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Gregor Reinhardt #4
Where God Does Not Walk
THE WESTERN FRONT, JULY 1918. Gregor Reinhardt is a young lieutenant in a stormtrooper battalion on the Western Front when one of his subordinates is accused of murdering a group of officers, and then subsequently trying to take his own life. Not wanting to believe his friend could have done what he is accused of, Reinhardt begins to investigate.
He starts to uncover the outline of a conspiracy at the heart of the German army, a conspiracy aimed at ending the war on the terms of those who have a vested interest in a future for Germany that resembles her past. The investigation takes him from the devastated front lines of the war, to the rarefied heights of Berlin society, and into the hospitals that treat those men who have been shattered by the stress and strain of the war.
Along the way, Reinhardt comes to an awakening of the man he might be. A man freed of dogma, whose eyes have been painfully opened to the corruption and callousness all around him. A man to whom calls to duty, to devotion to the Fatherland and to the Kaiser, ring increasingly hollow...
He starts to uncover the outline of a conspiracy at the heart of the German army, a conspiracy aimed at ending the war on the terms of those who have a vested interest in a future for Germany that resembles her past. The investigation takes him from the devastated front lines of the war, to the rarefied heights of Berlin society, and into the hospitals that treat those men who have been shattered by the stress and strain of the war.
Along the way, Reinhardt comes to an awakening of the man he might be. A man freed of dogma, whose eyes have been painfully opened to the corruption and callousness all around him. A man to whom calls to duty, to devotion to the Fatherland and to the Kaiser, ring increasingly hollow...
598 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2021
81 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Luke McCallin
16 books230 followersLuke McCallin was born in Oxford, grew up around the world and has worked with the United Nations as a humanitarian relief worker and peacekeeper in the Caucasus, the Sahel, and the Balkans. His experiences have driven his writing, in which he explores what happens to normal people--those stricken by conflict, by disaster--when they are put under abnormal pressures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 17, 2021
Atmospheric novel set during the last months of WW1 with a mystery that starts slowly but engaged me fully after several chapters.
This is my first encounter with Gregor Reinhardt despite wanting to read other books in the series for quite some time. And now I am going to read the other books as Mr McCallin's main character is the man I found intriguing and presented convincingly, especially his attitude to war and to his subordinates. The WW1 trenches, the attacks, the villages, the hospital and even the POW camp are all realistically depicted and so is the mentality of soldiers and their tiredness of war.
At times the novel is brutal in its depiction of the war, but no war is ever clean. The plot itself is set againt the general situation in Germany at the war approaches its end and the military and political charade that is engulfing Germany.
*A big thank-you to Luke McCallin, Oldcastle Books, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
This is my first encounter with Gregor Reinhardt despite wanting to read other books in the series for quite some time. And now I am going to read the other books as Mr McCallin's main character is the man I found intriguing and presented convincingly, especially his attitude to war and to his subordinates. The WW1 trenches, the attacks, the villages, the hospital and even the POW camp are all realistically depicted and so is the mentality of soldiers and their tiredness of war.
At times the novel is brutal in its depiction of the war, but no war is ever clean. The plot itself is set againt the general situation in Germany at the war approaches its end and the military and political charade that is engulfing Germany.
*A big thank-you to Luke McCallin, Oldcastle Books, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
November 16, 2021
Luke McCallin takes us back to his detective Gregor Reinhardt's traumatic earlier years in this coming of age prequel set in the final year of the Great War. The young Lieutenant Reinhardt is a stormtrooper on the Western Front, having served on the Eastern Front, when Willy Sattler, one of his men is accused of blowing up a group of important men in a secret meeting. Amidst the horrors and nightmares that is trench warfare, all too vividly evoked, Gregor has seen too much, too many men with tombstones in their eyes, and he is about to learn too much that is to put his life on the line. He is on the path to becoming disenchanted with those at the helm of this godforsaken war in Berlin and Germany, the corruption and mendacity, as he glimpses the shadowed motivations and machinations of those in power, the absence of any humanity, leaving him with no faith in what he and his men are supposed to be fighting for, the abstract nature of god, king and country. Gregor fights for his men, as they fight for him, there is nothing else.
