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Criminal Inspector Schenke #3
A Death in Berlin
SPRING 1940. GERMANY IS AT WAR. HITLER IS PREPARING TO UNLEASH THE BLITZKRIEG. IN BERLIN, WHERE EVIL FLOURISHES, MURDERERS FEAR NO ONE.
When the owner of a nightclub is ambushed and gunned down in an alley, Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke faces a challenging investigation. The dead man is no innocent he was a known gangster. As further murders follow, it becomes clear that the mobsters running Berlin's two most brutal crime rings are locked in a desperate struggle for control.
In the murky underworld of Berlin's criminal gangs Schenke discovers new enemies just as ruthless as the monsters who control the Nazi regime. And Schenke's principles may have to be sacrificed to protect those closest to him.
One false step, one careless word out of place, and the consequences will be fatal...
When the owner of a nightclub is ambushed and gunned down in an alley, Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke faces a challenging investigation. The dead man is no innocent he was a known gangster. As further murders follow, it becomes clear that the mobsters running Berlin's two most brutal crime rings are locked in a desperate struggle for control.
In the murky underworld of Berlin's criminal gangs Schenke discovers new enemies just as ruthless as the monsters who control the Nazi regime. And Schenke's principles may have to be sacrificed to protect those closest to him.
One false step, one careless word out of place, and the consequences will be fatal...
352 pages, Paperback
Published December 16, 2025
172 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
About the author
Simon Scarrow
168 books2,175 followersSimon Scarrow is a UK-based author, born in Nigeria, and now living in Norfolk. He completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia, and, after working at the Inland Revenue, went into teaching as a lecturer at City College, Norwich.
He is best known for his "Eagle" series. This is Roman empire military fiction, starting with the second invasion of Britain, and continuing with subsequent adventures in every corner of the empire. The stories are told through the eyes of two centurions, Macro and Cato. To date there are eighteen books in the series.
Scarrow has also written a series of four novels on the Napoleonic wars, focusing on the lives of Wellington and Napoleon.
He is best known for his "Eagle" series. This is Roman empire military fiction, starting with the second invasion of Britain, and continuing with subsequent adventures in every corner of the empire. The stories are told through the eyes of two centurions, Macro and Cato. To date there are eighteen books in the series.
Scarrow has also written a series of four novels on the Napoleonic wars, focusing on the lives of Wellington and Napoleon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
February 5, 2025
Mr Scarrow continues with the Schenke series and keeps the writing style and period details at the high level. I have read two previous books, and was delighted with Book 3.
Horst Schenke investigates another case which this time involves forgery of food coupons and brutal killings behind it. Horst's loyalties lie with his conscience despite attempts to bribe him.
Mr Scarrow shows both the official Nazi Berlin and the underworld which exist along each other. The series is well-researched and is an interesting take on the Nazi regime at its heart.
*A big thank-you to Simon Scarrow, Headline, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
Horst Schenke investigates another case which this time involves forgery of food coupons and brutal killings behind it. Horst's loyalties lie with his conscience despite attempts to bribe him.
Mr Scarrow shows both the official Nazi Berlin and the underworld which exist along each other. The series is well-researched and is an interesting take on the Nazi regime at its heart.
*A big thank-you to Simon Scarrow, Headline, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
October 7, 2025
This magnificent historical crime novel is the 3rd volume of the amazing "CI Schenke" thriller series.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of Berlin and surroundings in May 1940, a Nazi Chain of Command, as well as an Author's Note.
At the end of the book you'll see an Historical Note, where the historical details concerning this story are superbly documented.
Storytelling is excellent, all figures, real historical and fictional, come vividly to life in this tale about the Nazis and of total War, and most of all about criminal warfare between different gang clubs in Berlin, while the dark and oppressive warlike atmosphere in Berlin comes splendidly off the pages, and the thriller is brought to us in a most authentic fashion possible by the author.
This thriller is set in May 1940, and as a starting point Kripo CI Horst Schenke and his team are investigating the murder of gang boss Remer in a dark alley in Berlin, and this murder will be the starting point of more deaths connecting to criminal Remer and forged coupons that are found on his premises after a lethal attack.
During this investigations, assisted by Sergeant Hauser and former SS man Liebwitz, they will unravel many more leads to a certain criminal person and area, while more murders and a betrayal will follow, until it will come to a final showdown between certain factions to end this lethal feud.
Very much recommended, this is a superb book, just like its predecessors "Blackout" and "Dead of Night" (see my reviews), to make this a fabulous series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Marvellous Emphatic Death"!
At the beginning of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of Berlin and surroundings in May 1940, a Nazi Chain of Command, as well as an Author's Note.
At the end of the book you'll see an Historical Note, where the historical details concerning this story are superbly documented.
Storytelling is excellent, all figures, real historical and fictional, come vividly to life in this tale about the Nazis and of total War, and most of all about criminal warfare between different gang clubs in Berlin, while the dark and oppressive warlike atmosphere in Berlin comes splendidly off the pages, and the thriller is brought to us in a most authentic fashion possible by the author.
This thriller is set in May 1940, and as a starting point Kripo CI Horst Schenke and his team are investigating the murder of gang boss Remer in a dark alley in Berlin, and this murder will be the starting point of more deaths connecting to criminal Remer and forged coupons that are found on his premises after a lethal attack.
During this investigations, assisted by Sergeant Hauser and former SS man Liebwitz, they will unravel many more leads to a certain criminal person and area, while more murders and a betrayal will follow, until it will come to a final showdown between certain factions to end this lethal feud.
Very much recommended, this is a superb book, just like its predecessors "Blackout" and "Dead of Night" (see my reviews), to make this a fabulous series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Marvellous Emphatic Death"!
May 9, 2025
with the passing away of Philip Kerr we lost future books about the Berlin Policeman Bernie Gunther whose stories told us a lot about Berlin at the beginning of WW2 and later of various parts of the war.
With CI Schenk we get a worthy continuation of a policeman caught up in the war. Schenk and Gunther served at the same time as policemen.
CI Schenk and his people have difficulty to tracé the fake foodcoupons that are released in Berlin when a famous nightclub owner gets attacked and killed, leaving his current girlfriend shot as well.
Schenk and his people get involved in this homicide investigation that clearly points to another gang in Berlin. it gives an interesting insight in the underworld of Berlin on the early days of World War 2.
And then there is Ruth a Jewish girl to whom Schenk did lose his heart to. And like last time she proves to be trouble for the Criminal Investgator.
this third novel about CI Schenk is again an improvement on the previous one, I can only hope that mr Scarrow will continue to write the series. Excellent Police novel and some modern historica insights of the beginning of 5 dark years in Europe.
Well worth your reading time.
With CI Schenk we get a worthy continuation of a policeman caught up in the war. Schenk and Gunther served at the same time as policemen.
CI Schenk and his people have difficulty to tracé the fake foodcoupons that are released in Berlin when a famous nightclub owner gets attacked and killed, leaving his current girlfriend shot as well.
Schenk and his people get involved in this homicide investigation that clearly points to another gang in Berlin. it gives an interesting insight in the underworld of Berlin on the early days of World War 2.
And then there is Ruth a Jewish girl to whom Schenk did lose his heart to. And like last time she proves to be trouble for the Criminal Investgator.
this third novel about CI Schenk is again an improvement on the previous one, I can only hope that mr Scarrow will continue to write the series. Excellent Police novel and some modern historica insights of the beginning of 5 dark years in Europe.
Well worth your reading time.
March 13, 2025
A Death in Berlin is the third book featuring Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke, the follow-up to Blackout and Dead of Night.
Horst Schenke is a brilliant character. He has a strong sense of justice and bringing criminals to book is what drives him. It enables him to temporarily put to one side his growing alarm at and distaste for what is happening to Germany under the Nazis. But that’s becoming increasingly difficult. The fact he has not yet joined the Nazi party or applied for membership of the SS and turned down a role working for Heydrich marks him out in the eyes of his new boss Oberfuhrer Radinsky as a maverick. Nazi Germany does not care for mavericks. It’s only Schenke’s excellent results that protect him. Oh, and his previous career as a famous racing driver. It turns out he has an unexpected fan too.
Schenke has an additional weak spot in the form of his relationship with Ruth, a Jewish woman. Their relationship must remain clandestine for both their sakes: snatched meetings in out of the way places organised by coded messages and constant vigilence. For Schenke, discovery would mean the end of his career, and possibly worse. For Ruth it would mean certain death. ‘Caution was not just a watchword but the essence of their survival.’
