We Are Only Ghosts: A Remarkable Novel of Survival in the Wake of WWII By Jeffrey L. Richards

"We Are Only Ghosts" is a poignant novel that spans World War II Europe to 1960s New York City, exploring the psychological toll of survival and the unexpected connection between a Nazi officer and a young Jewish boy.

Charles Ward, a headwaiter at Café Marie in 1968 New York City, learned the art of being unobtrusive in war-torn Europe, where avoiding attention could mean life or death. At seventeen, he was deported to Auschwitz with his family, where he was singled out by Obersturmführer Berthold Werden, who hid him in his home. Their relationship was a mix of tortured affection and hatred.

Decades later, Berthold walks into Café Marie, drawing Charles back into his orbit. Charles is forced to confront the pain and pleasures of his past. If he acts on his hunger for revenge, will he lose his only tether to the past or find peace?

The novel explores the psychological cost of survival with honesty and compassion. Charles, a young survivor of the Holocaust, crosses borders, decades, and identities in an attempt to leave behind his past. He learns that he will never be whole until he confronts his ghosts.

"Profound, moving, and timely," the novel shows how identity determines destiny. Charles, gay, Czech, and Jewish, was ghettoized and subjected to the Third Reich's depravity. As an adult, he discovers the courage to confront his ghosts, including the boy he once was. 📚❤️