Sattler is assumed to have committed suicide, but when discovered to be alive is ordered to be shot dead as a traitor by General Hessler amidst brave and widespread opposition, including that of Colonel Meisner, who tasks Gregor with conducting a below the radar investigation. Gregor does not believe that Sattler is guilty, but Gregor is young and naive, and about to become acquainted with the hard to decipher bigger picture, the conspiracy of those who know the war is lost and are planning to dictate the future state of post-war Germany in which defeat and problems are laid at the feet of troublesome socialists, communists, and Jews. They will then be squashed so that the existing power stratas will be left untouched by the growing seeds of turbulence and discord, of the change in the air, revolution, collaboration, solidarity and workers' rights. There is the psychiatric battles in approach to shell shocked men, a little understood phenomena, some are humane in their treatments but there are those who line up behind the hard stance that these men are malingering and need to be taught a lesson, men are tortured and given electric shocks as their 'cure' and sent back to the front to fight again.
Gregor hones his investigation skills in the bleakest, demanding and most complex of environments in which the body count grows and grows, he is surrounded by numerous suspicious deaths, whilst simultaneously serving as a soldier in the hardest fought of battles of WW1. McCallin's research is impeccable, and his portrayal of the war is atmospheric, gut wrenching and hard to bear. There were times when the situations that Gregor found himself in were so horrifying that the only thing I could hold on to was the fact that I knew he would survive, given the earlier novels set in WW2 and after. This is a superb historical novel, with many surprising twists and turns, it will appeal to those interested in this time period and those who are already fans of the outstanding Reinhardt series, it works extremely well as a standalone as it covers Gregor's earlier life for new readers. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Sattler is assumed to have committed suicide, but when discovered to be alive is ordered to be shot dead as a traitor by General Hessler amidst brave and widespread opposition, including that of Colonel Meisner, who tasks Gregor with conducting a below the radar investigation. Gregor does not believe that Sattler is guilty, but Gregor is young and naive, and about to become acquainted with the hard to decipher bigger picture, the conspiracy of those who know the war is lost and are planning to dictate the future state of post-war Germany in which defeat and problems are laid at the feet of troublesome socialists, communists, and Jews. They will then be squashed so that the existing power stratas will be left untouched by the growing seeds of turbulence and discord, of the change in the air, revolution, collaboration, solidarity and workers' rights. There is the psychiatric battles in approach to shell shocked men, a little understood phenomena, some are humane in their treatments but there are those who line up behind the hard stance that these men are malingering and need to be taught a lesson, men are tortured and given electric shocks as their 'cure' and sent back to the front to fight again.
Gregor hones his investigation skills in the bleakest, demanding and most complex of environments in which the body count grows and grows, he is surrounded by numerous suspicious deaths, whilst simultaneously serving as a soldier in the hardest fought of battles of WW1. McCallin's research is impeccable, and his portrayal of the war is atmospheric, gut wrenching and hard to bear. There were times when the situations that Gregor found himself in were so horrifying that the only thing I could hold on to was the fact that I knew he would survive, given the earlier novels set in WW2 and after. This is a superb historical novel, with many surprising twists and turns, it will appeal to those interested in this time period and those who are already fans of the outstanding Reinhardt series, it works extremely well as a standalone as it covers Gregor's earlier life for new readers. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
November 6, 2021
Having really enjoyed The Man from Berlin (2013) (Gregor Reinhardt #1), The Pale House (2014) (Gregor Reinhardt #2), and The Ashes of Berlin (2016) (Gregor Reinhardt #3), I was keen to continue the series.
Where God Does Not Walk (2021) (Gregor Reinhardt #4) takes us back to World War 1 and so predates the previous three books which all take place towards the end of World War 2. Gregor's time on the Western Front in 1918 is another convuluted tale which, amongst other things, tells the story of how Gregor gets the Englishman's watch.
The second half of the book becomes quite gripping after a slowish start and builds up to a wonderful finale.
There is no need to have read the previous books to enjoy and appreciate this one. It works perfectly as a stand alone novel. Indeed it might now make most sense for newcomers to read this book prior to the original trilogy.
In common with previous books, the reader is given a wonderfully credible and convincing sense of historical atmosphere with a vivid sense of place, time and those important everday issues. The characters are all fully fleshed and convincing too not least Gregor himself who, even in these early days as a somewhat gauche teenager, has so much to contend with.
Gregor Reinhardt is a superb character and I hope this series will continue.
4/5
More about Where God Does Not Walk...
THE WESTERN FRONT, JULY 1918. Gregor Reinhardt is a young lieutenant in a stormtrooper battalion on the Western Front when one of his subordinates is accused of murdering a group of officers, and then subsequently trying to take his own life. Not wanting to believe his friend could have done what he is accused of, Reinhardt begins to investigate. He starts to uncover the outline of a conspiracy at the heart of the German army, a conspiracy aimed at ending the war on the terms of those who have a vested interest in a future for Germany that resembles her past. The investigation takes him from the devastated front lines of the war, to the rarefied heights of Berlin society, and into the hospitals that treat those men who have been shattered by the stress and strain of the war. Along the way, Reinhardt comes to an awakening of the man he might be. A man freed of dogma, whose eyes have been painfully opened to the corruption and callousness all around him. A man to whom calls to duty, to devotion to the Fatherland and to the Kaiser, ring increasingly hollow
Where God Does Not Walk (2021) (Gregor Reinhardt #4) takes us back to World War 1 and so predates the previous three books which all take place towards the end of World War 2. Gregor's time on the Western Front in 1918 is another convuluted tale which, amongst other things, tells the story of how Gregor gets the Englishman's watch.
The second half of the book becomes quite gripping after a slowish start and builds up to a wonderful finale.
There is no need to have read the previous books to enjoy and appreciate this one. It works perfectly as a stand alone novel. Indeed it might now make most sense for newcomers to read this book prior to the original trilogy.
In common with previous books, the reader is given a wonderfully credible and convincing sense of historical atmosphere with a vivid sense of place, time and those important everday issues. The characters are all fully fleshed and convincing too not least Gregor himself who, even in these early days as a somewhat gauche teenager, has so much to contend with.
Gregor Reinhardt is a superb character and I hope this series will continue.
4/5
More about Where God Does Not Walk...
THE WESTERN FRONT, JULY 1918. Gregor Reinhardt is a young lieutenant in a stormtrooper battalion on the Western Front when one of his subordinates is accused of murdering a group of officers, and then subsequently trying to take his own life. Not wanting to believe his friend could have done what he is accused of, Reinhardt begins to investigate. He starts to uncover the outline of a conspiracy at the heart of the German army, a conspiracy aimed at ending the war on the terms of those who have a vested interest in a future for Germany that resembles her past. The investigation takes him from the devastated front lines of the war, to the rarefied heights of Berlin society, and into the hospitals that treat those men who have been shattered by the stress and strain of the war. Along the way, Reinhardt comes to an awakening of the man he might be. A man freed of dogma, whose eyes have been painfully opened to the corruption and callousness all around him. A man to whom calls to duty, to devotion to the Fatherland and to the Kaiser, ring increasingly hollow
February 15, 2025
Like Martin Cruz Smith's Renko books, Luke McCallin is much more than a simple crime writer; he is a literary writer who just so happens to have the skill of weaving together a crime thriller at the same time. These literary crime writers I much prefer, as while some others may end up having a good story, the quality of the writing itself isn't great. McCallin's novel The Ashes of Berlin I thought was really good, and here we get to see Reinhardt as a young Lieutenant facing not only the horrors of the trenches during WW1 but also trying to solve a complex set of murders. It's like All Quiet on the Western Front-esque history with a complex murder mystery to boot. Reinhardt's detective work, at age only nineteen, as well as trying to cope with everything else going on around him, has him way ahead of his years, and would go on to shape the man he would become when taking on his role in Berlin's police in the Nazi era and a ruined Berlin in the years following the Third Reich's defeat. It all feels very, very authentic, and isn't afraid to shy away from the brutality of what war does to man. Some of the Frontline scenes were as good as anything I've come across when it comes to war; any war.
