If the Dead Rise Not: A Bernie Gunther Novel
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Review
'Kerr brilliantly evokes the edgy atmosphere of the post-war period in one of the most gripping and accomplished detective novels published so far this year' Sunday Times.
'One of the great achievements of contemporary crime fiction' Observer.
'The scope and breadth of Philip Kerr's historical research, and the subtle complexity of plot structure, are worthy of Le Carre. The fast-paced, crack-a-minute delivery smacks of Chandler. The comparisons are inevitable, but Kerr parries the plaudits with ease' Irish Examiner.
'The pace is cracking, the dialogue crisply Chandleresque, the characterisation refreshingly stereotype-free. Kerr's research, historical and geographical, is all but faultless' The Times.
'Kerr's period detail is utterly convincing... a sophisticated thriller that brings the war and its aftermath to life' Independent.
'One of the great achievements of contemporary crime fiction' Observer.
'The scope and breadth of Philip Kerr's historical research, and the subtle complexity of plot structure, are worthy of Le Carre. The fast-paced, crack-a-minute delivery smacks of Chandler. The comparisons are inevitable, but Kerr parries the plaudits with ease' Irish Examiner.
'The pace is cracking, the dialogue crisply Chandleresque, the characterisation refreshingly stereotype-free. Kerr's research, historical and geographical, is all but faultless' The Times.
'Kerr's period detail is utterly convincing... a sophisticated thriller that brings the war and its aftermath to life' Independent.
Review
'Kerr brilliantly evokes the edgy atmosphere of the post-war period in one of the most gripping and accomplished detective novels published so far this year' Sunday Times. 'One of the great achievements of contemporary crime fiction' Observer. 'The scope and breadth of Philip Kerr's historical research, and the subtle complexity of plot structure, are worthy of Le Carre. The fast-paced, crack-a-minute delivery smacks of Chandler. The comparisons are inevitable, but Kerr parries the plaudits with ease' Irish Examiner. 'The pace is cracking, the dialogue crisply Chandleresque, the characterisation refreshingly stereotype-free. Kerr's research, historical and geographical, is all but faultless' The Times. 'Kerr's period detail is utterly convincing... a sophisticated thriller that brings the war and its aftermath to life' Independent.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the latest installment in the Bernie Gunter series. This is what Kerr does best and shows how much of a trailblazer he was in setting his books in 30's Berlin. The last few books have been a combination of 30's Berlin and Gunter's post war career.
This time we find him in Berlin in 1934 and find that he has recently left the Kripo (criminal police), following the assumption of power by the Nazis, and is working as a house detective in Berlin's best hotel - the Adlon. A dead guest is found in a locked room and a Chinese box is stolen from another guest.
Gunter is also asked to help out with a former colleague's nephew, who is starting out as a homicide detective. Unfortunately the unidentified body turns out to be a Jew. Homicide detectives in Nazi Germany were not allowed to investigate the murders of Jews - it was considered to be a service to society that they were dead.
So Gunter decides to investigate. The case leads him to an encounter with senior Nazi officials, an American gangster, a beautiful American journalist and the building of the Olympic Stadium. 30's Berlin is again brought to life with the problems faced by Jews and those who are not happy with the new government. The way in which the Nazi's tentacles are beginning to grip German society are a great read.
Things are not resolved cleanly and the story moves to Cuba in 1954. The main protaganists meet again in Batista's Havana, just after Castro is jailed for a failed attack on a barracks. Gunter meets the journalist and the gangster again and also bumps into the leading mobsters, such as Meyer Lansky.
Gunter is asked to investigate another murder, at the request of the Mob and things are not as straight forward as anyone thinks.
This is another great addition to the Gunter series. Kerr shows why he is considered to be the king of pre-war thriller writing. Where Furst and Downing now walk, Kerr has already been and plotted the way.
This time we find him in Berlin in 1934 and find that he has recently left the Kripo (criminal police), following the assumption of power by the Nazis, and is working as a house detective in Berlin's best hotel - the Adlon. A dead guest is found in a locked room and a Chinese box is stolen from another guest.
Gunter is also asked to help out with a former colleague's nephew, who is starting out as a homicide detective. Unfortunately the unidentified body turns out to be a Jew. Homicide detectives in Nazi Germany were not allowed to investigate the murders of Jews - it was considered to be a service to society that they were dead.
So Gunter decides to investigate. The case leads him to an encounter with senior Nazi officials, an American gangster, a beautiful American journalist and the building of the Olympic Stadium. 30's Berlin is again brought to life with the problems faced by Jews and those who are not happy with the new government. The way in which the Nazi's tentacles are beginning to grip German society are a great read.
