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jrmarr's review against another edition
3.0
Another good read from Kerr - I'd put it down as 3.5 stars. The series flips around in time so much that it's hard to keep track of Gunther's timeline, but I think the books are written to be standalone stories as well, so I tried to let that go! I liked this one more than some of the earlier ones.
the_julia_fair's review
Just cleaning up my currently reading, will return to it when I'm mentally able. Bought this book with someone who I really cared about and who is now no longer with us. Struggling to find the desire to finish it, as getting this book is one of my last memories with them. I miss you Jill.
cgmcintosh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
sophietica's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
susannahnah's review against another edition
4.0
The most fascinating thing about this series of books is not the historical accuracy and real-life characters, but the perspective of the main character. Usually, when you read books involving Nazis, the perspective is more so from the people being oppressed by the Nazis. This is the perspective of a person who works with the Nazis, despises them,but does not yet know their full levels of evil. I have yet to read any of the books that take place in Germany or in Europe towards the end and after World War III, I can only imagine the person Bernie Gunther has evolved into.
Of the series of books that I have read so far, which is the prequel, and the first two, this one to me is the best one.
Of the series of books that I have read so far, which is the prequel, and the first two, this one to me is the best one.
ahembored's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
belanna2's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
ericfheiman's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately the latest installment in Kerr's Bernie Gunther series lacks both the inventive structure and incisive social history of the previous books. Instead, it's an Agatha Christie mystery parachuted into Final Solution-era Nazi Germany. The anemic plotting dulls the edge of Bernie's wry existentialist observations that elevated the earlier books from their detective noir roots into haunting meditations on war and genocide.
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
This is the eighth book in Philip Kerr's terrific series featuring Bernie Gunther, a jaded and policeman in wartime Berlin who despises the Nazi regime. This book is set in Berlin and Prague, mostly in 1941. I love this series and I thought this was a very worthy addition to it.
The story begins with Gunther working as a policeman in Berlin in late 1941. He has two murders on his plate: a Dutch railway worker and a Czech spy. He is abruptly summoned to Prague by Heydrich, who is hosting a weekend party for various Nazi elite at his estate in rural Bohemia. Shortly after Gunther arrives, a guest is found murdered in a locked room and Gunther has the weekend to identify the perpetrator. At this point the book feels somewhat disjointed, but as he investigates, Gunther will realise that he is dealing with a bigger picture and that there are connections between the events in Prague and the cases he has left behind in Berlin.
This is a very good addition to the series, but it does have a few differences from the others that I have read. The central part of the book is set almost entirely in Heydrich's rural estate, and it has the feel of an Agatha Christie country house mystery (in fact, Hercule Poirot is referenced in a couple of occasions). All the books in the series incorporate real people, but this one is particularly rich in that regard (Kerr includes a postscript to tell us what became of them all). Fans of In The Garden of Beasts: Love and terror in Hitler's Berlin will notice a passing reference to Martha Dodds. Also Gunther (who has returned from a sickening posting in a Ukrainian execution squad) is less reticent that usual in letting people know how he feels about the Nazi regime and their treatment of Jews - to the point where it felt unlikely that his views would be tolerated.
If you're new to Philip Kerr, I highly recommend this series. It jumps about in chronology so you don't need to read them in order - this is as good a place to start as any. The books are noir-esque mysteries with a very strong since of place and fully realised characters. Real life people and events are worked into the books which makes them feel enticingly possible. If this leaves you wanting more, Alan Furst's wartime novels have a similar feel.
The story begins with Gunther working as a policeman in Berlin in late 1941. He has two murders on his plate: a Dutch railway worker and a Czech spy. He is abruptly summoned to Prague by Heydrich, who is hosting a weekend party for various Nazi elite at his estate in rural Bohemia. Shortly after Gunther arrives, a guest is found murdered in a locked room and Gunther has the weekend to identify the perpetrator. At this point the book feels somewhat disjointed, but as he investigates, Gunther will realise that he is dealing with a bigger picture and that there are connections between the events in Prague and the cases he has left behind in Berlin.
This is a very good addition to the series, but it does have a few differences from the others that I have read. The central part of the book is set almost entirely in Heydrich's rural estate, and it has the feel of an Agatha Christie country house mystery (in fact, Hercule Poirot is referenced in a couple of occasions). All the books in the series incorporate real people, but this one is particularly rich in that regard (Kerr includes a postscript to tell us what became of them all). Fans of In The Garden of Beasts: Love and terror in Hitler's Berlin will notice a passing reference to Martha Dodds. Also Gunther (who has returned from a sickening posting in a Ukrainian execution squad) is less reticent that usual in letting people know how he feels about the Nazi regime and their treatment of Jews - to the point where it felt unlikely that his views would be tolerated.
If you're new to Philip Kerr, I highly recommend this series. It jumps about in chronology so you don't need to read them in order - this is as good a place to start as any. The books are noir-esque mysteries with a very strong since of place and fully realised characters. Real life people and events are worked into the books which makes them feel enticingly possible. If this leaves you wanting more, Alan Furst's wartime novels have a similar feel.