Monferat, Benjamin Welt in Flammen. Roman

The sky in the East was liquid fire. May 1940: German tanks are rolling westwards. As fear spreads through Paris, the Simplon Orient Express sets off for Istanbul for the last time. On board the train, a fateful travelling party. Each of the passengers has his or her own reason for making this last journey at all costs: A Balkan prince wants to reclaim rule over his country.

His Jewish lover fears for her love - and for her life. A German spy does everything in his power to protect her. A Russian grand prince is on the run, the Soviet power long on his heels. A silent film diva fears oblivion more than war. Also on board - agents of all the belligerent powers. What no one suspects is that there is something on the train that Hitler is having his troops search for all over Europe. The journey is ill-starred from the start. Every border crossing can mean the end. Each of the passengers dreads the next day. Finally, fire breaks out. And while Europe sinks into darkness, the Express races through the night as a blazing torch...