But a secret makes you vulnerable and open to manipulation, as Schenke discovers. It results in the most difficult moral dilemma he has faced in his career.
Schenke’s team return: the trusty Sergeant Hauser, handy in a brawl; and Scharfuhrer Liebwitz, seconded from the Gestapo and possessed of a remarkable memory and eye for detail. (I did love learning a little more about their personal lives.) Their investigation into forged ration coupons, a valuable commodity in a time of increasing deprivation for ordinary Germans (but not for high-ranking Nazis), takes them into the murky, dog-eat-dog, world of criminal gangs.
For Schenke, increasingly there’s little difference between the immorality of the criminal underworld and that of the Nazi regime. And sometimes – just sometimes – your enemy’s enemy is your friend and the end does justify the means. It’s the cue for some terrific action scenes, including one fuelled by revenge and a desperate attempt to save a life.
As Hitler unleashes the full might of the German army on Western Europe, Schenke can only despair at what his country has become. I’m sure we can all think of contemporary parallels.
If you’re looking for a brilliant historical thriller set against the backdrop of real events with a leading character you can’t help but root for, A Death in Berlin will not disappoint.
Horst Schenke is a brilliant character. He has a strong sense of justice and bringing criminals to book is what drives him. It enables him to temporarily put to one side his growing alarm at and distaste for what is happening to Germany under the Nazis. But that’s becoming increasingly difficult. The fact he has not yet joined the Nazi party or applied for membership of the SS and turned down a role working for Heydrich marks him out in the eyes of his new boss Oberfuhrer Radinsky as a maverick. Nazi Germany does not care for mavericks. It’s only Schenke’s excellent results that protect him. Oh, and his previous career as a famous racing driver. It turns out he has an unexpected fan too.
Schenke has an additional weak spot in the form of his relationship with Ruth, a Jewish woman. Their relationship must remain clandestine for both their sakes: snatched meetings in out of the way places organised by coded messages and constant vigilence. For Schenke, discovery would mean the end of his career, and possibly worse. For Ruth it would mean certain death. ‘Caution was not just a watchword but the essence of their survival.’
But a secret makes you vulnerable and open to manipulation, as Schenke discovers. It results in the most difficult moral dilemma he has faced in his career.
Schenke’s team return: the trusty Sergeant Hauser, handy in a brawl; and Scharfuhrer Liebwitz, seconded from the Gestapo and possessed of a remarkable memory and eye for detail. (I did love learning a little more about their personal lives.) Their investigation into forged ration coupons, a valuable commodity in a time of increasing deprivation for ordinary Germans (but not for high-ranking Nazis), takes them into the murky, dog-eat-dog, world of criminal gangs.
For Schenke, increasingly there’s little difference between the immorality of the criminal underworld and that of the Nazi regime. And sometimes – just sometimes – your enemy’s enemy is your friend and the end does justify the means. It’s the cue for some terrific action scenes, including one fuelled by revenge and a desperate attempt to save a life.
As Hitler unleashes the full might of the German army on Western Europe, Schenke can only despair at what his country has become. I’m sure we can all think of contemporary parallels.
If you’re looking for a brilliant historical thriller set against the backdrop of real events with a leading character you can’t help but root for, A Death in Berlin will not disappoint.
November 13, 2025
The third of Simon Scarrow's thrillers featuring Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke.
In 1940 Berlin Schenke finds life difficult in more ways than one. He is investigating the murder of a Berlin nightclub owner, trying to avoid joining the SS that his new boss insists he must do, and he's risking a relationship with a Jewish woman he may be falling in love with.
As usual author Simon Scarrow seemlessly mixes real and fictional characters in a well plotted crime thriller.
Let's hope this is not the final outing for Horst Schenke.
In 1940 Berlin Schenke finds life difficult in more ways than one. He is investigating the murder of a Berlin nightclub owner, trying to avoid joining the SS that his new boss insists he must do, and he's risking a relationship with a Jewish woman he may be falling in love with.
As usual author Simon Scarrow seemlessly mixes real and fictional characters in a well plotted crime thriller.
Let's hope this is not the final outing for Horst Schenke.
May 13, 2025
This is the third novel in the Horst Schencke series from Simon Scarrow. Horst works as a criminal detective in Nazi wartime Berlin, operating under the auspices of the Nazi regime while not being a Nazi himself. This novel remains much in the same vein as the prior novels with Horst solving a murder while also interacting with various echelons of the Nazi regime -- trying to keep them at arm's length. This whole series is classic potboiler work, but it is well done potboiler fare -- consider it chicken noodle soup. The writing remains elementary. The plotting remains basic. And the themes are basically tropes with heavy handed references to modern fascism. I have no complaints. The series is empty delicious calories, and it provided exactly what I expected.
4 stars.
4 stars.
December 27, 2025
7.5/10
Tercera parte de esta saga y de nuevo lo que más me ha gustado es la ambientación lúgubre y la atmosfera pesada del Berlín nazi de 1940, donde el Fuhrer era casi una deidad para la mayoría de los alemanes, y el partido dominaba con mano de hierro todos los ámbitos de la sociedad.
Una vez más veremos al inspector Schenke metido en líos por su aversión al nazismo y a las leyes que estos promulgan, normal por otro lado para poder simpatizar con el protagonista, ya que si fuera un nazi consumado estos libros ni se habrían publicado.
La trama no está mal, tiene bastante ritmo, pero es un poco rocambolesca y la parte detectivesca no es la mejor de las 3 entregas.
En cualquier caso, me ha entretenido mucho y me ha parecido una lectura que merece la pena si ya te has leído los dos anteriores, y si no, le daría una oportunidad al primero.
Tercera parte de esta saga y de nuevo lo que más me ha gustado es la ambientación lúgubre y la atmosfera pesada del Berlín nazi de 1940, donde el Fuhrer era casi una deidad para la mayoría de los alemanes, y el partido dominaba con mano de hierro todos los ámbitos de la sociedad.
Una vez más veremos al inspector Schenke metido en líos por su aversión al nazismo y a las leyes que estos promulgan, normal por otro lado para poder simpatizar con el protagonista, ya que si fuera un nazi consumado estos libros ni se habrían publicado.
La trama no está mal, tiene bastante ritmo, pero es un poco rocambolesca y la parte detectivesca no es la mejor de las 3 entregas.
En cualquier caso, me ha entretenido mucho y me ha parecido una lectura que merece la pena si ya te has leído los dos anteriores, y si no, le daría una oportunidad al primero.
October 12, 2025
Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is back and it's 1940s Berlin and a gang war is about to erupt. Simon Scarrow has set a difficult scene for a policeman during this time. He doesn't really trust the new government but he wants to solve crime and keep the citizens safe. A Death in Berlin is the third book in this series and I find them very interesting and entertaining to read. The author has created some great characters and the setting is bound to be trying for all involved. What makes this extra good is the fact that I found another series set in Paris during almost the same time, it's great to see similarities and differences for the two detectives. I can recommend this series even if you have no interest in the second world war. It is a good crimestory.
March 9, 2025
Berlin. 1940. Germany is about to escalate the war and march west.
CI Horst Schenke a Kripo investigator has other things on his mind.
He has a new boss, he is in a relationship with a Jewish woman he must keep secret, and he has to solve a murder, whilst trying to discover who is forging ration books.
All of this under the eyes of the Nazi party who are at the peak of their power, and to top things of a gangland dispute has risen, which he must stop before it gets out of control.
This is going to be the most difficult and perilous time in his career and if he doesn’t get results it could be the end for him.
This is the third book in this brilliant series and probably the best one so far.
Simon Scarrow has a wonderful eye for detail in his writing and not many writers can match him.
I found myself drawn into the story from the start and couldn’t put it down.
I hope there are more books in this series as they are exactly what I like to read.
A superb book and one I highly recommend.
CI Horst Schenke a Kripo investigator has other things on his mind.
He has a new boss, he is in a relationship with a Jewish woman he must keep secret, and he has to solve a murder, whilst trying to discover who is forging ration books.
All of this under the eyes of the Nazi party who are at the peak of their power, and to top things of a gangland dispute has risen, which he must stop before it gets out of control.
This is going to be the most difficult and perilous time in his career and if he doesn’t get results it could be the end for him.
This is the third book in this brilliant series and probably the best one so far.
Simon Scarrow has a wonderful eye for detail in his writing and not many writers can match him.
I found myself drawn into the story from the start and couldn’t put it down.
I hope there are more books in this series as they are exactly what I like to read.
A superb book and one I highly recommend.
