Tome Time - March Violets by Philip Kerr

Started November 20th, finished December 1st.

I came across this series of novels via an ad for the latest.  I was surprised i had never heard of the Bernie Gunther novels.  They are crime fiction, about a Private Eye, Bernie Gunther, set in Berlin under Nazi rule.  Sounds right up my street.  Well, you know how these things go, I'll probably love or loathe them....

It took a while to find a realistically priced copy.  I ended up buying the 'Berlin Noir' trilogy of the first books in the series.  March Violets, The Pale Criminal and A German Requiem.  I can well understand why they named the trilogy Berlin Noir.  It is written very much like an old Hollywood noir film.

Bernie is not a man you would instantly warm to.  His thoughts about women are a tad sexist to say the least.  Up to now though he hasn't mistreated any.  He's a world weary cynic making a living locating or finding information on missing Jews in Berlin.  The events take place in 1936.  He was once a member of the official police force and still has contacts there but now he works alone.

He is hired by a rich businessman to find a diamond necklace stolen as his daughter and son in law were murdered.  As can be expected the case is anything but simple and he comes across many twists and turns.  Most of them involving danger.

As we go long we find Bernie is a man who can survive Nazi Berlin whilst not becoming as bad as the worst people in the city.  He's no Goody, but we're led to read him as a decent soul overall even if he's not the cleanest living soul.

My knowledge of the era isn't good enough to spot any factual errors and Kerr gives a good sense of the atmosphere in Berlin at the time.  My one quibble was that the story had to involve a high ranking party official everyone has heard of.  This wasn't necessary to the tale and felt a little like name dropping for teh sake of it.

I have a feeling the books will continue through Berlin's timeline.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the events of the next few years are tackled by Kerr and how Gunther reacts.  This is a dark book, the lead character leads to some smutty passages.  It's not one you'd read aloud to your Grandmother.  I enjoyed it though and will definitely be reading the next two novels at least.

3.5 out of 5 pawprints

Next - The Spanish Civil War by Anthony Beevor