or will make some attempt to deal with the suspects depends entirely on how much pressure is brought to bear on him.

Obviously Amerikan Eagle is a tale of alternative history. The situation that Glenn has created did not occur though he gives some background in his afterward to justify how it could have happened as he has imagined. If one accepts this frightening scenario, the impact on society in the United States is great and the results would probably have been devastating. The prospect is not a happy one, but perhaps issues a warning to Americans to be careful to whom you grant power.

Some of the details of the novel require that the reader allow the author a bit of latitude. The dialogue between characters contains speech patterns and colloquialisms which are not out of place in 2011, leaving this reviewer to wonder if people really spoke like that in 1943. The ability to place oneself in the correct time frame is trying.

Glenn often leaves his readers hanging when his main protagonist learns a bit of information from a conversation or interview but the reader is left clueless. The reader's ability to play amateur detective is severely hampered.

Many of the characters in Amerikan Eagle lead dual lives. They appear to hold one opinion only to later reveal that their loyalties lie elsewhere. They are not sufficiently well developed to disavow this contradiction, but it does detract from the reader's ability to empathize with most of them. The lone exception in my view is the local doctor, Doctor Saunders, who is tasked with the job of examining the body of the stranger to determine cause of death. The astute doctor does so — as well as uncovering a clue that is vital to solution of why the stranger was killed.

Sam Miller, the main character, was a hard man to warm up to. He wants to do the right thing, but he is influenced by others and has a difficult time making definitive decisions. His wife's irritation with this character flaw is well justified.

Although Amerikan Eagle provides some food for thought, the details of writing could use some polish. The novel has promise, but is not entirely well executed.

--Andy Plonka