May 18, 2025
[18 May 2025] A classic crime mystery set in 1940s Nazi Berlin. The characters are well drawn, the scenes are described and the pace and narrative are all good. It moves along well and is an easy read. Manageable chapters with believable plot-lines and it grabs and holds your interest. I thought it got dangerously close to becoming a little far-fetched on a couple of occasions, but not so as to spoil things. The descriptions of Berlin at war are good and very atmospheric.
Generally a really cracking read following a Detective Police Inspector trying to unravel an organised crime ring while politically believing that Hitler and the government was more-or-less an organised crime ring. I won't include a spoiler but thought it was neatly done. I'd certainly read another of Simon Scarrow's books - so that is a recommendation.
Generally a really cracking read following a Detective Police Inspector trying to unravel an organised crime ring while politically believing that Hitler and the government was more-or-less an organised crime ring. I won't include a spoiler but thought it was neatly done. I'd certainly read another of Simon Scarrow's books - so that is a recommendation.
June 1, 2025
The third in this series, and possibly the best so far. Follow Inspector Schenke as he investigates a murder, and forged ration coupons in 1930s Berlin.
I've always enjoyed Scarrows historic fiction, which in this case explores the backdrop of prewar Germany as the Nazis took hold. In this installment I feel like he has also firmly gotten to grips with writing police investigation stories. Come for the crime, learn history by accident.
I've always enjoyed Scarrows historic fiction, which in this case explores the backdrop of prewar Germany as the Nazis took hold. In this installment I feel like he has also firmly gotten to grips with writing police investigation stories. Come for the crime, learn history by accident.
July 1, 2025
4 Stars - Intriguing crime series set in WWII Berlin 1940
Book part #3 😎 - I just like this series a lot. The third in a short time and with an excellent Swedish narrator in combination with a very interesting main character, Horst Schencke a German Criminal Inspector and his sometimes a bit unmanageable police-job in the then Nazi-ruled Berlin of 1939 / 1940. What an horrifying and unimaginable world. - Glad that that cruel regime was wiped out a few years later with its own delusion of grandeur. A small consolation after all the terrible things that hit so many people hard, that the saying "he who chases after too much ... easily falls into his own trap" is also sometimes true.
Looking forward to more books about the police-group in Berlin. May it be a happy end and good long life for any of them? Hard to believe, but I still hope.
Read June 30, 2025
Book part #3 😎 - I just like this series a lot. The third in a short time and with an excellent Swedish narrator in combination with a very interesting main character, Horst Schencke a German Criminal Inspector and his sometimes a bit unmanageable police-job in the then Nazi-ruled Berlin of 1939 / 1940. What an horrifying and unimaginable world. - Glad that that cruel regime was wiped out a few years later with its own delusion of grandeur. A small consolation after all the terrible things that hit so many people hard, that the saying "he who chases after too much ... easily falls into his own trap" is also sometimes true.
Looking forward to more books about the police-group in Berlin. May it be a happy end and good long life for any of them? Hard to believe, but I still hope.
Read June 30, 2025
December 8, 2025
Great war time crime thriller. Loved it
April 28, 2025
Not content with writing one excellent series of books, Simon Scarrow has produced a second which in my view is even better than the long running Cato and Macro Roman series.
Our hero as before is Criminal Investigator Horst Schenke who works for the Kripo in 1940 Berlin. The Kripo seems broadly equivalent to our CID. Schenke is an honest and talented investigator but has to work between Berlin’s crime gangs and the Nazis – clearly it is often difficult to tell the difference between the two and this is really where the series sits. How to work honestly within a corrupt regime.
Schenke and his colleagues are sent to investigate the murder of a nightclub owner while continuing an investigation into forged ration books. This puts them right in the middle of rival crime gangs and scheming Nazis – not a good place to be.
As the body count increases, the pressure on Schenke to ‘get a result’ increases both from his superiors and the criminals.
This is another really well written, historically interesting and enjoyable book. I hope Simon Scarrow writes many more in the series.
Our hero as before is Criminal Investigator Horst Schenke who works for the Kripo in 1940 Berlin. The Kripo seems broadly equivalent to our CID. Schenke is an honest and talented investigator but has to work between Berlin’s crime gangs and the Nazis – clearly it is often difficult to tell the difference between the two and this is really where the series sits. How to work honestly within a corrupt regime.
Schenke and his colleagues are sent to investigate the murder of a nightclub owner while continuing an investigation into forged ration books. This puts them right in the middle of rival crime gangs and scheming Nazis – not a good place to be.
As the body count increases, the pressure on Schenke to ‘get a result’ increases both from his superiors and the criminals.
This is another really well written, historically interesting and enjoyable book. I hope Simon Scarrow writes many more in the series.
August 26, 2025
Jag hoppade rakt in i serien med Döden i Berlin, den tredje boken om kriminalinspektör Horst Schenke. Att börja mitt i en serie är alltid en chansning, men i det här fallet fungerade det förvånansvärt bra. Jag saknade aldrig något avgörande, även om jag anar att vissa relationer och karaktärsutvecklingar hade känts ännu starkare om jag läst de två första delarna först.
Scarrow lyckas verkligen balansera det politiska allvaret med en spännande mordgåta som innehåller svek, kärlek och action. Berättelsen tar flera oväntade vändningar, och jag gillar hur tempot växlar mellan intensiva händelser och mer reflekterande partier.
Schenke är en fascinerande huvudperson – han har en tydlig moralisk kompass i ett samhälle där det är farligt att ifrågasätta makten. Det gör honom både intressant och lätt att känna med.
Det här är en bok jag verkligen uppskattade och som gav mersmak. Jag kommer definitivt att läsa vidare i serien, kanske till och med börja om från början för att få hela bilden av Schenkes resa.
Scarrow lyckas verkligen balansera det politiska allvaret med en spännande mordgåta som innehåller svek, kärlek och action. Berättelsen tar flera oväntade vändningar, och jag gillar hur tempot växlar mellan intensiva händelser och mer reflekterande partier.
Schenke är en fascinerande huvudperson – han har en tydlig moralisk kompass i ett samhälle där det är farligt att ifrågasätta makten. Det gör honom både intressant och lätt att känna med.
Det här är en bok jag verkligen uppskattade och som gav mersmak. Jag kommer definitivt att läsa vidare i serien, kanske till och med börja om från början för att få hela bilden av Schenkes resa.
March 12, 2025
4.5 stars
It’s a rollercoaster of an adventure being back from Schenke and his team. Simon Scarrow has written another fantastic detective mystery, full of historical references to the Nazi uprising in early 1940’s Germany.
Dealing with the underworld of the seedier side of Berlin, whilst trying to navigate the complexity of politics in Nazi Germany has posed a complex investigation for Schenke and his men.
The characters in this one, as in the others in the series are cleverly detailed amongst the backdrop of Germany in the early stages of the war. Poland has been taken and everyone, including Schenke and his team are feeling the impact both personally and professionally. Not knowing who to trust their secrets to, it’s a dark world in which the darker side of life is currently winning.
It’s a rollercoaster of an adventure being back from Schenke and his team. Simon Scarrow has written another fantastic detective mystery, full of historical references to the Nazi uprising in early 1940’s Germany.
Dealing with the underworld of the seedier side of Berlin, whilst trying to navigate the complexity of politics in Nazi Germany has posed a complex investigation for Schenke and his men.
The characters in this one, as in the others in the series are cleverly detailed amongst the backdrop of Germany in the early stages of the war. Poland has been taken and everyone, including Schenke and his team are feeling the impact both personally and professionally. Not knowing who to trust their secrets to, it’s a dark world in which the darker side of life is currently winning.
January 23, 2026
The thing I like about this series of books is that they are so enjoyable to read. Accessible, readable and likeable all wrapped up into one. The atmosphere and historical background of WWII Germany provides an intriguing back drop to a gangster war with murder, theft, forgery and betrayal running riot. It all makes for a most enjoyable detective story. This is the third in the series and I do hope there are more to follow.
☘️
☘️
October 28, 2025
I think it is 2 years since I read a Criminal Inspector Schenke book. This latest in the series did not disappoint. An interesting storyline set in Berlin 1940, with the tension and power struggles in wartime Germany well recorded. The book moved along at a good pace. Roll on the next book in this series.
July 2, 2025
Pacing thriller set in Berlin during the months pre WW2. Detective investigating the Berlin underworld and how his personal life pits him against Nazi ideology.