October 29, 2021
In the final months of the First World War, 19 year old Gregor Reinhardt is a lieutenant in the German Army on the Western Front. A group of German officers are killed in a bomb explosion at a French chateau and one of Reinhardt's men is accused of planting booby traps at the chateau before trying to commit suicide. Although the soldier survives his suicide attempt, he is subsequently executed for his alleged crime. Reinhardt isn't convinced that the man was responsible for the murders and begins to investigate.
He uncovers a secret cabal within the German Army, with senior officers allying themselves with industrialists, politicians and others in high places back home in Berlin, planning to ensure that Germany's failure to win the war will be blamed on socialists, liberals and Jews. As the story moves between the horrors of trench warfare and a hospital in Berlin, where two doctors are treating soldiers with shell shock - "Men suffering wounds that left no mark" - Gregor finds himself in increasing danger.
Although set during The First World War, this is not just a war story but a mix of complex murder mystery and Reinhardt's coming of age as a young man desperately seeking the truth.
I have to admit that I found the plot very confusing as various characters appeared and disappeared while Gregor is diverted countless times in his bid to discover who is responsible for the murders and as, the more he investigates, the higher the body count rises. That said, it is beautifully written book, despite the horrific descriptions of fighting on the Western Front.
This is the 4th book in a series about Gregor Reinhardt but can be read as a stand alone as the previous books are set during World War II.
My thanks to the publisher No Exit Press and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
He uncovers a secret cabal within the German Army, with senior officers allying themselves with industrialists, politicians and others in high places back home in Berlin, planning to ensure that Germany's failure to win the war will be blamed on socialists, liberals and Jews. As the story moves between the horrors of trench warfare and a hospital in Berlin, where two doctors are treating soldiers with shell shock - "Men suffering wounds that left no mark" - Gregor finds himself in increasing danger.
Although set during The First World War, this is not just a war story but a mix of complex murder mystery and Reinhardt's coming of age as a young man desperately seeking the truth.
I have to admit that I found the plot very confusing as various characters appeared and disappeared while Gregor is diverted countless times in his bid to discover who is responsible for the murders and as, the more he investigates, the higher the body count rises. That said, it is beautifully written book, despite the horrific descriptions of fighting on the Western Front.
This is the 4th book in a series about Gregor Reinhardt but can be read as a stand alone as the previous books are set during World War II.
My thanks to the publisher No Exit Press and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
December 9, 2021
I’ve been a fan of this series ever since I read the The Man From Berlin in 2016. I then read, in quick succession, the next two in the series, The Pale House and The Ashes of Berlin. And that’s where, much to my disappointment, it seemed the adventures of Gregor Reinhardt might end. (I’ll admit to having developed a bit of a crush on Reinhardt by that time.) So you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn there was a new book on the way and that it was a prequel as I love a good prequel.
A prequel obviously presents both opportunities and challenges for an author. The main challenge is that the author can’t change what will happen in later, already written, books. So it’s no spoiler to say the reader knows that, however dangerous the situations in which he finds himself – and they are often extremely dangerous – Reinhardt isn’t going to die in Where God Does Not Walk. But, of course, he doesn’t know that and thanks to the skilful writing of the author, Reinhardt’s many dices with death don’t lose any of their impact, tension or excitement.
On the other hand, the main opportunity presented by a prequel is the ability to delve more deeply into the past of the main character, to explain the background to decisions or actions they may take in later books, and to fill in more of their back story. Where God Does Not Walk does that in spades, taking the reader back to the First World War and introducing us to a young Gregor Reinhardt, only nineteen years old but already battle-hardened. From the off, he shows early signs of the intelligence, curiosity and, let’s face it, rather dismissive attitude to authority he displays in later books. However, what he also shows is a fierce loyalty towards the soldiers he commands, a strong sense of justice as well as a remarkable ability to survive the most perilous of situations. I also loved the first appearance of small details, such as a watch, that readers who’ve read the previous books may recognise.
