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Ellis Voigt #1
The Dead Don't Bleed: A Novel
Washington D.C., 1945. Victory in the war looms, but a new fear transfixes the wartime capital. Fear of communist spies and the atomic secrets they covet. When the corpse of a Navy Intelligence officer is found on a cobblestone back alley, Lt. Voigt is called in to investigate. It’s his first murder, but in the plot that he quickly begins unraveling, it won’t be his last. Pursuing crosses and double-crosses, Voigt goes undercover and the fragments he discovers (a defecting German physicist, a top secret lab in New Mexico, and Uranium-235) suggest something far larger than the usual spy v. spy shenanigans. Soon enough he’s in a race to identify the killer, to keep the bomb away from the Russians—and to keep ahead of his own secrets.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2016
6 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
David Krugler
10 books19 followersDavid F. Krugler grew up in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He left his home state to attend Creighton University, in Omaha, Nebraska, in the late 1980s. After graduating with degrees in English and history, he earned a M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He moved back to Wisconsin in 1997 to teach at the University of Wisconsin—Platteville, where he’s now Professor of History. A historian of the modern United States, he has published books on several different topics: Cold War propaganda, nuclear warfare, and racial conflict in the United States. Krugler is the author of The Voice of America and the Domestic Propaganda Battles, 1945-1953 (University of Missouri Press, 2000) and This Is Only a Test: How Washington, D.C., Prepared for Nuclear War (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006). In December 2014, Cambridge University Press released his third book, 1919, The Year of Racial Violence: How African Americans Fought Back. Krugler frequently serves as a faculty leader for teacher education programs at the Newberry Library in Chicago and the Master of American History and Government program at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. He is the past recipient of research grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, the White House Historical Association, and the University of Wisconsin System Institute on Race and Ethnicity. He appeared in the National Geographic Channel documentary American Doomsday in 2010. In Spring 2011, he was a fellow at the Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. When he’s not teaching and writing, Krugler enjoys overseas travel (most recent trip: Copenhagen, Denmark), going to art museums, and reading mysteries (latest favorite author: Charles Willeford).
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 7, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
April 20, 2017
Struggled with this story. It read like a film script and the atmosphere of wartime Washington didn't come through to me. Would have given it 3 stars, but it's a debut fiction novel and Mr Krugler's a Professor of History, which was always my favourite subject, so I've upped it to 4 stars.
August 24, 2016
If ever a book should have a spoiler alert, this one should, But I will not reveal it in these comments.
The local independent book store, One More Page, had the author, David Krugler, give a presentation. It was very interesting, in the challenges of moving from writing as a historian (Krugler is a historian) to a novelist. One of his challenges was how to construct and describe people (in history, people are known to some extent). Of course, as a historian and book writer, he brought the discipline necessary for working on a book. And in his case, earlier of his work had helped him gather information about the locale of the activity, Washington DC, in the mid-40s.
The plot starts with a naval intelligence officer found dead from a shooting (leading to the title, since the assumption was that the victim was alive at the time of his death) and the investigation by other naval intelligence officers to find the murderer. There is an interesting component as the protagonists needs to go “underground”, adopting a new name, personality, and life story.
This story is set at the time right before the surrender of Germany. And as noted in other mysteries that I like, it is very interesting to see how the protagonists handles the multiple other conflicts at that time in our history.
An interesting point: the author claimed to know a lot about diners, restaurants, bars in DC at that time. Unsurprisingly, a good deal of the book’s action takes place in such settings.
The story does end. However, it is clear from the book, and confirmed by the author that there is more left in this setting. In particular the author claimed to have at least two more books in this historical mystery genre. I will look forward to those!
July 3, 2016
I hate to give a book a less than stellar review, but I was disappointed at this one...
My thanks to my contacts at Pegasus Books, Iris Blasi, Katie McGuire, and Maia Larson, for my review copy of this book. You ladies rock!
Our story takes place in Washington, DC in 1945. As WWII draws slowly to an end, Lieutenant Voigt of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) finds himself investigating the murder of one of the Navy’s own. Lieutenant jg Logan Skerril, US Navy, was badly beaten, shot three times, and left to bleed out in an alley.
Because the man was Navy, the ONI is taking charge of the investigation to the dismay of Detective Sergeant Durkin of the Metropolitan Police Department. He states that the murder is on MPD turf, but since the dead man is a Naval Officer, the powers that be assign Voigt and his partner Terrence to the case.
Not to mince words, I found the first half of the book difficult to read. It felt like I was wading through molasses. The action drags and the plot is hard to follow.
There is a very neat reveal in the second half of the book for those who do finish reading the novel. I do not think the reader will be prepared at all for the climax of the book. The identity of the murderer comes as a shock that is pure brilliance. I am not certain it is worth dealing with the first half to get to that point.