September 14, 2025
Brilliant series!!!! Thrilling all way through, tension building up non stop till the conclusion! Just navigating through Nazi times is creepy, put a couple of murders into it, it gets really explosive! I also enjoyed the main police characters and their peculiar ways... Hope for a fourth book soon!
November 15, 2025
Spännande från början till sista meningen. Vad är bra med att läsa en bra bok? Den är så bra att det är svårt att sluta läsa Vad är dåligt med att läsa en bra bok? Den tar alldeles för snabbt slut. Nu vet du. Den här skall du inte missa helt enkelt.
April 12, 2025
Enjoyable, and would read the others in the series but the historical detail is superficially sketched, not a patch on Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther novels which really stand apart.
March 7, 2025
Simon Scarrow's "A Death in Berlin," the third installment in his Berlin Wartime Thrillers series featuring Inspector Horst Schenke, immerses readers in Nazi Germany at a crucial point in history. Set in May 1940, with Poland already overpowered and Hitler's formidable war machine tensed to unleash its westward offensive, the novel weaves historical authenticity through every thread of its narrative fabric.
Berlin is a city under blackout restrictions where criminal activity flourishes in the darkness, where rationing has created black markets, and ideological "education" sessions are mandatory. Casual references to propaganda films and the "lesser races" have become normalized in everyday conversation.
The plot ignites with a high-profile murder in Berlin's criminal underworld that draws Inspector Schenke into investigating both the killing and a potentially linked forgery operation. What begins as an apparently straightforward case gradually unravels to reveal intricate layers of complexity.
As Schenke probes deeper, he uncovers connections suggesting the boundaries between Berlin's underworld and the Nazi power structure are considerably more intertwined than officially acknowledged. His investigation compels him to question not merely the killer's identity but how justice itself functions within a system thoroughly corrupted by extremist ideology and the ruthless pursuit of power.
The novel's characters embody the moral compromises essential for survival under totalitarianism. Inspector Horst Schenke is a nuanced protagonist—methodical and intelligent yet harboring a potentially fatal secret: his relationship with Ruth Frankel, a Jewish woman, constitutes a serious criminal offense under the Reich's racial laws.
This forbidden relationship forces Schenke to confront the regime's ideology on a profoundly personal level rather than maintaining professional detachment. When his secret becomes vulnerable to exposure, Schenke faces impossible choices that test both his professional ethics and personal loyalties.
The supporting characters receive similarly thoughtful treatment. Schenke's team includes the precise, socially awkward Liebwitz with his remarkable memory and the more cynical Sergeant Hauser, whose sardonic remarks offer a brief respite from the pervasive darkness. The criminals themselves are, for the most part, portrayed with psychological complexity rather than as stock villains.
"A Death in Berlin" transcends conventional crime fiction by weaving broader sociopolitical themes throughout its historical setting. The narrative draws explicit parallels between the Nazi power structure and criminal organizations, revealing how both entities maintain their dominance through similar mechanisms of intimidation, loyalty demands, and systematic violence.
The novel also examines how totalitarianism erodes individual morality, creating an atmosphere where survival often necessitates compromise and complicity. Characters retreat into "secret inner worlds," carefully monitoring their speech even in private settings.
Though set over eighty years ago, "A Death in Berlin" addresses issues with striking relevance today. The gradual normalization of extremist ideology depicted in the novel serves as a warning about how societies can incrementally accept the unacceptable. Scarrow shows how language itself becomes weaponized, with terms like "un-German" and "lesser races" functioning to dehumanize targeted groups, a mechanism recognizable in contemporary political discourse.
The novel's exploration of institutional corruption, where law enforcement becomes entangled with the very criminality it purports to fight, speaks to ongoing debates about accountability and the abuse of power. Particularly effective is how Scarrow presents the personal cost of resistance. Schenke's internal struggle between professional duty and moral conscience reflects the universal question of how individuals should respond when legal frameworks become instruments of injustice.
Perhaps most compelling is Scarrow's examination of information control. Characters navigate a treacherous divide between official propaganda and observable reality, where questioning the sanctioned narrative carries severe consequences. This exploration resonates powerfully in our contemporary information landscape, with its parallel challenges of misinformation, censorship, and the fortitude required to preserve independent thought amid social pressure.
Scarrow's prose strikes a balance between clarity and atmospheric detail. His descriptions of locations, from the shabby glamour of Berlin nightclubs to the clinical sterility of police headquarters, immerse readers in 1940s Berlin. Although there are occasional lighthearted moments of dry wit, "A Death in Berlin" is very much a serious novel, as is appropriate given its subject matter.
The dialogue feels natural as it reveals character, advances the plot, and reflects the politically charged environment. Characters speak in ways that reflect their positions and personalities, from police detectives' precise questioning to the ideologically loaded rhetoric of Nazi officials.
"A Death in Berlin" succeeds as an engaging murder mystery and as an exploration of life under totalitarianism. Scarrow integrates the political context into the fundamental nature of crime, justice, and individual moral choices during this period. The novel powerfully illuminates the corrosive psychological effects of surviving under a regime that systematically criminalizes basic human connections while normalizing atrocity as a patriotic duty. For readers drawn to historical crime fiction that unflinchingly confronts the darkest corners of human nature, "A Death in Berlin" delivers a gripping journey into one of history's most morally complex and disturbing periods.
This review is of an advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and Headline. It is scheduled for release in the USA on March 13, 2025.
Berlin is a city under blackout restrictions where criminal activity flourishes in the darkness, where rationing has created black markets, and ideological "education" sessions are mandatory. Casual references to propaganda films and the "lesser races" have become normalized in everyday conversation.
The plot ignites with a high-profile murder in Berlin's criminal underworld that draws Inspector Schenke into investigating both the killing and a potentially linked forgery operation. What begins as an apparently straightforward case gradually unravels to reveal intricate layers of complexity.
As Schenke probes deeper, he uncovers connections suggesting the boundaries between Berlin's underworld and the Nazi power structure are considerably more intertwined than officially acknowledged. His investigation compels him to question not merely the killer's identity but how justice itself functions within a system thoroughly corrupted by extremist ideology and the ruthless pursuit of power.
The novel's characters embody the moral compromises essential for survival under totalitarianism. Inspector Horst Schenke is a nuanced protagonist—methodical and intelligent yet harboring a potentially fatal secret: his relationship with Ruth Frankel, a Jewish woman, constitutes a serious criminal offense under the Reich's racial laws.
This forbidden relationship forces Schenke to confront the regime's ideology on a profoundly personal level rather than maintaining professional detachment. When his secret becomes vulnerable to exposure, Schenke faces impossible choices that test both his professional ethics and personal loyalties.
The supporting characters receive similarly thoughtful treatment. Schenke's team includes the precise, socially awkward Liebwitz with his remarkable memory and the more cynical Sergeant Hauser, whose sardonic remarks offer a brief respite from the pervasive darkness. The criminals themselves are, for the most part, portrayed with psychological complexity rather than as stock villains.
"A Death in Berlin" transcends conventional crime fiction by weaving broader sociopolitical themes throughout its historical setting. The narrative draws explicit parallels between the Nazi power structure and criminal organizations, revealing how both entities maintain their dominance through similar mechanisms of intimidation, loyalty demands, and systematic violence.
The novel also examines how totalitarianism erodes individual morality, creating an atmosphere where survival often necessitates compromise and complicity. Characters retreat into "secret inner worlds," carefully monitoring their speech even in private settings.
Though set over eighty years ago, "A Death in Berlin" addresses issues with striking relevance today. The gradual normalization of extremist ideology depicted in the novel serves as a warning about how societies can incrementally accept the unacceptable. Scarrow shows how language itself becomes weaponized, with terms like "un-German" and "lesser races" functioning to dehumanize targeted groups, a mechanism recognizable in contemporary political discourse.
The novel's exploration of institutional corruption, where law enforcement becomes entangled with the very criminality it purports to fight, speaks to ongoing debates about accountability and the abuse of power. Particularly effective is how Scarrow presents the personal cost of resistance. Schenke's internal struggle between professional duty and moral conscience reflects the universal question of how individuals should respond when legal frameworks become instruments of injustice.
Perhaps most compelling is Scarrow's examination of information control. Characters navigate a treacherous divide between official propaganda and observable reality, where questioning the sanctioned narrative carries severe consequences. This exploration resonates powerfully in our contemporary information landscape, with its parallel challenges of misinformation, censorship, and the fortitude required to preserve independent thought amid social pressure.
