This book was a pleasure to read. You can really tell a difference between a book that is well written vs. other books. Even though I was not sure I wanted to read about the rise of the Nazi party, I found myself enthralled by the story of Willi Kraus, a Jewish detective trying to solve a murder amidst the growing anti-Jewish sentiment. The central mystery was intriguing, and we got to meet an eccentric cast of characters including a hypnotist, street children, prostitutes and aristocrats. All of the characters were well written and drew me into their stories.

As I read, I felt an increasing sense of sorrow and anxiety. Willi and his Jewish friends grow more worried about the Nazi agenda, while at the same time not believing that it could really be carried out. As a reader, I know how the story will turn out for millions of Jewish people, but Willi does not, and I wanted to scream at him to leave Germany before it is too late. The ending was very stressful for me to read, and I could not put it down until I was finished.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I would recommend it to my friends.

I received this book for free through the goodreads first reads program.
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This is a great crime drama set in pre-WWII Germany that discusses some of the real things that were done.

Good read! ( )

In interesting premise - a Jewish detective on the Murder Squad in Berlin towards the end of 1932 just before the Nazi takeover.


The author seems to cover well the atmosphere of Berlin in 1932, but I found the characterisations and dialogue a bit thin.

However, the story rolls on a quick pace and kept me entertained. Not a "great" read, but I did like it and if you're interested in pre-WW2 Berlin and enjoy the David Downing "Station" series then this would be worth a look. ( )

Wasn't quite sure what to think about this book. To be honest, I only read half the book. I just couldn't finish it. It just wasn't what I expected. ( )

This is the first in a new series featuring featuring a German Jew police detective at the time of the Nazi takeover of Germany. It was a good enough story but after half a lifetime reading mysteries I found this rather predictable. I was able to foresee many events before they were revealed and found many of the characters cliched. The friend reporter, the hooker with a heart of gold and a wife lost to violence. I did like the protagonist but not enough to continue the series. Other than the historical setting I found it generic. ( )