Blackout

The Detective and the Gestapo. Berlin, 1939, the dead of winter, a former film star, Gerda Korzeny, is found murdered. The Gestapo calls and detective Schenke of the Kripo is assigned to the case. The Nazi's have now taken over Berlin and even the police must answer to the Gestapo. It is in the middle of the blackouts to keep the British Army from seeing and bombing lit buildings. It is cold and fuel for heat and food is scarce. The population of Berlin is freezing and starving. When another body is found Schenke is pretty sure he has a serial killer on the loose. Then a young Jewish woman is attacked on a train and manages to fight off her attacker. This gives Schenke a witness, but the Gestapo is not impressed with a Jewish witness. The Gestapo sends a man to "help" Schenke with the investigation. He knows it is to follow his movements and make sure no bad publicity is given out as the suspects are Gestapo members. Will Schenke be able to get to the bottom of the murders and find the killer or will the Gestapo hinder his investigation? The story is a detective story set in a time of oppression, but with many twists and turns. A detective that refuses to join the Nazi party, a Gestapo that dogs his every move, and a mistake he makes that causes harm to his oldest friends. How this investigation turns out is anyone's guess. A story filled with suspense and fear. It was a good read, it keeps you interested and it moves in a fast pace. I did enjoy reading the book and I would recommend it. Thanks to Simon Scarrow for writing a great story, to Kensington Books for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.