If you’ve ever wondered what it must have been like to serve in the frontline in the First World War then this book will leave you under no illusion that it was hell on earth. The descriptions of the result of artillery and machine gun fire on human bodies leave little to the imagination. In one memorable scene an appalled Reinhardt, looking around at the severely injured soldiers in a casualty clearing station, wonders at ‘such a butchery of men’. However, if anything, the most shocking thing is the seemingly casual attitude of those who put soldiers into situations where they know few will survive intact, if at all. ‘Men die in all kinds of ways, for all kinds of reasons. Some of them are avoidable. Some of them are accidental. Many of them are stupid. Many are unthinkable’. The book also explores the psychological effects of war, exposing some of the crude treatments inflicted on those suffering from what we would today recognise as post-traumatic stress.
It’s clear a massive amount of amount of research has gone into the book and from time to time I did find I needed to refer back to the list of characters at the beginning of the book to remind myself who was who and what position they occupied in the military hierarchy.
Of course, Where God Does Not Walk also incorporates an astonishingly complex mystery that had me perplexed for most of the time – as was Reinhardt too for a large proportion of the book. As he becomes involved in the investigation of a series of gruesome murders, Reinhardt lurches from one violent confrontation to another as he attempts, in any way he can, to tease the truth from those reluctant, or too afraid, to reveal it. As hints of a conspiracy emerge that may involve some in the highest level of the country’s institutions, there are also signs of a nascent anti-Semitism.
If you’re new to the series, Where God Does Not Walk is the perfect place to start, although I warn you you’ll probably be adding the other books to your wishlist by the time you finish it. And it gets better because the author promises us this is just the start of a new cycle of books taking Reinhardt from where we leave him in this book up to the point we meet him in The Man From Berlin.
Where God Does Not Walk is both a complex thriller and a stark and, at times, unflinching exposition of what it was like in the frontline during the First World War. As one character observes, ‘No man survives a war and is the same man he was at its beginning’. Welcome back, Reinhardt.
A prequel obviously presents both opportunities and challenges for an author. The main challenge is that the author can’t change what will happen in later, already written, books. So it’s no spoiler to say the reader knows that, however dangerous the situations in which he finds himself – and they are often extremely dangerous – Reinhardt isn’t going to die in Where God Does Not Walk. But, of course, he doesn’t know that and thanks to the skilful writing of the author, Reinhardt’s many dices with death don’t lose any of their impact, tension or excitement.
On the other hand, the main opportunity presented by a prequel is the ability to delve more deeply into the past of the main character, to explain the background to decisions or actions they may take in later books, and to fill in more of their back story. Where God Does Not Walk does that in spades, taking the reader back to the First World War and introducing us to a young Gregor Reinhardt, only nineteen years old but already battle-hardened. From the off, he shows early signs of the intelligence, curiosity and, let’s face it, rather dismissive attitude to authority he displays in later books. However, what he also shows is a fierce loyalty towards the soldiers he commands, a strong sense of justice as well as a remarkable ability to survive the most perilous of situations. I also loved the first appearance of small details, such as a watch, that readers who’ve read the previous books may recognise.
If you’ve ever wondered what it must have been like to serve in the frontline in the First World War then this book will leave you under no illusion that it was hell on earth. The descriptions of the result of artillery and machine gun fire on human bodies leave little to the imagination. In one memorable scene an appalled Reinhardt, looking around at the severely injured soldiers in a casualty clearing station, wonders at ‘such a butchery of men’. However, if anything, the most shocking thing is the seemingly casual attitude of those who put soldiers into situations where they know few will survive intact, if at all. ‘Men die in all kinds of ways, for all kinds of reasons. Some of them are avoidable. Some of them are accidental. Many of them are stupid. Many are unthinkable’. The book also explores the psychological effects of war, exposing some of the crude treatments inflicted on those suffering from what we would today recognise as post-traumatic stress.
It’s clear a massive amount of amount of research has gone into the book and from time to time I did find I needed to refer back to the list of characters at the beginning of the book to remind myself who was who and what position they occupied in the military hierarchy.
Of course, Where God Does Not Walk also incorporates an astonishingly complex mystery that had me perplexed for most of the time – as was Reinhardt too for a large proportion of the book. As he becomes involved in the investigation of a series of gruesome murders, Reinhardt lurches from one violent confrontation to another as he attempts, in any way he can, to tease the truth from those reluctant, or too afraid, to reveal it. As hints of a conspiracy emerge that may involve some in the highest level of the country’s institutions, there are also signs of a nascent anti-Semitism.