Scarrow's prose strikes a balance between clarity and atmospheric detail. His descriptions of locations, from the shabby glamour of Berlin nightclubs to the clinical sterility of police headquarters, immerse readers in 1940s Berlin. Although there are occasional lighthearted moments of dry wit, "A Death in Berlin" is very much a serious novel, as is appropriate given its subject matter.
The dialogue feels natural as it reveals character, advances the plot, and reflects the politically charged environment. Characters speak in ways that reflect their positions and personalities, from police detectives' precise questioning to the ideologically loaded rhetoric of Nazi officials.
"A Death in Berlin" succeeds as an engaging murder mystery and as an exploration of life under totalitarianism. Scarrow integrates the political context into the fundamental nature of crime, justice, and individual moral choices during this period. The novel powerfully illuminates the corrosive psychological effects of surviving under a regime that systematically criminalizes basic human connections while normalizing atrocity as a patriotic duty. For readers drawn to historical crime fiction that unflinchingly confronts the darkest corners of human nature, "A Death in Berlin" delivers a gripping journey into one of history's most morally complex and disturbing periods.
This review is of an advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and Headline. It is scheduled for release in the USA on March 13, 2025.
March 20, 2025
Schenke already has plenty on his plate, after nearly six months they are still no closer to breaking the forgery ring that has been producing ration coupons. The chaos this has been causing on supplies has not gone unnoticed and political pressure has been brought to bear, results are needed now. Schenke also has a new boss who is party loyal and one of his first actions has been to note the investigator’s lack of membership and questions where his loyalties lie.
Another superb crime story set against the backdrop of war. Victory in Poland was straightforward, but the phony war is coming to an end and the hints are there to see. Obviously writing in retrospect it is clear what happened, but the author has done an excellent job in capturing the sense of change, of impending danger within the story. Subtly done but there is an ominous undercurrent.
There are two strands to the plot that coalesce in a clever way. There is the forgery case which has been running through the two previous instalments and the murder of the gang boss.
The forgery case is finally resolved, almost by accident. The answer managing to be so beautifully simple and blindingly obvious, yet thanks to some over thinking on the part of investigators not considered. There is a touch of an Edgar Allan Poe short story here, I will say no more. Whether this was the original solution envisioned when introduced in book one, or came later to him, this is clever writing and beautifully executed on the page.
The gang related strand is violent and builds up to an excellent, extended and bloody finale. These are violent gang land criminals and of course violence begats more violence. This is a thriller that packs a punch and a hefty one at that. The motivations are simple and base, human greed and human need, familiar but written with a touch of understanding.
Schenke’s relationship with the well-connected Karin, niece of Admiral Canaris, has run its course and he is somewhat ambivalent. It was good while it lasted, but he couldn’t envisage it lasting long term, not now he realises his feelings for Ruth are deeper. Karin represented safety, but as Ruth is a Jew and kind of relationship with her is fraught with danger. What better way for an author to introduce conflict and jeopardy to a storyline. Here we have a man on the edge and that is certainly borne out on the page, but it’s also a timely reminder that not all Germans were taken with the antisemitism.
It is Schenke’s personal battles with the state and party hierarchy that provides the moral complexity to the series. He continues to rub shoulders with the upper echelons of the Nazis but loathes them and what they stand for. A man of morals but one who is coming to realise that direct confrontation is not the answer against the all-powerful state. He must play along, appearing to go along with his orders, whilst simultaneously undermining them where he can. He remains a good cop at heart but the moral corruption at the heart of the establishment poses him questions. Compromise is to be avoided and here he must contemplate the possibility of summary justice. Schenke is a magnificent creation, the troubled man trying to keep his head when those around him have succumbed to a kind of madness, determined to do the right thing even though options are reducing all the time.
The ever-dependable Hauser and decidedly different Liebwitz play lesser roles this time around but remain essential characters to move the story along. Their interactions are dynamic, with a degree of friction added within this story to test loyalties.
The reader gets an interesting glimpse of the nightlife of the period, one coming down from the Bohemian decadence of that of the 1920s, one of more subtle sleaze, one that produces enough money to be controlled by crime gangs. This is wonderfully described making it easy for the reader to imagine and soak it all up.
Another superb crime story set against the backdrop of war. Victory in Poland was straightforward, but the phony war is coming to an end and the hints are there to see. Obviously writing in retrospect it is clear what happened, but the author has done an excellent job in capturing the sense of change, of impending danger within the story. Subtly done but there is an ominous undercurrent.
There are two strands to the plot that coalesce in a clever way. There is the forgery case which has been running through the two previous instalments and the murder of the gang boss.
The forgery case is finally resolved, almost by accident. The answer managing to be so beautifully simple and blindingly obvious, yet thanks to some over thinking on the part of investigators not considered. There is a touch of an Edgar Allan Poe short story here, I will say no more. Whether this was the original solution envisioned when introduced in book one, or came later to him, this is clever writing and beautifully executed on the page.
The gang related strand is violent and builds up to an excellent, extended and bloody finale. These are violent gang land criminals and of course violence begats more violence. This is a thriller that packs a punch and a hefty one at that. The motivations are simple and base, human greed and human need, familiar but written with a touch of understanding.
Schenke’s relationship with the well-connected Karin, niece of Admiral Canaris, has run its course and he is somewhat ambivalent. It was good while it lasted, but he couldn’t envisage it lasting long term, not now he realises his feelings for Ruth are deeper. Karin represented safety, but as Ruth is a Jew and kind of relationship with her is fraught with danger. What better way for an author to introduce conflict and jeopardy to a storyline. Here we have a man on the edge and that is certainly borne out on the page, but it’s also a timely reminder that not all Germans were taken with the antisemitism.
It is Schenke’s personal battles with the state and party hierarchy that provides the moral complexity to the series. He continues to rub shoulders with the upper echelons of the Nazis but loathes them and what they stand for. A man of morals but one who is coming to realise that direct confrontation is not the answer against the all-powerful state. He must play along, appearing to go along with his orders, whilst simultaneously undermining them where he can. He remains a good cop at heart but the moral corruption at the heart of the establishment poses him questions. Compromise is to be avoided and here he must contemplate the possibility of summary justice. Schenke is a magnificent creation, the troubled man trying to keep his head when those around him have succumbed to a kind of madness, determined to do the right thing even though options are reducing all the time.
The ever-dependable Hauser and decidedly different Liebwitz play lesser roles this time around but remain essential characters to move the story along. Their interactions are dynamic, with a degree of friction added within this story to test loyalties.
The reader gets an interesting glimpse of the nightlife of the period, one coming down from the Bohemian decadence of that of the 1920s, one of more subtle sleaze, one that produces enough money to be controlled by crime gangs. This is wonderfully described making it easy for the reader to imagine and soak it all up.
June 25, 2025
A Death in Berlin is the third book in Simon Scarrow's Criminal Inspector Schenke series. I haven't yet read Blackout and Dead of Night but had no problems engaging with this stand-alone mystery or with the clearly overarching aspects of the plot. Simon Scarrow acquaints new readers with the key elements of the storyline without sacrificing any of the pace or tension of this terrifically suspenseful historic thriller.
Inspector Horst Schenke heads Pankow's Kripo Section but despite his prior successes and earlier career as a driver for the Silver Arrows motor racing team, he is starkly aware of the precariousness of his position. His new boss, Oberführer Radinsky is demanding a swift resolution to the long-standing investigation into ration coupon forgery but of even greater concern to Schenke is that his loyalty to the Nazi party is being questioned. Schenke is a superbly complex character; deeply principled, he is prepared to work within the increasingly paranoid justice system but it's not just his reluctance to don the SS uniform which puts him at risk. If his secret relationship with a Jewish woman, Ruth is exposed, he knows he would be sent to one of Himmler's camps as a blood traitor, while the punishment for Ruth would be even worse. By 1940, Nazi anti-Jewish policies are intensifying but of course, with the benefit of our terrible hindsight, readers are conscious of the full horrors yet to come. It adds a nail-biting sense of foreboding to a novel which seethes with suspense throughout.
The book opens in the Ace of Hearts nightclub; one of the last remaining links to the outrageous decadence of the Weimar Republic, its owner, Max Remer is a gangster who has judiciously befriended influential party members for many years. However, his high-powered connections ultimately prove to be worthless and as a result, it looks as though Berlin may face a bloody showdown between rival gangs. Schenke and his colleagues; the veteran Sergeant Hauser and the awkwardly intelligent former Gestapo officer, Liebwitz, suspect the growing murder count is linked to their ration coupon case. Corruption is rife at every level of public office though and it seems as if the villains are always one step ahead of them.