I always try to give an honest review; otherwise it would be worthless for me to review at all. I really couldn’t give this book more than two stars.
Quoth the Raven…
My thanks to my contacts at Pegasus Books, Iris Blasi, Katie McGuire, and Maia Larson, for my review copy of this book. You ladies rock!
Our story takes place in Washington, DC in 1945. As WWII draws slowly to an end, Lieutenant Voigt of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) finds himself investigating the murder of one of the Navy’s own. Lieutenant jg Logan Skerril, US Navy, was badly beaten, shot three times, and left to bleed out in an alley.
Because the man was Navy, the ONI is taking charge of the investigation to the dismay of Detective Sergeant Durkin of the Metropolitan Police Department. He states that the murder is on MPD turf, but since the dead man is a Naval Officer, the powers that be assign Voigt and his partner Terrence to the case.
Not to mince words, I found the first half of the book difficult to read. It felt like I was wading through molasses. The action drags and the plot is hard to follow.
There is a very neat reveal in the second half of the book for those who do finish reading the novel. I do not think the reader will be prepared at all for the climax of the book. The identity of the murderer comes as a shock that is pure brilliance. I am not certain it is worth dealing with the first half to get to that point.
I always try to give an honest review; otherwise it would be worthless for me to review at all. I really couldn’t give this book more than two stars.
Quoth the Raven…
September 20, 2016
It was a slow start but was very good once the main character went under cover. I liked the irony in the ending pages: an ending that totally surprised me. 4.5.
May 14, 2019
Generally flat characters, slow read...represents some of the worst of society's fears in age of McCarthy hearings. Nice turn of phrase in some dialogue.
March 11, 2020
I finished this book a few days ago, and it's still kind of bugging me. I'm not really sure it deserves 3 stars, but I do think it was better than 2 stars.
There are two main things that bothered me about the book. First, there was a lot of "clunkiness" in some of the action. It was fairly obvious the author wanted the character to get to a certain point (for example working undercover in the clipping business), but wasn't entirely sure how to get him there. It reminds me a bit of some of the less well written fantasy adventure books of my youth, where the main characters would have a series of random encounters and then suddenly BAM!--they would acquire a map with an X showing them where they needed to be when they didn't even realize they were going on a quest in the first place. There was a murder, the main character and his partner went here, went there, and suddenly BAM!--"You need to go undercover." It just felt very awkward.
Second, the main character spent a lot of his time obsessing about not making a mistake, like his previous undercover operation. And then he proceeds to do all kinds of really stupid stuff. "Well gosh, I haven't seen my girlfriend in 12 hours, I should call her and set up a date for tonight...." Really? That's your idea of not doing anything stupid? Um, yeah, maybe we need to revisit your definition of stupid.
At the same time, the author had a really solid grip on the history of the time and I definitely felt as though I were in 1940s Washington, DC, as I was reading. Also his knowledge of both the workings of the Navy and the Communist activity of the time was really obvious.
Looking at the other books he has written, it appears that this is his first attempt at fiction after having written several nonfiction books about this era and Communism. I suspect he could improve his fiction writing to make it feel less clunky and that this book suffers from being his first attempt at fiction. But I don't feel inclined to read the second book in this series because I don't like this particular main character.
There are two main things that bothered me about the book. First, there was a lot of "clunkiness" in some of the action. It was fairly obvious the author wanted the character to get to a certain point (for example working undercover in the clipping business), but wasn't entirely sure how to get him there. It reminds me a bit of some of the less well written fantasy adventure books of my youth, where the main characters would have a series of random encounters and then suddenly BAM!--they would acquire a map with an X showing them where they needed to be when they didn't even realize they were going on a quest in the first place. There was a murder, the main character and his partner went here, went there, and suddenly BAM!--"You need to go undercover." It just felt very awkward.
Second, the main character spent a lot of his time obsessing about not making a mistake, like his previous undercover operation. And then he proceeds to do all kinds of really stupid stuff. "Well gosh, I haven't seen my girlfriend in 12 hours, I should call her and set up a date for tonight...." Really? That's your idea of not doing anything stupid? Um, yeah, maybe we need to revisit your definition of stupid.
At the same time, the author had a really solid grip on the history of the time and I definitely felt as though I were in 1940s Washington, DC, as I was reading. Also his knowledge of both the workings of the Navy and the Communist activity of the time was really obvious.
Looking at the other books he has written, it appears that this is his first attempt at fiction after having written several nonfiction books about this era and Communism. I suspect he could improve his fiction writing to make it feel less clunky and that this book suffers from being his first attempt at fiction. But I don't feel inclined to read the second book in this series because I don't like this particular main character.