If you’re new to the series, Where God Does Not Walk is the perfect place to start, although I warn you you’ll probably be adding the other books to your wishlist by the time you finish it. And it gets better because the author promises us this is just the start of a new cycle of books taking Reinhardt from where we leave him in this book up to the point we meet him in The Man From Berlin.
Where God Does Not Walk is both a complex thriller and a stark and, at times, unflinching exposition of what it was like in the frontline during the First World War. As one character observes, ‘No man survives a war and is the same man he was at its beginning’. Welcome back, Reinhardt.
February 22, 2022
I have waited impatiently for another Gregor Reinhardt novel since the publication of the WW2 trilogy. The anticipation has been more than worth it. With this prequel the reader is transported back to the dying days of WW1 and the youthful Reinhardt’s first investigation. Luke McCallin has written another winner.
Reinhardt belongs to a brigade transferred from the eastern front to the west, he and his men apparently tainted by contact with the revolutionary Russian troops. When several German officers are blown up at a clandestine meeting, it seems that one of Reinhardt’s men, a known communist, might be guilty, especially following this man’s apparent suicide. Reinhardt is not convinced. Like Socrates’ gadfly, he will not be diverted from his investigation, an enterprise which becomes increasingly and personally dangerous for him.
The plot is extremely complex, but the narrative bowls the reader along, following Reinhardt through a stream of red herrings and diversions until it becomes clear that what is at stake as the war is being lost for Germany, is a battle for the subsequent soul of the German nation. This is a thought-provoking story soaked in the conventions of a superior political thriller. I recommend it highly.
Reinhardt belongs to a brigade transferred from the eastern front to the west, he and his men apparently tainted by contact with the revolutionary Russian troops. When several German officers are blown up at a clandestine meeting, it seems that one of Reinhardt’s men, a known communist, might be guilty, especially following this man’s apparent suicide. Reinhardt is not convinced. Like Socrates’ gadfly, he will not be diverted from his investigation, an enterprise which becomes increasingly and personally dangerous for him.
The plot is extremely complex, but the narrative bowls the reader along, following Reinhardt through a stream of red herrings and diversions until it becomes clear that what is at stake as the war is being lost for Germany, is a battle for the subsequent soul of the German nation. This is a thought-provoking story soaked in the conventions of a superior political thriller. I recommend it highly.
December 9, 2021
Where God Does Not Walk paints an incredibly vivid picture of the absurdity of war.
We see most of this through the eyes and from the perspective of our main protagonist German soldier, Gregor Reinhardt. Gregor is around 19 years old and is in the trenches, fighting every day in truly horrific bombardments in order to survive World War One and return home.
Very early on there’s an explosion where several soldiers are killed and injured, but Reinhardt believes there’s much more to the incident and that not all of the blame lies at the feet of his soldier, Sattler. Sattler is severely injured and ultimately ends up the scapegoat, being shot by a firing squad to ultimately silence him and the truth from coming out.
The grim conditions of trench warfare jump off the pages, McCallin does this subtly nad skillfully with the descriptions almost peppered across the pages like machine gunfire. The soldliers, most of whom are incredibly young, naive and clueless of what warfare really entails are, when they trying not to get shot or blown up are trying to fend off trench foot, trench mouth for example. There’s regular references to lice living in Reinhardt’s uniform.
He started, feeling something icy brush up his spine, and became aware of the lice crawling around his groin.
Page 21
At the same time you get a sense of the normality and simple things the men craved like decent, edible food.
They all stopped to look, agape at the riches. Flour, sugar, cheese, rounds of bread, bottles of wine….
Page 171
the rattle and the hum of the trenches continued as men ate, read, slept, stood watch, washed and shave, played skat…’
Page 211
Just because a senior officer is issuing orders, and the junior ranks follow them, that ultimately those actions end in bloodshed, maiming and death, all for the glory of war from both sides. Men are described as cattle, as disposable as that.
And the stench. Blood. Bowel. Urine. The reek of men turned inside out. Such a butchery of men.
Page 397
The novel looks at the early and unorthodox ‘treatment’ of shellshock and conveys a strong sense of the major injuries that men were left with even if they did survive until the end of the war.
