The third book in the engaging Web of the Spider series can be read on its own as they each feature a different character’s viewpoint.

Set in Heroldsburg, Germany before the start of World War II, three friends are dealing with changes in their community and the rise of Hitler Youth. Each book has one of the characters taking on the narration.

In book one, Rise of the Spider, 12 year old Rolf is worried his older brother is on the verge of joining the Hitler Youth. Next comes Threat of the Spider that features Ansel who is always ready to share one of his Unassailable Facts of Life comebacks.

The focus comes full circle with THE SPIDER STRIKES and the narration by Joshua. What doesn’t change is the danger, excitement, and page turning result each viewpoint brings to the time period. The shorter length of less that 150 pages should also attract many new young readers to historical fiction.

Joshua and his parents are Jewish and they are feeling threatened by the Nazi presence in their city. Joshua invites his friends, Rolf and Ansel, to join his family on their usual summer trip to Salzburg, Austria before Rolf leaves for America with his father.

Upon arrival Joshua convinces his parents to let the boys hike up to their mountain cabin and stay their alone for a week. The family finally agrees with many conditions. Little do they know the Nazis are also present in Austria. The camping trip turns into a struggle as the Hitler Youth choose to harass them continuously. The boys may never make it safely back to their families.

The story telling in THE SPIDER STRIKES is superb and readers will learn the difficulties of living in this sad time period from the viewpoint of a young person. An excellent series. Book 4, LIES OF THE SPIDER is next.

PAGE COUNT: 144 BOOK BIRTHDAY: February 24, 2026

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE SPIDER STRIKES by Micahel P. Spradlin

1. In the back pages there is a historical timeline from when Hitler was born in 1889 up to the time he became chancellor of Germany. Informative and fascinating reading on its own.
2. The writing and series of events within will be more than understandable to the intended audience of readers. Perfect through out where as some historical fiction books provide just a set of facts with little or no context.
3. The research Mr. Spradlin puts you in the middle of the turmoil and you get a deep feeling of the unfairness in what Joshua’s family is dealing with. Historical fiction is far from boring here.
4. There are many books about life during a war, but this one sets the stage for war with the changes citizens must deal with in the preceding years.
5. The boys also have exciting adventures and come up with an amusing set of retaliatory pranks directed at the older boys pursuing them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Spradlin is the author of over a dozen books for children, some of which have actually been published. He grew up in a small town in Michigan not far from the Ohio-Indiana border and spent many hours of his young life keeping an eye out for “suspicious Hoosier and Buckeye activity.” His early youth was spent reading hundreds of books, imagining himself as the hero of several epic battles, and sneaking in fireworks from Canada to indulge his favorite pastime which was blowing up his collection of plastic Green Army Menand Matchbox Cars.

Michael Spradlin has never practiced law, dentistry (okay maybe once with a loose tooth, string and a doorknob) or flown in outer space. In 1978 he managed to talk his way into college and emerged four years later with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and no prospects for a real job. He has worked as a field hand,
a newspaper delivery engineer, a lawn maintenance specialist, a bartender, a bookseller,
and has lived in Michigan his whole life except for a two year sojourn to a
Southern state which he refuses to discuss.

Want to know more about Michael? Visit his FAQs

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