A review by balthazarlawson
The Pale Criminal by Philip Kerr
5.0
Berlin 1938 and while Hitler plans his invasion of Czechoslovakia, Bernie Gunther, private investigator and ex-police man is investigating a case of blackmail. But things change when he is asked by Reinhard Heydrich to return to the police to investigate the serial murder of 4 young German girls. When Heydrich asked for something, he got it, and Bernie is soon back in the force heading up the investigation.
Everyone wanted to blame the Jews, going so far to arrest one on trumped up charges, but Bernie doesn't take things on face value. His investigation soon becomes more desperate as more girls disappear and turn up brutally murdered. He has to turn to unorthodox methods, but in Nazi Germany there are very few things considered unorthodox. But Bernie persists.
This is a very enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns. The high profile characters of the time, such as Himmler, who plays a pivotal part. The conclusion is not as one would expect, and the reason behind it all displays the evil of the time.
Very enjoyable and highly recommended.
Everyone wanted to blame the Jews, going so far to arrest one on trumped up charges, but Bernie doesn't take things on face value. His investigation soon becomes more desperate as more girls disappear and turn up brutally murdered. He has to turn to unorthodox methods, but in Nazi Germany there are very few things considered unorthodox. But Bernie persists.
This is a very enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns. The high profile characters of the time, such as Himmler, who plays a pivotal part. The conclusion is not as one would expect, and the reason behind it all displays the evil of the time.
Very enjoyable and highly recommended.