July 18, 2017
WWII is nearing its end. But, Washington DC is embroiled in espionage -- naval intelligence, Russian spies, double agents. This remarkable novel reads more like a film from the '40s or 50s. Even the main character's thoughts mimic the feverish pace of the novel. I can't say much more without giving clues to this work (written by a history professor by the way). Let's just say, as an avid mystery reader, I was completely surprised by the ending. Now, I need to get back on the library's reserve list so I can re-read it and see how I missed the clues that could have hinted at the ending.
September 2, 2019
A spy thriller set in 1945 Washington D.C.
A Navy intelligence officer is found murdered, so Lieutenant Voigt goes undercover to find out who killed him.
I enjoyed the 1945/World War II backdrop.
A good story. Worth the read.
A Navy intelligence officer is found murdered, so Lieutenant Voigt goes undercover to find out who killed him.
I enjoyed the 1945/World War II backdrop.
A good story. Worth the read.
March 19, 2020
Not a fan. Too much dialogue. I kinda got into it in the middle, but the ending was so outrageous.
August 17, 2022
Yuck. As historical novels go, this one reeks like cheap cologne.
May 1, 2023
Good story but it got a little too complicated. The surprise ending was, however, completely hidden. At least I didn't catch it!
August 24, 2024
A spy novel set during the 1940’s.
Read
September 7, 2025I was not able to follow this book very well. It was challenging and therefore not as enjoyable for me, to keep up with the gist.
March 2, 2017
A spy novel with twists and unforeseen turns...if I said anything more, I'd spoil it!
April 10, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
The Dead Don't Bleed is a combination murder-mystery, spy-thriller, historical war fiction set in Washington, DC in 1945. Krugler does a good job bringing the story and setting to life, bringing historical credibility to a pretty unique story.
The characters have some depth, and the dialogue was smooth. While Krugler's background is as a historian, he seemed to have no problem writing fiction. I predicted some plot twists at the beginning of the book and at a couple points later on, but I was way off, so either Krugler excelled at keeping you guessing or I'm just bad at it, but I did not think the book was predictable. I also was happy that he did not rely on too many end-of-chapter cliffhangers (there were a couple, but it wasn't excessive), and instead he let the story flow naturally.
I have to praise his ability to put the reader in 1945 Washington, DC, too. He gave a lot of details about hotels and restaurants, long-since gone cigarette brands, and even some slangs and businesses that I didn't know had existed ("hack" for taxi, or what a clipping service is). Between that, and his interspersing of the personalities and dysfunctions of US intelligence agencies at the time, and how they all interacted, made the book more interesting and informative, since I did not truly appreciate how little some people cooperated within our own agencies at the time.
While this book may not go down as a literary masterpiece and does not have earth-shattering symbolism, I definitely had fun reading it. If you think a WWII Communist spy-thriller murder-mystery sounds even remotely interesting, you'll enjoy this book.
The Dead Don't Bleed is a combination murder-mystery, spy-thriller, historical war fiction set in Washington, DC in 1945. Krugler does a good job bringing the story and setting to life, bringing historical credibility to a pretty unique story.
The characters have some depth, and the dialogue was smooth. While Krugler's background is as a historian, he seemed to have no problem writing fiction. I predicted some plot twists at the beginning of the book and at a couple points later on, but I was way off, so either Krugler excelled at keeping you guessing or I'm just bad at it, but I did not think the book was predictable. I also was happy that he did not rely on too many end-of-chapter cliffhangers (there were a couple, but it wasn't excessive), and instead he let the story flow naturally.
I have to praise his ability to put the reader in 1945 Washington, DC, too. He gave a lot of details about hotels and restaurants, long-since gone cigarette brands, and even some slangs and businesses that I didn't know had existed ("hack" for taxi, or what a clipping service is). Between that, and his interspersing of the personalities and dysfunctions of US intelligence agencies at the time, and how they all interacted, made the book more interesting and informative, since I did not truly appreciate how little some people cooperated within our own agencies at the time.
While this book may not go down as a literary masterpiece and does not have earth-shattering symbolism, I definitely had fun reading it. If you think a WWII Communist spy-thriller murder-mystery sounds even remotely interesting, you'll enjoy this book.
June 11, 2016
“The Dead Don’t Bleed” eBook was published in 2016 (June) and was written by David Krugler (http://www.davidkrugler.com/). Mr. Krugler has published three non-fiction books and this is his first novel.
I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Situations and Mature Language. This Mystery Thriller is set in 1945 Washington D.C. during the final days of World War II. The primary character is Navy Lieutenant J. G. Ellis Voigt.
