Three part start to the very fine Bernie Gunther series
921021
This was a re-read for me long after I became a staunch fan of the Gunther series.  I think the first two stories included in "Berlin Noir" are among the best that Kerr has produced.  The plots are intricate and the characters credible.  The third story here, "A German Requiem", while pretty good, goes a little overboard in its use of similes coming out of the protagonist's mouth and maybe a little to far in spinning of conspiracy.
The book has been well reviewed and I certainly concur with those reviewers that found the book to be first-rate entertainment.
2381369
The first of the Bernie Gunther series and led me to read several more. The only difficulty is that the vivid detailing of the Nazi takeover in Germany can be almost overwhelming in These books.
1871385
The logistics of writing a series, particularly out of internal sequence, are catching up to Philip Kerr. THE LADY FROM ZAGREB frequently goes off on tangents for no visible reason. The reason, of course, is been dictated by books written earlier in the series, that take place later in the sequence. This time Bernie has to get married to make the love affair, knowing as we do that like a trolley car, another woman will soon be in Bernies sights, only to die/disappear shortly afterwards, right on schedule. Have to keep the series going. Ladies: if Bernie Gunther crosses your path, run for your life! Otherwise, youll be dead at the hand of some loathsome torturer.

Kerrs inventiveness is flagging a bit. The scene where Bernie wipes out the Gestapo goons with his homemade flamethrower is well done, though it beggars belief that it horrifies the Bernie Gunther who has seen so much death in so many inventive, vicious ways. But the later scene where Bernie uses a farm animal to dispose of a Nazi goon made me laugh out loud. It could have come from a Looney Tunes cartoon, 50s era.

Kerrs reflexive anti-Americanism is also on display, though not to the extent that it was in FIELD GRAY. The political points he wishes to make are just as tiresome as ever, but theres less reason to put up with it. The suspense of the original Berlin Noir trilogy---can wisecracking left-leaning Bernie Gunther survive in Nazi Germany?---is automatically answered: The Series Must Go On. Worse, it must go on with Bernie never changing, never learning anything, always being the adolescent smart-ass who lands on his feet, fulfilling every liberals secret fantasy. Hes been locked up in a Nazi and a Soviet prison camp, been under sentence of death, been beaten numerous times---and it hasn't changed him one bit. The liberally bigoted critics love him for that; this is why Jonathan Ames can warble in SALON that Kerr is the only genuine heir to Raymond Chandler. Chandler was never worth the praise that is dumped on him, praise that came from liberal bigots who found a guilty pleasure they could warble about, because after all, Bernie is a Leftist, on Our Side, spitting in the eyes of the corrupt evil Americans.

Where is the series going? Kerr can probably squeeze out at least a couple more adventures for Bernie in World War II(THE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE is scheduled for 2016, sez Kerr in the afterward.) But then? The intriguing thing would be to see the young Bernie Gunther, veteran of the trenches in World War I, a cop in the whirling, fast disintegrating Weimar Republic. Theres a great many possibilities there. But theres a drawback: it would be tough to vent anti-Americanism for novels written in this time. What seems more likely is Kerr will go forward into the fifties and sixties. My bet is that Bernie will end up in Vietnam in the 1960s, looking at the Viet Cong with distaste even while he helps them, and finally finding the sons hes always wished for: the David Halberstams of the press corps. Despite being American, these journalists can be relied on to stick it to the corrupt tyranny that is America. That is where Kerrs prejudices will lead Bernie. Might be the best fate possible for the old fraud.
1210125
If you like detective novels, you will love the Wonderful and Imaginative work of Phillip Kerr.
Bernie Gunther and Phillip Marlowe separated at birth....1936 Berlin, Nazis, Hot Maidens,
Schnapps, Beer and spellbinding story-telling...nothing better
4686093
Kerr paints a picture of the emotional and moral turmoil of his protagonist, Bernie Gunther.  Forced to investigate the killing of 4000 Polish officers by the Russians in war-torn Eastern Europe, he also investigates murders, commits one himself, and is trust into the plots to assassinate Hitler.  Never boring.
1349901
Another great Bernie Gunther novel. well I suppose you either love the author's style or hate it. What I like is the research on some of the murky aspects of various countries' dealings with the 3rd Reich. And in this book the horrific details of what was happening in Yugoslavia, gives you some background about the hatreds that erupted in the 90's.
1758806
In the third book in the Burglar series, Block provides the reader with a short, satisfying, humorous read.  Bernie Rhodenbarr is a bookseller by day and a burglar by night and he is often quite a burglar.  In many ways, this series is a Yin to the Yang of the dark, brooding Scudder series.  Although it is crime fiction in that Bernie is a burglar and he is often accused of murder and placed in dangerous situations, including often being on the run from the law, the series tends to be light and humorous rather than dark and gritty.

Plot-wise, most of the Burglar books tend to follow a similar pattern.  If youve read one, then you probably have an idea of how the others will go.  Bernie is approached to burgle an item of value and somehow, in the course of burgling or fencing the item, a dead body appears and the police and the media think that Bernie is the killer, although he has never turned to violence before.  Bernie is generally on the run from the law and out to unmask the real killer.  This volume follows this basic plot.

Here, Bernie for the first time operates a bookshop, an antiquarian bookshop, which means valuable used or old books, which are things that people physically bought in stores before the advent of E-books.  Quite old-fashioned of them.  Bernie is approached by a seemingly well-to-do gentleman who is after a book of Kiplings prose, a book that was part of a private printing and, of which, there is only one remaining anywhere and it isn't for sale.  There are, of course, others who want this book and Bernie is held up at gunpoint, framed for murder, drugged, hunted by the police, and generally put in some awkward positions.  The story moves along at a quick and humorous pace until Bernie finally solves the murder in a scene with all suspects gathered and the police ready to spring out.

It is an enjoyable quick read, filled with light banter and other stuff.
516258
I've had a curiosity and fascination with the 3rd Reich for a number of years.  It is almost impossible for a non German to understand the dynamics of who the Nazi's were and how they came to power.  Mr Kerr gives us a view of the day to day Germany before, during, and after the war using the eyes of Bernie Gunther, a shrewd observer.  An excellent book that sets the stage for the rest of the series, it is actually 3 books under one cover.  Highly recommended for anyone interested in the era or 1930's style detective writing.
1142211
In A Man Without Breath, Bernie Gunther, the anti-Nazi Berlin cop, investigates the incident at the Katyn Woods near Smolinsk. The problem isn't who killed all the Polish soldiers buried there, but how to deal with the Russians and the Nazis at the same time. He's in some sort of  trouble on every other page. Best of all, he's dealing with real characters from this  Wold War II era and at the end, author Philip Kerr kindly tells us what happened to each of them after the war  . It's a winner.
3062108
I've been enjoying this charming series of mystery novels set in the Perigord region of France, featuring Bruno, the chief of police of the small town of St-Denis. Bruno's a veteran of the conflict in Kosovo, a peace-loving soul who deeply loves his countrymen and the quiet life he leads in rural France. As the book begins, an old man dies. He dies of natural causes, but he's a former Resistance fighter and a curious banknote is found with him. This leads Bruno to a tricky case involving burglaries, murder, a hostage situation and more. The plot is complex but not unbelievable; the characters are delightful and nuanced; the action is well-paced and exciting. And the setting is as important to the story as the characters or plot.

If you haven't discovered this excellent mystery series, do yourself a favor and start it. You'll be sipping a crisp Bergerac wine and nibbling on truffles before you know it.
3795063
After an absence of eight years, Peter Bowen returns with the fourteenth installment of his excellent series featuring Gabriel Du Pre, a Metis brand inspector, fiddle player and investigator who lives in the fictional town of Toussaint, Montana.

As the book opens, two severely wounded veterans of the Iraq war meet in Toussaint. One is Chappie Plaquemines, the son of Du Pres long-time significant other, Madeline. The other is John Patchen, who served under Chappie, and who is trying to persuade him to accept the Navy Cross. In the process of trying to sober Chappie up long enough so that Patchen can make the argument, the two men go to a sweat lodge owned by a mysterious and elusive old medicine man.

In the sweat lodge, the two hear mysterious voices hinting at a massacre of a number of Metis people in the early Twentieth Century by U.S. Army soldiers and a handful of local citizens. (The Metis are descendants of the unions of Native American women and Europeans, principally French fur traders, that occurred along what is now the U.S.-Canadian border in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. The Metis have a unique culture and one of the pleasures of these books is the way in which the author immerses the characters and the reader in this culture.)

Chappie, Patchen and Du Pre launch an investigation of this incident which is little known and which has been largely covered up by the descendants of the people involve in perpetrating the crime. Inevitably, of course, a lot of feathers will be ruffled in the process and a fair amount of violence will ensue. The three men remain undaunted by the threats directed against them, however, and are determined to discover the truth about this century-old mystery.

Its an excellent tale, made all the more enjoyable by the great cast of characters that Bowen has assembled through the years. Even in the face of the grim story that unfolds here, theres a lot of wry humor, and this is a book that will appeal to readers who have enjoyed the novels of people like Tony Hillerman and Craig Johnson. If you haven't run across this series before, its definitely worth looking for; for old friends of the series, its great to finally have Du Pre and the rest of these characters back. One closes the book hoping that it will not be another eight years before we see them again.
997781
Sorry, Mr, Kerr, I missed reading Berlin Noir mysteries. I shall forthright give myself a few demerits and immediately order the book (s).

Impressive beginning, grabs one's attention and great for a mystery novel, connects up in the end in a very amusing manner, as if anything amusing can be attributed to the War. And this is where Mr. Kerr or his detective Bernard Gunther scores. He treats the entire momentous second world war in Germany from the perpective of one who lived through it and survived.

He's a detective. He knows all the secret police, SS and whoever else. He met Himmler. But again, all in its place.

The mystery is suitably devious and classical in nature. Yes, Mr. Chandler and Hammett, it is search for a person, one who died (?) in the war. Mr. Gunther works hard, gets beat up, and in a scene reminiscent of China Town, gets his finger amputated.

Don't close your eyes. A very important clue will appear.

The ending is stunning and one leaves the book with the satisfaction of time well spent.

But is Mr. Gunther a Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade?

He's less wisecracking, which is a relief (Parker's Spenser's prattle is dreadful to the ears) but he's smart, hardworking, and he has a family. That's a no-no for a tough guy but Mr. Gunther, surely in keeping future is mind, deals with it.

I have not, being both a writer and an avid mystery reader, found a more engaging, spontaneous and excellently penned book in a long, long time.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/If-There-Wasn-t-Death/dp/159800915X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">If There Wasn't Death</a>
1454945
Its a great read, this is my 3rd book in the Joe Gunther series and I loved them all, you'll love them.
4496263
This is a superb beginning to the series, with a captivating protagonist in Nell Sweeney. The gradual revelation of Nells background is very skillfully done, producing a different impression on the reader than if it had been abruptly laid out all at once. Other characters are also well developed, including Viola Hewitt and the little girl Grace (who has some funny lines) as well as disreputables such as the unfortunate Pearl and Seamus Flynn, who interrupts conversations to snatch up likely rats to contest with his dog Flossie. The depiction of Boston life of the period (both high and low) is also convincing.
2811575
Joe Gunther is an interesting main character.  He is very much like other characters you are introduced to when reading Mystery Novels.  Archer Mayor, however, is very good at his craft.  He  makes his story move along and he does not give away his ending, until the end.  Good Read
4813623
These books are an homage to Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr mysteries and others.  There are frequent mentions of these other fiction novels, their characters and authors.  This one included both Bernie and Nero Wolfe.  The main character, Hubie Shuze, even has an attorney who is very Wolfe-like down to his closed-eyes concentration and rotund frame.  There's always a few interesting historical or philosophical facts to accompany the light mysteries as Hubie reads a book to study up on his current project - in this case creating custom plates for an Austrian restaurant opening in Santa Fe.  Good fun and interesting commentary on the history and inner-workings of restaurants and high end cuisine.
2303843
Among writers in the crime/historical/Nazi era genre I rate Alan Furst as #1, David Downing as #2, and Philip Kerr as a close #3. The Bernie Gunther character is memorable and the plot lines terrific. Kerr takes the reader deep into the horrors of Nazi Berlin and the psyches of Nazi leaders as well as their henchmen. Kerr is very accurate in his descriptions of the geography of Berlin and of life there. There's plenty of mayhem and intrigue along with a touch of sex. Kerr's overuse of similes is a tad off-putting but no big deal. Berlin Noir is a long book but I eagerly returned to it every evening.