Although the storyline is focussed on the Kripo investigation, the stifling fear which pervades the plot throughout is driven by the hypocrisy of the violent, degenerate criminality of the Nazi party – as Schenke observes to himself, 'When it came down to it, such men were no worse than the gangsters running the Nazi Party. Remer, Wohler, Guttmann; Himmler, Heydrich, Goebbels... There was very little difference between any of them. And the Führer, Adolf Hitler, was the greatest criminal of them all.' The moral complexities that Schenke must confront in order just to carry out his role weighs heavily on him, particularly when he is forced to rub shoulders with members in the top echelons of the regime. However, it's his forbidden relationship with Ruth which results in his most dangerous dilemma and Simon Scarrow's astute exploration of the worst excesses of avarice and ambition are a timely reminder of how fragile our democracies and indeed humanity can be.
The ominous atmosphere engendered throughout A Death in Berlin ensures it is a breathless read from start to finish but the intense drama of the high-stakes, high-octane conclusion is particularly thrilling. By the end of the book, the long months of the phoney war are finally over following Germany's invasion of Holland, Belgium and France; going forwards it will be fascinating to see whether the sparks of friction between Schenke and his more patriotic colleagues ignite. Exciting, immersive and thoughtful; this is historical fiction at its finest. Very highly recommended.
Inspector Horst Schenke heads Pankow's Kripo Section but despite his prior successes and earlier career as a driver for the Silver Arrows motor racing team, he is starkly aware of the precariousness of his position. His new boss, Oberführer Radinsky is demanding a swift resolution to the long-standing investigation into ration coupon forgery but of even greater concern to Schenke is that his loyalty to the Nazi party is being questioned. Schenke is a superbly complex character; deeply principled, he is prepared to work within the increasingly paranoid justice system but it's not just his reluctance to don the SS uniform which puts him at risk. If his secret relationship with a Jewish woman, Ruth is exposed, he knows he would be sent to one of Himmler's camps as a blood traitor, while the punishment for Ruth would be even worse. By 1940, Nazi anti-Jewish policies are intensifying but of course, with the benefit of our terrible hindsight, readers are conscious of the full horrors yet to come. It adds a nail-biting sense of foreboding to a novel which seethes with suspense throughout.
The book opens in the Ace of Hearts nightclub; one of the last remaining links to the outrageous decadence of the Weimar Republic, its owner, Max Remer is a gangster who has judiciously befriended influential party members for many years. However, his high-powered connections ultimately prove to be worthless and as a result, it looks as though Berlin may face a bloody showdown between rival gangs. Schenke and his colleagues; the veteran Sergeant Hauser and the awkwardly intelligent former Gestapo officer, Liebwitz, suspect the growing murder count is linked to their ration coupon case. Corruption is rife at every level of public office though and it seems as if the villains are always one step ahead of them.
Although the storyline is focussed on the Kripo investigation, the stifling fear which pervades the plot throughout is driven by the hypocrisy of the violent, degenerate criminality of the Nazi party – as Schenke observes to himself, 'When it came down to it, such men were no worse than the gangsters running the Nazi Party. Remer, Wohler, Guttmann; Himmler, Heydrich, Goebbels... There was very little difference between any of them. And the Führer, Adolf Hitler, was the greatest criminal of them all.' The moral complexities that Schenke must confront in order just to carry out his role weighs heavily on him, particularly when he is forced to rub shoulders with members in the top echelons of the regime. However, it's his forbidden relationship with Ruth which results in his most dangerous dilemma and Simon Scarrow's astute exploration of the worst excesses of avarice and ambition are a timely reminder of how fragile our democracies and indeed humanity can be.
The ominous atmosphere engendered throughout A Death in Berlin ensures it is a breathless read from start to finish but the intense drama of the high-stakes, high-octane conclusion is particularly thrilling. By the end of the book, the long months of the phoney war are finally over following Germany's invasion of Holland, Belgium and France; going forwards it will be fascinating to see whether the sparks of friction between Schenke and his more patriotic colleagues ignite. Exciting, immersive and thoughtful; this is historical fiction at its finest. Very highly recommended.
March 14, 2025
Berlin, May 1940. CI Horst Schenke and his Kripo team have been tasked with bringing down a gang of forgers flooding the market with fake ration coupons. It is an investigation that has brought Schenke uncomfortable attention from the upper echelons of the Nazi Party, something he has been assiduously trying to avoid given his 'un-German' beliefs, and the fact that he is in love with a Jewish woman.
When, Remer, the head of one of Berlin's infamous criminal gangs is found murdered, evidence points to his involvement in the forgery racket, but whether his death is the result of fierce rivalry between the criminal organisations acting with increasing impunity in the city, or something else, is not easy to determine. Against a backdrop of fear, as Hitler's ambition is taking Germany towards all out European war, Schenke and his colleagues walk a perilous line to bring the guilty to justice while trying not to upset those who who turn a blind eye to their activities. Nazi Germany is a difficult place to be a good man, when hatred and evil are the central tenets of those who hold power.
This third book in the gripping CI Schenke series takes you into the heart of the criminal gangs of Berlin, as they adapt from the decadence of the Weimar years to cement their position hand-in-glove with the corrupt players at the top of the Nazi Party. Once again, Simon Scarrow does an incredible job of delving into all the complicated factors at play in Germany of this era, particularly when to comes to those caught between their firmly held beliefs of right and wrong and the monstrous turn of events in the country they love, while crafting a gripping crime story that thrums with noir gorgeousness.
Our hero, Schenke is stuck between a rock and a hard place (something becoming ever more common in this political climate) as he, his faithful side-kick Sergeant Hauser, and odd-ball ex-Gestapo officer Liebwitz are under pressure to get to the bottom of a forgery racket that is upsetting the powers that be. The threads of this inquiry become steadily more confused as a gang war takes hold in the wake of the vacuum caused by Remer's death. No one of the criminal fraternity wants to share what they know with the police, and the investigation keeps hitting brick walls when witnesses come to sticky ends. But Schenke is not easily dissauded from getting to the truth, even when he is being reluctantly groomed for greatness from above, and threatened with ruin by having his secrets exposed. Fortunately he is not averse to leaping over the line here and there in the process.
This is my absolute favourite of the series so far, with a page-turning story full of gritty gangster shenanigans, that stand up well against anything a top-notch mafia thriller can throw at you; solid policework in the most difficult of circumstances that showcase the developing relationships between Schenke, Hauser and Liebwitz; luscious scenes that immerse you in the uber-levels of sycophancy of the Nazi elite to their horribly fervent masters (and the criminals who aid and abet them); and sharp insight from Scarrow in terms of time and place. The tension ratchets up notch by notch, building to a glorious climax, and there is lovely emotional content from Schenke's personal struggles as he attempts to do the right thing by his conscience, and heart, while avoiding detection.
Exciting, atmospheric, thought-provoking, and utterly brilliant from the first page to the last. I cannot wait for the next one!
When, Remer, the head of one of Berlin's infamous criminal gangs is found murdered, evidence points to his involvement in the forgery racket, but whether his death is the result of fierce rivalry between the criminal organisations acting with increasing impunity in the city, or something else, is not easy to determine. Against a backdrop of fear, as Hitler's ambition is taking Germany towards all out European war, Schenke and his colleagues walk a perilous line to bring the guilty to justice while trying not to upset those who who turn a blind eye to their activities. Nazi Germany is a difficult place to be a good man, when hatred and evil are the central tenets of those who hold power.
This third book in the gripping CI Schenke series takes you into the heart of the criminal gangs of Berlin, as they adapt from the decadence of the Weimar years to cement their position hand-in-glove with the corrupt players at the top of the Nazi Party. Once again, Simon Scarrow does an incredible job of delving into all the complicated factors at play in Germany of this era, particularly when to comes to those caught between their firmly held beliefs of right and wrong and the monstrous turn of events in the country they love, while crafting a gripping crime story that thrums with noir gorgeousness.
Our hero, Schenke is stuck between a rock and a hard place (something becoming ever more common in this political climate) as he, his faithful side-kick Sergeant Hauser, and odd-ball ex-Gestapo officer Liebwitz are under pressure to get to the bottom of a forgery racket that is upsetting the powers that be. The threads of this inquiry become steadily more confused as a gang war takes hold in the wake of the vacuum caused by Remer's death. No one of the criminal fraternity wants to share what they know with the police, and the investigation keeps hitting brick walls when witnesses come to sticky ends. But Schenke is not easily dissauded from getting to the truth, even when he is being reluctantly groomed for greatness from above, and threatened with ruin by having his secrets exposed. Fortunately he is not averse to leaping over the line here and there in the process.
This is my absolute favourite of the series so far, with a page-turning story full of gritty gangster shenanigans, that stand up well against anything a top-notch mafia thriller can throw at you; solid policework in the most difficult of circumstances that showcase the developing relationships between Schenke, Hauser and Liebwitz; luscious scenes that immerse you in the uber-levels of sycophancy of the Nazi elite to their horribly fervent masters (and the criminals who aid and abet them); and sharp insight from Scarrow in terms of time and place. The tension ratchets up notch by notch, building to a glorious climax, and there is lovely emotional content from Schenke's personal struggles as he attempts to do the right thing by his conscience, and heart, while avoiding detection.
Exciting, atmospheric, thought-provoking, and utterly brilliant from the first page to the last. I cannot wait for the next one!
March 14, 2025
My Rating ~ 4.5
A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow, the latest in his CI Schenke series, published March 13th with Headline and is described as a ‘stunning new Berlin wartime thriller'.
Criminal Inspector Schenke alongside his colleagues, Sergeant Hauser and Scharführer Liebwitz, of the Kriminalpolizei (Kripo) are investigating a case involving ration coupon forgery. Schenke has a moral compass that places him in a very precarious position within his work. As a ranking officer of the force and known as ‘the daredevil champion of the Silver Arrows’ racing team, Schenke is expected to align his thoughts with that of the Nazi regime. He strives to avoid scenarios where his loyalty is tested, remaining focused on the job at hand but in a A Death in Berlin, he finds himself on very shaky ground.
‘A good conscience was a luxury, and a dangerous one. It seemed to him now that all that mattered was to survive and protect those closest to him as best he could, and silently pray for deliverance from the Führer and his followers.’
With criminal gangs in cahoots with members of the regime, who to trust has become a major thorn in his side. With pressure from his superiors heavy on his shoulders, Schenke is frustrated and fearful because he carries a closely guarded secret by ‘playing a dangerous game…maintaining a relationship with a Jew’. As the bodies fall, fingers are pointed and Schenke finds himself in a very uncompromising position. With the world on the brink of the Second World War it’s quite striking to see how Hitler’s trajectory and views spread far and wide, while alongside him the criminal networks thrive. It ‘was further proof, if it was needed, of the dark symbiosis between the party and the crime rings’.
CI Schenke is a complex individual caught up in a web of secrets with personal views that have to remain hidden at all times. An acknowledged hero of the racing world, his sporting prowess is now a hindrance to him. There is an expectation that he will bow to the regime and kowtow to the party beliefs and this duplicity causes serious friction in both his work and personal life. As he attempts to bring down a crime gang, his moral beliefs are pushed to the extreme.
The novel’s high-octane action and tense scenes propel the narrative forward but, as events unfold, CI Schenke’s loyalties are indisputably thrown into disarray. Highlighting the ethical and logistical challenges faced by law enforcers in maintaining order under the oppressive laws of the Third Reich, Simon Scarrow has delivered a very authentic and engaging novel. The police investigation and the rise of the Nazi Party’s influence, in conjunction with the criminal underbelly in Berlin during that period, all seamlessly blend into a very engrossing and immersive read. Highly entertaining historical fiction, with sinister characters, seedy gangsters, and glamorous women, A Death in Berlin is a thrilling noir-infused tale.
A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow, the latest in his CI Schenke series, published March 13th with Headline and is described as a ‘stunning new Berlin wartime thriller'.
Criminal Inspector Schenke alongside his colleagues, Sergeant Hauser and Scharführer Liebwitz, of the Kriminalpolizei (Kripo) are investigating a case involving ration coupon forgery. Schenke has a moral compass that places him in a very precarious position within his work. As a ranking officer of the force and known as ‘the daredevil champion of the Silver Arrows’ racing team, Schenke is expected to align his thoughts with that of the Nazi regime. He strives to avoid scenarios where his loyalty is tested, remaining focused on the job at hand but in a A Death in Berlin, he finds himself on very shaky ground.
‘A good conscience was a luxury, and a dangerous one. It seemed to him now that all that mattered was to survive and protect those closest to him as best he could, and silently pray for deliverance from the Führer and his followers.’
With criminal gangs in cahoots with members of the regime, who to trust has become a major thorn in his side. With pressure from his superiors heavy on his shoulders, Schenke is frustrated and fearful because he carries a closely guarded secret by ‘playing a dangerous game…maintaining a relationship with a Jew’. As the bodies fall, fingers are pointed and Schenke finds himself in a very uncompromising position. With the world on the brink of the Second World War it’s quite striking to see how Hitler’s trajectory and views spread far and wide, while alongside him the criminal networks thrive. It ‘was further proof, if it was needed, of the dark symbiosis between the party and the crime rings’.
CI Schenke is a complex individual caught up in a web of secrets with personal views that have to remain hidden at all times. An acknowledged hero of the racing world, his sporting prowess is now a hindrance to him. There is an expectation that he will bow to the regime and kowtow to the party beliefs and this duplicity causes serious friction in both his work and personal life. As he attempts to bring down a crime gang, his moral beliefs are pushed to the extreme.
The novel’s high-octane action and tense scenes propel the narrative forward but, as events unfold, CI Schenke’s loyalties are indisputably thrown into disarray. Highlighting the ethical and logistical challenges faced by law enforcers in maintaining order under the oppressive laws of the Third Reich, Simon Scarrow has delivered a very authentic and engaging novel. The police investigation and the rise of the Nazi Party’s influence, in conjunction with the criminal underbelly in Berlin during that period, all seamlessly blend into a very engrossing and immersive read. Highly entertaining historical fiction, with sinister characters, seedy gangsters, and glamorous women, A Death in Berlin is a thrilling noir-infused tale.
May 7, 2025
This is book three in the Criminal Inspector Schenke or Berlin Wartime Thriller series—depending on where you look—and it is by far, to date, my favourite of the three. This one is really good.
It is now the first week of May 1940, about four months after the conclusion of Dead of Night, Spring is finally coming to Berlin, and with it extreme danger for our main protagonist Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke and his forbidden love interest Ruth Frankel.
Max Remer, a very powerful Berlin gangster and owner of the seedy Ace of Hearts club is gunned down in a secluded alley in an ambush that appears to be a rival gang execution. His moll, Katharina ‘Kitty’ Kunzler who was with him at the time of the ambush, survives, is taken to hospital, and placed under police guard until they determine if she is also being targeted. Schenke’s Kripo team has been tasked with working the murder investigation.
The team is also still trying to track down the source of the forged ration coupons that have been plaguing the city for months now. With more and more heat coming from his superiors, and other high ranking officials in the Nazi regime to quash this forgery ring, Schenke along with Sergeant Hauser, and Gestapo man Scharführer Liebwitz—who is now a permanent addition to the Kripo team—are even more determined to solve the case.
The delicate balance of working the gangster’s murder along side the the forged ration coupons case is trying on the Kripo team. It seems, the more information they get about each of the cases, the more dead ends they encounter. And with the pressure from above, the team’s frustration level increases.
As the team investigate the death of Remer, Schenke is pulled in directions he is not at all comfortable with, and must think long and hard about what he must, or is willing to do. His secrets—that he cannot even discuss with this own Kripo team—place him and those closest to him in grave danger. Schenke’s choices: make a deal with the devil, or follow his moral compass even if it destroys him. He must walk a razor thin line. One misstep and it could be his demise.
I have really liked how actual historical figures have been woven into the stories in this series. As I said in my reviews of the first two books, the attention to details and the pace of the stories are remarkable.
Knowing this is not the author’s main genre—or rather historical time-frame—I am really hoping Simon Scarrow continues writing more books about Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke and his Kripo team in the near future.
It is now the first week of May 1940, about four months after the conclusion of Dead of Night, Spring is finally coming to Berlin, and with it extreme danger for our main protagonist Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke and his forbidden love interest Ruth Frankel.
Max Remer, a very powerful Berlin gangster and owner of the seedy Ace of Hearts club is gunned down in a secluded alley in an ambush that appears to be a rival gang execution. His moll, Katharina ‘Kitty’ Kunzler who was with him at the time of the ambush, survives, is taken to hospital, and placed under police guard until they determine if she is also being targeted. Schenke’s Kripo team has been tasked with working the murder investigation.
