A German Requiem Audiobook

" The third of the series featuring Bernie Gunther. WWII has now been lost, and miraculously Bernie has survived -- miraculously because, having been co-opted into the SS, he was able to escape having to participate in that organization's crimes only by volunteering for combat. Now, a PI in Berlin once more, he's wondering if his wife is giving blowjobs to occupying Americans for money and gifts when he's hired by a Russian officer to try to produce the evidence that will save a convicted murderer in Vienna from the hangman's rope; the prisoner in question, the Russian's colleague in black market dealings, was also, years ago, one of Bernie's subordinates in the Kripo, so Bernie is perfectly aware of how murderous the man is. Off to Vienna Bernie goes, wondering if he'll have a marriage to come home to (this doesn't stop him from boffing any volunteers he encounters, of course), and soon he finds himself in the midst of a sea of grubby international politics as rival occupation forces jostle for ascendancy; part of the mix comprises those German war criminals who're trying to ensure they not just escape retribution but actually establish themselves in good positions in whatever new order will emerge from this chaotic melting pot. I found this novel far more engaging than its three predecessors, with characters that were better drawn and a satisfactorily twisty plot -- this latter marred, perhaps, by a couple of marginally implausible coincidences. Even so, I may track down later titles in the series. "

" Bernie Gunther is sent to Austria to solve the mystery of the murder of an American soldier in postwar Vienna. The Russians are thrown in for good measure. As usual the story is filled with moral ambiguity and fascinating twists and turns. Bernie is in his usual morally corrupt/heart of gold state and the writing is amazing. "

" Post WWII Vienna. References to penicillin and the Third Man. Werewolf Nazis and why they are having all their teeth pulled and smuggling documents into American intelligence offices. "

" The war's over; now it's the Yanks and the Russkies. "

" I really enjoyed Kerr's first two Gunther novels, but this one was a little underwhelming. The central mystery was tangential to the story most of the time, and there were a couple of wanton scenes of torture that were not in keeping with Kerr's previous works. The setting was nicely reminiscent of the Third Man, but Kerr went out of his way to point this out--actually weaving the filming of the movie into the story. I will likely give the rest of this series a try, but hope that it is an improvement over this volume. "

" The last of the Berlin Noir Bernie Gunther Trilogy held strong and even had an optimistic finis. "

" a German Philip Marlowe rotting in post war berlin gets entangled with secretive former Nazi big shots hiding in Vienna. what else u need to know? "

" The most amazing thing about these books is Kerr's ability to show how the war changed Gunther's spirit, without ever saying so. His greater despair is clear from his actions and thoughts from the start of AGR. "

" another superb read. The setting of this book, in Nazi Germany is so convincing. The writing is snappy and humorous and the plot woven masterfully. "

" Kerr for me is superb. Excellent characters, top notch research, amazing grasp of imaginative plot. Take Marlowe, as in the 1930LA PA not the Elizabethan play write, drop into Germany circa 1933 onwards and away you go. If you like gripping thrillers with a twist. Bring this home. "

" Interesting for the 1948 Viennese setting more than anything else. "

" I love the Bernard Gunther series, a great insight into the German WWII-era experiences. A German Requiem focuses on the years following the war and the Russian/American political turmoil that split the Germans in two. Recommended. "

" Did Kerr select his title from the work by Brahms of the same name, Ein Deutsches Requiem? "

" These first three books all blended together for me, and it took me too long to get through them all, so I think I lost the power of the trilogy, because I lost track of who the bad guys were and who the *really* bad guys were. "

" a good story with intriguing characters and an appreciation of moral complexities ~ don't misunderstand, though. There is no moral complexity to Nazism. But the people who tried to live decent lives, opposed to and resisting that regime were faced with ambiguities. "

" Typical Bernie Gunther outing. Laconic dialogue, nasty Nazis and a complex plot. Good readable thriller "

" A grim thriller set in post-war Berlin and Vienna. "

" This book is more a 'Wien'book than a 'Berlin'book. A nice thriller. I want to read more of Philip Kerr. "

" It would be fun to see an elderly Bernie Gunther team up with Arkady Renko. Two of a kind! "

" An obvious homage to Greene's The Third Man. It was good Nazi noir, just not amazing. "

" Very entertaining with well done post war details. "

" Great stuff, love Bernie Gunther "

" Very good, three very atmospheric stories. The main character, Bernie Gunther, is likeable despite his flaws. <br/> <br/>Highly recommended. "

" March Violets was a chilling read and the other books in the Bernie Gunther series are also absorbing reads. "

" REally enjoyed the first two novels. The third, not so much. "

" I loved these three books. Very old school detective, but set in a turbulent time and place.<br/> "

" En fait, je n'ai lu que la première partie (L'été de glace). Le contexte historique est bien décrit, mais je n'ai pas réussi à m'attacher au personnage principal, un détective plutôt macho. Le style m'a particulièrement agacée, avec son abus de comparaisons longues et souvent boiteuses. "

" Impeccably written superb historical fiction - deeper and more thoughtful than A Conspiracy of Paper, or Saylor's Roman mysteries. Rather dark gumshoe tales, but understandably so given the Nazi Germany (and immediate post-war Germany) setting. "

" Bernie Gunther is for me the most realised of literary detectives. He has a rich history and I would love to see him on a TV or film screen someday. I think Daniel Craig would play him perfectly, once the 007 gig is over and done with. "

" i liked the evolution of the main character and Berlin from 1933, to 1943 to 1950. "