Voigt works for Navy Intelligence. The body of a Navy officer, Lieutenant J.G. Logan Skerrill, is found and Voigt is assigned to the case. As he and his partner investigate they turn up evidence that Skerrill is somehow tied in with a Russian spy ring. The spies seem to be after information pertaining to a secret government operation around Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Voigt goes undercover to ferret out how Skerrill was tied to the spies. Slowly the story seems to become clear of what happened. Voigt must avoid FBI agents who are also investigating the spy ring. Voigt is confronted with dangerous situations a few times. He also finds himself involved with a young woman who is working for the company out of which the spy ring is being run. At the same time he is trying to keep up his relationship with friend-with-benefits Liv.
I found the 9 hours I spent reading this 352 page novel interesting. I was compelled enough by the plot to keep reading, but I felt there was something lacking to the story. I was unpleasantly surprised by a significant plot twist near the end. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Situations and Mature Language. This Mystery Thriller is set in 1945 Washington D.C. during the final days of World War II. The primary character is Navy Lieutenant J. G. Ellis Voigt.
Voigt works for Navy Intelligence. The body of a Navy officer, Lieutenant J.G. Logan Skerrill, is found and Voigt is assigned to the case. As he and his partner investigate they turn up evidence that Skerrill is somehow tied in with a Russian spy ring. The spies seem to be after information pertaining to a secret government operation around Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Voigt goes undercover to ferret out how Skerrill was tied to the spies. Slowly the story seems to become clear of what happened. Voigt must avoid FBI agents who are also investigating the spy ring. Voigt is confronted with dangerous situations a few times. He also finds himself involved with a young woman who is working for the company out of which the spy ring is being run. At the same time he is trying to keep up his relationship with friend-with-benefits Liv.
I found the 9 hours I spent reading this 352 page novel interesting. I was compelled enough by the plot to keep reading, but I felt there was something lacking to the story. I was unpleasantly surprised by a significant plot twist near the end. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
June 11, 2016
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, Netgalley!
Spy novels, I've always assumed, are not my thing. My mother reads a lot of mystery and spy novels, and they all look the same: cheap paperbacks roughly the size and shape of a brick. I teased her once that they all looked interchangeable and she said they pretty much were. So I had assumed that spy novels would be formulaic and boring. This one is not.
This book sets itself up as a hard boiled crime novel (something I love), turns into a full undercover investigative story (something else I love) and becomes something else entirely. The twists are many, they are huge, and they are passed off masterfully. This book was such a pleasant surprise and I've now recommended it to four people.
Spy novels, I've always assumed, are not my thing. My mother reads a lot of mystery and spy novels, and they all look the same: cheap paperbacks roughly the size and shape of a brick. I teased her once that they all looked interchangeable and she said they pretty much were. So I had assumed that spy novels would be formulaic and boring. This one is not.
This book sets itself up as a hard boiled crime novel (something I love), turns into a full undercover investigative story (something else I love) and becomes something else entirely. The twists are many, they are huge, and they are passed off masterfully. This book was such a pleasant surprise and I've now recommended it to four people.
August 8, 2016
Wow, I'm speechless! Good mystery, dragged a little when describing scenery, etc. Had to keep reminding myself this was 1945 & everybody smoked everywhere..... The times were authentic, D.C. Sites were described very well. The character & the story kept you on your toes & reading, the obsession with Communism very appropriate for the time frame. The main character Lieutenant j.g. Ellis Voigt goes undercover as a disgraced Navy man who just got out of the brig. meets his real girlfriend at a diner. "The owner was a hulking immigrant with the improbable name of Gerald, his close-cropped hair was the same texture & color as his griddle brush." One of many interesting descriptions in this book. Want to thank Pegasus Books for the opportunity to read & review this giveaway.
March 28, 2016
A rollicking enjoyable spy thriller set in Washington DC just as WWII ends. Lt. Voigt, a navel intelligence officer, goes undercover to solve the murder of one of his colleagues but soon stumbles upon something much bigger -- a Soviet spy cell secreting bomb info from Los Alamos. Many unexpected twists and turns and some really great characters. A fun read.
Thank you Netgalley for providing the ARC.
Thank you Netgalley for providing the ARC.
May 15, 2016
Nicely done historical spy story. More than a little of this is familiar territory if you are a fan of the genre but Krugler has brought a fresh believable character forward with Ellis. You'll like this if you are interested in the post WWII period. Nicely written. I look forward to more from Krugler. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
October 17, 2016
Fair thriller with very poor twist and ending.
April 23, 2018
I did not like it. I’m glad it’s over. The twist at the end moved it from a 1 Star to a 2 Star, but overall, it felt cheesy and unrealistic.
***I wish there was a way to hide these kinds of reviews from authors. If you read this sir, thank you for putting this out in the universe even though it didn’t work for me. For someone else, it will ring true.***
***I wish there was a way to hide these kinds of reviews from authors. If you read this sir, thank you for putting this out in the universe even though it didn’t work for me. For someone else, it will ring true.***
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews