"The Pale Criminal" by Philip Kerr - A Review

This is a second book in Bernie Gunther's series. This time Bernie is recruited by Nazis to investigate murders of German girls. There is a secret plan by some fanatics in Nazi party to blame these murders on Jews and provoke hatred and animosity towards them. Of course, we know from real history Nazis were successful in creating anti-Jewish sentiments in Germany in 1930s that snowballed into unimaginable, industrial-scale slaughtering of Jewish population in early 1940s.    

This novel is a the author's attempt to show remnants of humanity in Germany under Nazis. That there were some people who did not share anti-Jewish sentiments and wanted to stop the coming avalanche that would go to devour Jews and eventually German people and its identity.

Bernie is one of them. He uncovers the plot against Jews but he is too late to save them.

posted by David      

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Philip Kerr's "March Violets" - Detective story set in Germany in 1930s

This is a great book. A fictional account of private investigator, Bernie Gunther, working in Nazi Germany in 1930s. It nicely shows how totalitarian system is established in free country slowly, step-by-step. 

This book is a first novel in the series about Bernie Gunther. Bernie's character reminds me of Humphrey Bogart's character as private detective. Takes no bullshit. Although he tries to accommodate the regime to survive but he does it without losing his integrity. 

posted by David

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