The team is also still trying to track down the source of the forged ration coupons that have been plaguing the city for months now. With more and more heat coming from his superiors, and other high ranking officials in the Nazi regime to quash this forgery ring, Schenke along with Sergeant Hauser, and Gestapo man Scharführer Liebwitz—who is now a permanent addition to the Kripo team—are even more determined to solve the case.
The delicate balance of working the gangster’s murder along side the the forged ration coupons case is trying on the Kripo team. It seems, the more information they get about each of the cases, the more dead ends they encounter. And with the pressure from above, the team’s frustration level increases.
As the team investigate the death of Remer, Schenke is pulled in directions he is not at all comfortable with, and must think long and hard about what he must, or is willing to do. His secrets—that he cannot even discuss with this own Kripo team—place him and those closest to him in grave danger. Schenke’s choices: make a deal with the devil, or follow his moral compass even if it destroys him. He must walk a razor thin line. One misstep and it could be his demise.
I have really liked how actual historical figures have been woven into the stories in this series. As I said in my reviews of the first two books, the attention to details and the pace of the stories are remarkable.
Knowing this is not the author’s main genre—or rather historical time-frame—I am really hoping Simon Scarrow continues writing more books about Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke and his Kripo team in the near future.
March 13, 2025
The first story I have read in this new series, and I really enjoyed it.
It is full of meticulous research, but that doesn’t turn it into a full blown history lesson, but gives a useful background. There are three main and very likeable characters.
CI Horst Schenke serves with the Kripo unit in 1940’s Berlin. He is from an Aristocratic background and has an ambivalent loyalty to the Nazi party, he also has a secret relationship with a Jewish woman, this man is walking on egg shells.
Liebwitz has been reassigned from the Gestapo to work with Schenke, he takes things very literally, he is wired differently and wouldn’t last long on the front line with his habit of analysing requests and orders, but he is likeable, direct, and his character is developing throughout this story, although driving vehicles is another matter altogether.
Sgt Hauser is a welcome addition to the crew, he is sardonic, very cynical, no nonsense, and loyal to Schenke, these attributes are in short supply in these difficult times.
The story revolves around the death of a black market dealer in forged ration coupons. When Max Remer and his girlfriend Kitty are shot, who ordered the attack, who wants to take over this crime ring? Every time Schenke comes up with information, either that person disappears or a body is found, he begins to wonder if there is an informant in his department.
This is a great detective story set in the pre war days in Berlin. Jewish people and those of “ lesser races”” are in great danger, this story is full of disturbing but very interesting facts.
I became very involved in the fates of Schenke and Liebwitz, they make for a very entertaining duo, they each struggle at times with their personal demons and misunderstandings, but it appears to be a very effective partnership.
This story is quite emotionally draining, the injustices experienced by the Jewish community are well documented, but, I am looking forward to reading both the previous books and the next in this interesting series. These books are quite a departure from Ancient Greece and the Roman world, but political ambition remains the dominant theme.
A five star read, I look forward to recommending this to my local library and both book groups.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Headline, for my eARC, freely given in return for my honest review. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.
It is full of meticulous research, but that doesn’t turn it into a full blown history lesson, but gives a useful background. There are three main and very likeable characters.
CI Horst Schenke serves with the Kripo unit in 1940’s Berlin. He is from an Aristocratic background and has an ambivalent loyalty to the Nazi party, he also has a secret relationship with a Jewish woman, this man is walking on egg shells.
Liebwitz has been reassigned from the Gestapo to work with Schenke, he takes things very literally, he is wired differently and wouldn’t last long on the front line with his habit of analysing requests and orders, but he is likeable, direct, and his character is developing throughout this story, although driving vehicles is another matter altogether.
Sgt Hauser is a welcome addition to the crew, he is sardonic, very cynical, no nonsense, and loyal to Schenke, these attributes are in short supply in these difficult times.
The story revolves around the death of a black market dealer in forged ration coupons. When Max Remer and his girlfriend Kitty are shot, who ordered the attack, who wants to take over this crime ring? Every time Schenke comes up with information, either that person disappears or a body is found, he begins to wonder if there is an informant in his department.
This is a great detective story set in the pre war days in Berlin. Jewish people and those of “ lesser races”” are in great danger, this story is full of disturbing but very interesting facts.
I became very involved in the fates of Schenke and Liebwitz, they make for a very entertaining duo, they each struggle at times with their personal demons and misunderstandings, but it appears to be a very effective partnership.
This story is quite emotionally draining, the injustices experienced by the Jewish community are well documented, but, I am looking forward to reading both the previous books and the next in this interesting series. These books are quite a departure from Ancient Greece and the Roman world, but political ambition remains the dominant theme.
A five star read, I look forward to recommending this to my local library and both book groups.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Headline, for my eARC, freely given in return for my honest review. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.
January 27, 2025
This series gets darker and better all the time.
"A Death in Berlin" opens in May 1940, a mere three months after the events of "Dead of Night". Criminal Inspector Schenke and his colleagues in the Kripo are continuing their work, trying to keep the streets of Berlin safe. But the city is beset with criminals, both career criminals and self-serving Nazis. Gangs rule the underworld - organised, well-provisioned and protected by high-ranking Nazis, whom they blackmail or bribe. When the head of one gang is brutally murdered, Schenke and his men embark on a dangerous mission to track down the killers.
Quickly the reader is drawn into the dark and dangerous world of WW2 Berlin - not because of allied bombers, but from the people who are benefiting from the war - people who lie, and plot and kill to serve their own ambitions. Schenke refuses to bow to the Nazi Party, nor does he intend to give the gangs free rein in his city. He just want to do his job.
Readers of the previous books will relish meeting again the key players - Schenke, whose unwillingness to join the Nazi party or the SS, places him under suspicion; Sergeant Hauser, dogged and pragmatic, and Liebwitz, who despite being a Gestapo officer and lacking most social skills, is becoming a very likeable and interesting character. There's also a wonderful cast of gangsters, gangster's molls, and Berliners who are simply trying to survive. Plus there are several cameo appearances which are both chilling and thrilling.
As usual wartime Berlin forms the backdrop to the story - still decadent, full of those trying to carry on as normal. Threads from the earlier books are carried through, some to the end, in a satisfying course of events which see Shenke having to make choices that will stay with him forever. The book certainly examines the depths of depravity and evil WW2 took people to. And you wouldn't have to look far to see modern-day comparisons.
The climax of the book is worthy of the biggest and best film Hollywood ever produced. The Schenke books have been compared to the Bernie Gunther novels or the Gregor Rheinhart series , but "A Death in Berlin" surely shows this series has establ9ished its own credentials.
Thoroughly recommended for fans of Douglas Jackson, Luke McCallin and Chris Lloyd.
"A Death in Berlin" opens in May 1940, a mere three months after the events of "Dead of Night". Criminal Inspector Schenke and his colleagues in the Kripo are continuing their work, trying to keep the streets of Berlin safe. But the city is beset with criminals, both career criminals and self-serving Nazis. Gangs rule the underworld - organised, well-provisioned and protected by high-ranking Nazis, whom they blackmail or bribe. When the head of one gang is brutally murdered, Schenke and his men embark on a dangerous mission to track down the killers.
Quickly the reader is drawn into the dark and dangerous world of WW2 Berlin - not because of allied bombers, but from the people who are benefiting from the war - people who lie, and plot and kill to serve their own ambitions. Schenke refuses to bow to the Nazi Party, nor does he intend to give the gangs free rein in his city. He just want to do his job.
Readers of the previous books will relish meeting again the key players - Schenke, whose unwillingness to join the Nazi party or the SS, places him under suspicion; Sergeant Hauser, dogged and pragmatic, and Liebwitz, who despite being a Gestapo officer and lacking most social skills, is becoming a very likeable and interesting character. There's also a wonderful cast of gangsters, gangster's molls, and Berliners who are simply trying to survive. Plus there are several cameo appearances which are both chilling and thrilling.
As usual wartime Berlin forms the backdrop to the story - still decadent, full of those trying to carry on as normal. Threads from the earlier books are carried through, some to the end, in a satisfying course of events which see Shenke having to make choices that will stay with him forever. The book certainly examines the depths of depravity and evil WW2 took people to. And you wouldn't have to look far to see modern-day comparisons.
The climax of the book is worthy of the biggest and best film Hollywood ever produced. The Schenke books have been compared to the Bernie Gunther novels or the Gregor Rheinhart series , but "A Death in Berlin" surely shows this series has establ9ished its own credentials.
Thoroughly recommended for fans of Douglas Jackson, Luke McCallin and Chris Lloyd.
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