"Who was Dr. B.? A spy? A member of the resistance? A journalist manipulated by competing political forces in the Casablanca of the North that was Stockholm during World War II? Dr. B. brings to life the feverish atmosphere of the capital . . . where Immanuel Birnbaum becomes entangled in a whirlwind of confusing intrigue . . . through which he cannot see clearly." - Le Monde
"A spy novel as complex as it is captivating. . . . Dr. B. evokes so vividly the apocalyptic chaos of 1939-40 Stockholm, where different political forces jockey for power . . . and Immanuel Birnbaum, Dr. B., finds himself caught in the confusion." - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany)
"An astonishing thriller-novel, written in a rich, metaphorical style
reminiscent of The Rings of Saturn by W. G. Sebald. . . . This moral ambiguity makes Dr. B. no less fascinating a character than Stefan Zweig's version of the same." - Aftonbladet (Sweden)
"[Birnbaum's] atmospheric novel mixes fact and fiction to tell a tense tale of spies and refugees. . . . This vivid portrait of wartime in neutral Stockholm, known as the Nordic Casablanca, depicts a lively city filled with spies, intellectuals and refugees. Its glamour is tarnished, however, by the growing anti-Semitism that thrived in what was called a 'neutral' country." - Washington Post
"Illuminating. . . . Birnbaum skillfully delineates the social and political tensions shaping a culture caught between the national interests of Germany and Russia, and he poignantly conveys the plight of individuals for whom each day is a potential tragedy waiting to happen. This auspicious debut makes for an appealing drama." - Publishers Weekly
"The author is a descendant of the historical Dr. B., and the novel follows the facts of his life and incorporates historical characters into a very accomplished and appealing portrait of Stockholm. . . . A moving evocation of a life beset by conflicts in a troubled time." - Kirkus Reviews
"This complexly plotted, fact-based tale filled with shadowy characters and unlikely coincidences is an altogether engaging piece of literary historical fiction." - Library Journal
