Blackout
Simon Scarrow
Publicado: 2021 | 325 páginas
Novela, Policial

Berlín, 1939. Es un invierno especialmente frío, las calles están cubiertas de nieve y hielo, y resuena, en la distancia, el estruendo de la guerra. El Tercer Reich cerca la ciudad, y el pánico y la paranoia aumentan entre la población. Cada noche, durante los constantes apagones nocturnos, Berlín se sumerge en una oscuridad opresiva y sofocante y, entre las sombras, un asesino en serie encuentra vía libre para sus objetivos.La reputación del inspector Horst Schenke está en juego. No ha aceptado unirse al partido nazi y ahora, al hallar el cadáver de una mujer joven brutalmente asesinada, está obligado a resolver el caso con rapidez y eficacia; de lo contrario, las consecuencias podrían ser fatales.Los peores temores de Schenke se confirman cuando aparece una segunda víctima: poco a poco, la investigación lo conduce a los pasillos más profundos y oscuros del régimen. El peligro acecha detrás de cada esquina, y las distintas facciones del Reich, enfrentadas entre sí, pueden ser tan letales como el asesino que acecha en las calles…

Berlino, dicembre 1939. Mentre la Germania entra in guerra, i nazisti stringono la loro morsa sulla popolazione. La paranoia nella capitale è intensificata da un rigido blackout che ogni notte, al tramonto del cupo sole invernale, fa sprofondare la città in un'oscurità opprimente. Quando una giovane donna viene trovata brutalmente assassinata, l'ispettore Horst Schenke riceve subito pressioni per risolvere il caso. Trattato con sospetto dai suoi stessi superiori per la mancata adesione al partito nazista, Schenke cammina su una lastra di ghiaccio molto sottile. Perché la slealtà è punita con la morte. La scoperta di una seconda vittima conferma le peggiori paure dell'ispettore. Deve scoprire la verità prima che il male colpisca ancora. Mentre l'indagine lo porta più vicino al cuore sinistro del regime, Schenke si rende conto che il pericolo si nasconde ovunque. E che le fazioni del Reich in guerra tra loro possono essere letali tanto quanto un assassino che si aggira per le strade... (fonte: retro di copertina)

This is a police procedural following a hard-working male detective assigned to solve a murder. It is set in Berlin in December 1939, in the early days of the war, which makes for an interesting backdrop. An important and interesting aspect of the book is how the characters (both Jews & non-Jews), experience life under the Nazis, and the choices that they are forced to make. People are suspicious of one another, and this emotional coldness is reflected in the ever-present freezing temperatures of a Berlin winter. I would read more from this author.
I won a free copy of this book and am voluntarily providing an honest review. ( )

Berlin, winter 1939 and, as the country goes to war, the nights are long and dark. When the wife of a prominent Nazi lawyer is found dead, the Kripo are called to investigate but the Gestapo want to keep a close eye on the case. It soon becomes clear that the woman is just one victim of a serial killer stalking the railways of Berlin but it takes a renegade detective and a Jewish woman to ensure some kind of justice.
This book made a great change from Scarrow's 'sword and sandals' epics and I really liked the wartime detective perspective from the viewpoint of normal Germans living through the Nazi regime. There are lots of political points made in the narrative and in the characters but they were not too overplayed and the plot was twisty and clever. As a quick read this was very enjoyable ( )

My thanks to the Author publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Simon Scarrow is probably best known for the Eagles of the Empire series featuring Macro and Cato and so far there are nineteen brilliant books, of which I am up to book twelve. This is a more modern day story set during the second World War with Berlin under Blackout hence the title. Our hero Horst Schenke a former racing driver now Policeman, and not a party member investigating the death of an actress, he quickly discovers he is searching for a serial killer. A few pages in and I found a welcome resemblance to the late great Philip Kerr's quality Bernie Gunther series, the same atmosphere and feel for time and place, terrific characters and a mix of fictional and actual characters and actual historical events. All that was lacking was the humour. Enter Liebwitz of the Gestapo assigned to our heroes team, a man who makes Mister Spock sound illogical, and suddenly I am laughing out loud. This is a terrific read plenty of detail and mystery, throw in action too, and it's a winning combination. More please SOON, Schenke and Liebwitz must ride again, and add the brave feisty Jewess to the mix if possible.
Totally utterly recommended. ( )