A mystery from the ice dating back to 1943. A mysterious death in Berlin in 2026. And a vulnerability in global IT security that could lead the world to the brink of disaster.
A single faulty key in the eternal ice alters the course of two centuries’ history.
Berlin, 2026: When civil engineer Liv Voss finds the head of the archive at the former Reich Postal Research Centre dead in the stairwell, everything initially points to a fall. But a freshly tightened screw on the banister reveals to Liv that someone has tampered with it. Her mentor leaves her a mysterious brass cylinder from a historic Lorenz cipher machine – and geographical coordinates leading to the heart of the Arctic.
Together with IT security researcher Kwame Mensah, Liv uncovers a fundamental conspiracy: the security modules of the global market leader Cerathex, which safeguard billions of digital transactions, government certificates and satellite networks every day, are based on a historical noise library dating back to the Second World War.
East Greenland, 1943: Engineer Astrid Voss buries a waxed punched tape in the concrete plinth of a Wehrmacht weather station. It is the foundation of the ‘Nullarchiv’ – a decentralised authentication system spanning Bern, Lisbon and Takoradi, designed to safeguard assets and patents for the post-war period. But Astrid embeds a mathematical correlation pattern: a ‘depth’ that only those who understand the logic of repetition can grasp.
When a special unit sets out in pursuit of Liv and Kwame, a thrilling race against time begins. From the icy fjords of Greenland, through the secret cable tunnels of Lisbon and the barracks of Bletchley Park, to the Gold Coast of Ghana, they must solve the riddle of the four witnesses. For if the chain of trust is broken, the digital age faces the threat of global collapse.
Why you must read this thriller:
- A highly topical cyber-techno-thriller meets historical fiction.
- The fascination of cryptography: Masterfully researched insights into Lorenz cipher addenda, one-time pads, Bletchley Park and the vulnerable roots of modern IT security.
- An epic treasure hunt spanning 80 years: A multi-layered cat-and-mouse game across three continents, full of twists and turns and compelling characters.
Immerse yourself in the race for the best-kept secret in the history of cryptography – get your copy now!
Product information
- Publication date: 5 August 2026
- Language: English
- Number of pages in the print edition: 293 pages
- ISBN 979-8190374131
About the author
C. Trojan, born in 1974, is an architect, art director and author. He studied architecture and urban planning at Darmstadt Technical University and has been working for many years on projects at the intersection of space, design and communication.
He takes a particular interest in the invisible systems behind visible reality – the technical, historical and social structures that shape our thoughts and actions. This perspective also defines his literary work.
In his novel The NULL Archive, C. Trojan combines the history of cryptography and the Second World War with a contemporary plot spanning continents. His writing is characterised by thorough research, atmospheric settings and a fascination with archives, hidden connections and the question of who owns the truth.
C. Trojan lives and works in Herdorf, Germany.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal