March Violets

Bernie Gunther, Book 1

By: Philip Kerr

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Brutal ex-convicts or the Nazi elite - in Bernie Gunther's world it's hard to tell who are the real gangsters. Hard-boiled noir thriller for fans of Raymond Chandler and John le Carré.

Ex-Berlin cop and private detective Bernie Gunther has seen his share of bad guys. But when the worst guys of all are the ones running the show, it's much harder to stay out of their reach.

Hired by a wealthy industrialist to investigate the murder of his daughter and her husband in an apparent botched robbery, Bernie soon finds himself drawn into the complex - not to mention lethal - internal politics and corruption of the Nazi party. When Hermann Goering himself calls Bernie in with a task for him that throws his existing case into a whole new light, he must weigh up his hatred of the Nazis against his desire to stay alive.

©2016 Thynker Limited (P)2021 Quercus Editions Limited

Critic reviews

"One of the greatest anti-heroes ever written." (Lee Child)

Good storytelling

I like a detective story with a plot, and especially a plot that actually progresses with some energy and speed. This does. The detting in 1936 nazi Germany is a very interesting one although a bit heavily highlighted at times. Good book nevertheless.

Never mind the quality, feel the length

Atmospheric and well written, but too many characters and too long. I literally lost the plot.