“They Shall Not See The Dawn: The Manhunt for the Third Reich’s Most Wanted” is a gripping nonfiction account by Charles Lachman that traces the intense pursuit and capture of Nazi war criminals immediately after World War II. Lachman, who previously explored Nazi history in his 2024 book about a Nazi U-Boat hunt, turned his research to the chaotic days following Germany’s surrender in May 1945. Instead of focusing on the well-known Nuremberg Trials, Lachman shines a light on the lesser-known story of the Allied forces’ efforts to track down and bring to justice the top fugitives of the Third Reich. His narrative captures the suspense and drama of these manhunts, likening it to a real-life thriller akin to “The Day of the Jackal.”

The book is uniquely told in the present tense, a stylistic choice that invites readers to experience the intense immediacy of the chase as if alongside the American agents of the U.S. Army’s Counterintelligence Corps. These elite forces conducted the extensive hunt across post-war Germany, often operating under immense uncertainty and danger. Lachman emphasizes the important role played by Jewish agents—many of whom were refugees who had fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s—who returned as soldiers and intelligence officers to exact justice on the regime that had cast them out. Their participation added a deep layer of retribution and justice to the mission.

In addition to detailing the efforts to capture key fugitives, Lachman explores the broader Allied mission to prevent any resurgence of Nazi ideologies. This included the campaign to dismantle the Werewolves, an SS-sponsored guerrilla force intended to continue partisan attacks against occupying forces. The author also delves into the intrigue surrounding Hitler’s death, as Allied intelligence sought to confirm the dictator’s suicide by tracking down couriers who carried his last will and testament amid widespread rumors suggesting he might have survived. These secretive operations underscored the Allies’ determination to eradicate any remnants of Hitler’s influence in postwar Germany.

The book’s title refers to the longstanding tradition of executing war criminals before dawn, symbolizing a final justice delivered swiftly after their conviction. Lachman’s detailed and fast-paced account not only revisits the capture of infamous Nazis like Hermann Göring and Joachim von Ribbentrop but also honors the countless intelligence officers and soldiers who risked everything to bring them to account. “They Shall Not See The Dawn” will be released by Diversion Books on September 1, 2026, offering an exciting and revealing look at one of history’s most critical and dramatic moments of justice.