What transpires in the book is a network of fairly senior officers conspiring beyond the war, a gang of revolutionaries of a kind. They will stop at nothing to try to create a future and prosperous Germany they envisage. Reinhardt is confused and crossed as he tries to work out who’s committed what crimes and murders and why.
You champion Gregor as the book continues, and want him to be ahead of the trouble – the visible and invisible trouble heading his way. Without giving too much away in case there’s a 5th Reinhardt novel, I was glad of the ending even though at 420 pages I felt that the novel could have been 50-70 pages shorter and still packed the memorable punch it does.
It’s a three star read for me, and thank you again to No Exit Press for the preview copy.
We see most of this through the eyes and from the perspective of our main protagonist German soldier, Gregor Reinhardt. Gregor is around 19 years old and is in the trenches, fighting every day in truly horrific bombardments in order to survive World War One and return home.
Very early on there’s an explosion where several soldiers are killed and injured, but Reinhardt believes there’s much more to the incident and that not all of the blame lies at the feet of his soldier, Sattler. Sattler is severely injured and ultimately ends up the scapegoat, being shot by a firing squad to ultimately silence him and the truth from coming out.
The grim conditions of trench warfare jump off the pages, McCallin does this subtly nad skillfully with the descriptions almost peppered across the pages like machine gunfire. The soldliers, most of whom are incredibly young, naive and clueless of what warfare really entails are, when they trying not to get shot or blown up are trying to fend off trench foot, trench mouth for example. There’s regular references to lice living in Reinhardt’s uniform.
He started, feeling something icy brush up his spine, and became aware of the lice crawling around his groin.
Page 21
At the same time you get a sense of the normality and simple things the men craved like decent, edible food.
They all stopped to look, agape at the riches. Flour, sugar, cheese, rounds of bread, bottles of wine….
Page 171
the rattle and the hum of the trenches continued as men ate, read, slept, stood watch, washed and shave, played skat…’
Page 211
Just because a senior officer is issuing orders, and the junior ranks follow them, that ultimately those actions end in bloodshed, maiming and death, all for the glory of war from both sides. Men are described as cattle, as disposable as that.
And the stench. Blood. Bowel. Urine. The reek of men turned inside out. Such a butchery of men.
Page 397
The novel looks at the early and unorthodox ‘treatment’ of shellshock and conveys a strong sense of the major injuries that men were left with even if they did survive until the end of the war.
What transpires in the book is a network of fairly senior officers conspiring beyond the war, a gang of revolutionaries of a kind. They will stop at nothing to try to create a future and prosperous Germany they envisage. Reinhardt is confused and crossed as he tries to work out who’s committed what crimes and murders and why.
You champion Gregor as the book continues, and want him to be ahead of the trouble – the visible and invisible trouble heading his way. Without giving too much away in case there’s a 5th Reinhardt novel, I was glad of the ending even though at 420 pages I felt that the novel could have been 50-70 pages shorter and still packed the memorable punch it does.
It’s a three star read for me, and thank you again to No Exit Press for the preview copy.
December 31, 2022
This is the longest of the four Gregor Reinhardt novels published to date but in my opinion it is the weakest of the four. I agree with other reviewers who suggest that some editorial consultancy would have been a good idea as this novel is just a bit too long and has too many characters floating around which contributes to the reader finding the plot hard to follow. For example, there are numerous staff officers and medical staff that pop in and out of the narrative at different times and probably we could have benefited from a "cast of characters" section. There are also multiple characters that are busy concealing their real motivations and identities but overall, it didn't hold my interest that much and as a result, I read the book in bursts which were interrupted by me reading other things. I wouldn't describe this book as a traditional "whodunnit" or "howcatchem" police procedural and in that sense, I am not very sure about the target audience here - again something an editor might have been able to help out with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2023
Third novel I have read by this author with this character, and have hugely enjoyed each one, even if I've read them in the reverse order. Wonderful character and scenic descriptions, with the latter in particular making this reader so very grateful he never had to attempt to endure what combatants on all sides of this pitiless and grotesque conflict went through. Adroitly moves between the awful physical realities of trench warfare, and the emotional and class-based stresses and pressures of German society within both the military and wider societies.
