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A review by balthazarlawson
If The Dead Rise Not by Philip Kerr
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's not where the books in this series start, but where they end that dictate the sequence. This book ended in Havana, Cuba in 1954, but it started in 1934 Berlin.
This book is in two parts, with part one set in 1934 where Bernie was working as the hotel detective at the Adlon Hotel. He encounters two guests, one Noreen Charalambides, whom he falls in love with and the other, Max Reles, who he would gladly kill. Max is an American gangster using the upcoming 1936 Olympics to make money and nothing will stand in his way. He and Bernie don't hit it off from the beginning. Noreen is an American journalist who is doing research for a story that she hopes will convince the USA to boycott the Olympics. Their worlds and motives clash, all the time Bernie is just trying to live life as best he can staying ahead of the changing laws in Germany under the new Nazi government. When they go their separate ways there is still a lot of unfinished business.
Part two of the book is set in Havana, Cuba, 1954 where Bernie is hoping to live a very quiet life below the radar and doesn't want to draw attention to himself as he is still masquerading as an Argentinian. He has a chance encounter with Noreen, now a successful writer and this changes his future. He also runs into Max who is still a gangster, not that he would ever admit that, running a hotel and casino in Havana. When Max is killed, his associates ask Bernie to find out who killed him. You don't say no to these people.
A lot of this book is a social commentary about life in Germany under the Nazis and equally about life in Cuba before the revolution. It's interesting but it's strange how one person can be associated with so many people in history, especially one trying to keep a low profile, and still be alive.
This book is in two parts, with part one set in 1934 where Bernie was working as the hotel detective at the Adlon Hotel. He encounters two guests, one Noreen Charalambides, whom he falls in love with and the other, Max Reles, who he would gladly kill. Max is an American gangster using the upcoming 1936 Olympics to make money and nothing will stand in his way. He and Bernie don't hit it off from the beginning. Noreen is an American journalist who is doing research for a story that she hopes will convince the USA to boycott the Olympics. Their worlds and motives clash, all the time Bernie is just trying to live life as best he can staying ahead of the changing laws in Germany under the new Nazi government. When they go their separate ways there is still a lot of unfinished business.
Part two of the book is set in Havana, Cuba, 1954 where Bernie is hoping to live a very quiet life below the radar and doesn't want to draw attention to himself as he is still masquerading as an Argentinian. He has a chance encounter with Noreen, now a successful writer and this changes his future. He also runs into Max who is still a gangster, not that he would ever admit that, running a hotel and casino in Havana. When Max is killed, his associates ask Bernie to find out who killed him. You don't say no to these people.
A lot of this book is a social commentary about life in Germany under the Nazis and equally about life in Cuba before the revolution. It's interesting but it's strange how one person can be associated with so many people in history, especially one trying to keep a low profile, and still be alive.