Things are not resolved cleanly and the story moves to Cuba in 1954. The main protaganists meet again in Batista's Havana, just after Castro is jailed for a failed attack on a barracks. Gunter meets the journalist and the gangster again and also bumps into the leading mobsters, such as Meyer Lansky.
Gunter is asked to investigate another murder, at the request of the Mob and things are not as straight forward as anyone thinks.
This is another great addition to the Gunter series. Kerr shows why he is considered to be the king of pre-war thriller writing. Where Furst and Downing now walk, Kerr has already been and plotted the way.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a gripping detective story set in Berlin in 1934. The Nazis are in power and Germany is experiencing rapid change. The hero, Bernie Gunther, is a former cop who is now working as a hotel detective. He is investigating two deaths: one which took place in his hotel, and one which a police friend has asked for his assistance on. It's a complicated and skilfully constructed plot which encompasses corruption in the preparation for the Berlin Olympics, the possibility of a US boycott of the Olympics and the treatment of Jews and minorities in 1930s Germany. The plot later moves to Havana in the 1950s and at first you wonder why, but as some central characters re-appear it becomes evident that this is a continuation of the same story.
While this is the sixth Philip Kerr novel to feature hero Bernie Gunther, it is entirely possible to read and enjoy this book without having read the others. Some of the other books actually take place after the events of this one, while others pre-date it.
Philip Kerr's writing style combines the texture of Peter Temple's writing with the hard-boiled wit of Raymond Chandler. It's a pleasure to read. Like the best crime novels, the setting and the characters are as important to the story as the crimes themselves. The characters are wonderfully textured - real people.
My thanks to reviewer Nick Brett for bringing this one to my attention. It's a terrific read.
While this is the sixth Philip Kerr novel to feature hero Bernie Gunther, it is entirely possible to read and enjoy this book without having read the others. Some of the other books actually take place after the events of this one, while others pre-date it.
Philip Kerr's writing style combines the texture of Peter Temple's writing with the hard-boiled wit of Raymond Chandler. It's a pleasure to read. Like the best crime novels, the setting and the characters are as important to the story as the crimes themselves. The characters are wonderfully textured - real people.
My thanks to reviewer Nick Brett for bringing this one to my attention. It's a terrific read.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Delightful. Sharp. Perfect setting. Excellent pace. Berlin forever ! And long live Bernie Gunther !
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Bubble Bursts
Great, I thought. A prequel of sorts, I thought. Bernie back in pre-war Berlin, I thought...
And the first two-thirds are great -- with Bernie doing what he does best,... Read more
And the first two-thirds are great -- with Bernie doing what he does best,... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Catblack_uk
If the Dead Rise Not
I feel a bit mean giving this book 3 stars, especially as it is a quite enjoyable read. However, it does not lead me to continue exploring other Philip Kerr books. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Bacchus
Echoes of Marlowe and Spillane
Berlin 1934. Ex-detective Bernie Gunther is head of security at the high-end Adlon Hotel. Investigating the death of a Jewish boxer, he learns that Jews, barred from working under... Read more
Published 7 months ago by David Gee
Sam Spade with umlauts
"If the Dead Rise Not" is the latest in Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series, and for the most part, it's a good read. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Blue in Washington
It's not meant to be credible
The scales lifted from my eyes some distance into this book. Previously I had derided Kerr's Gunther stuff as absurd, unbelievable, even disrespectful to the victims of Nazism. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Gargoyle
The weakest Gunther
As a big fan of Kerr, and in particular of the Bernie Gunther stories, I was quite disappointed by "If thew dead rise not". Read more
Published 13 months ago by J. van Maris
disjointed story
This is the sixth Bernie Gunther novel, and the weakest yet. I found the fact that it is two separate stories a little discomfiting. Pre war berlin and pre castro cuba. Read more
Published 14 months ago by A. Browne
Superb addition to the Gunther series
This sixth outing for Bernie Gunther is one of the best in the series, and it's easy to see why Kerr won the 2009 award for Best Historical fiction with this one. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Jl Adcock
Time for Bernie Gunther to Take a Big Sleep?
I've been a fan of Kerr's German novels for a long time but I feel the pot is going off the boil and it might be time for Kerr to retire his private eye, Bernie Gunther. Read more
Published 19 months ago by John Fitzpatrick
Berlin underworld 1936
The third in the Bernie Gunther series of books by Philip Kerr makes great reading. There are few written books that as soon as you start reading you can't put down till you've... Read more
Published 21 months ago by nigel
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