It's a cracking story too! Recommended.
It's a cracking story too! Recommended.
December 8, 2021
Gregor Reinhardt puts his investigative skills to the test after one of his comrades, Sattler, is accused of blowing up some men that were on a mission, and although he was thought to have committed suicide after this he’s found alive and his punishment is to be shot dead, like traitors were. Gregor isn’t doesn’t believe that Sattler is guilty of this crime and he sets out to investigate just what truly happened to those men.
This is my first book by Luke McCallin but it won’t be my last, I loved Gregor’s character and I need to read the rest of this series (this is a prequel). This thrilling novel set in the last few months of WW1 that’s engulfed in your typical warfare scenes; hospitals, trenches, battlefields, camps. You can tell that McCallin has really done his research as the descriptions used to describe the conditions of that time were so convincing, and the mindset of the solders would be what you’d think with their general attitudes and overall wanting for this war to be over.
McCallin did not shy away from writing about the brutal elements of war and the toll it takes on everyone involved, regardless of what position they may have – a simple villager, a trench digger, a general, the loved ones waiting for the solders to return. Each type of person portrayed in this novel was executed flawlessly, you can’t help but feel right along with them. Anger, sadness, short bursts of joy, despair, anxiety, and helplessness were all emotions I felt while reading this book and connecting with the characters.
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book by Luke McCallin but it won’t be my last, I loved Gregor’s character and I need to read the rest of this series (this is a prequel). This thrilling novel set in the last few months of WW1 that’s engulfed in your typical warfare scenes; hospitals, trenches, battlefields, camps. You can tell that McCallin has really done his research as the descriptions used to describe the conditions of that time were so convincing, and the mindset of the solders would be what you’d think with their general attitudes and overall wanting for this war to be over.
McCallin did not shy away from writing about the brutal elements of war and the toll it takes on everyone involved, regardless of what position they may have – a simple villager, a trench digger, a general, the loved ones waiting for the solders to return. Each type of person portrayed in this novel was executed flawlessly, you can’t help but feel right along with them. Anger, sadness, short bursts of joy, despair, anxiety, and helplessness were all emotions I felt while reading this book and connecting with the characters.
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2021
This is a book truly in the need of an editor and 100 fewer named characters. I tried to listen to the book and made it through 11 of 17 hours. By that time I was tired of slogging thru name after name of important or extraneous figures. The names are French, German, and Russian which challenges the reader to keep track of identities. The narrator reads a list of dozens and dozens of characters at the beginning of the audiobook. Perhaps I would have had better luck with the pages of an actual book where you can refer back to the list to know who a person is.... All in all I could clearly identify two characters consistently Gregor Reinhardt and his dead friend which was not exactly helpful since he was gone.... I no longer knew who was killed in the blast or whodunit, and I no longer cared. I gave up. Kristi & Abby Tabby
November 21, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc copy of this book.
I don’t really know what to say about this book. For 75% of it I was bored and felt like I was forcing myself to get through it.
I felt like I was being dragged from plot point to plot point and by the time things started to pick up I really couldn’t get myself to care about what was happening.
I also found a lot of the characters to be flat and no matter what they were doing I just couldn’t care.
I don’t really know what to say about this book. For 75% of it I was bored and felt like I was forcing myself to get through it.
I felt like I was being dragged from plot point to plot point and by the time things started to pick up I really couldn’t get myself to care about what was happening.
I also found a lot of the characters to be flat and no matter what they were doing I just couldn’t care.
February 14, 2022
Fantastic writing.
Gregor Reinhardt feels real.
Can’t wait to read The Man from Berlin.
Thank you, Luke McCallin.
Gregor Reinhardt feels real.
Can’t wait to read The Man from Berlin.
Thank you, Luke McCallin.
November 20, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Oldcastle Books for an advance copy of Where God Does Not Walk, the fourth novel to feature German Army Officer Gregor Reinhardt.
July 1918. Reinhardt is a 19 year old lieutenant in a stormtrooper regiment when one of his men is accused of bombing a high level officers’s meeting and then committing suicide. Not believing a word of it he sets out to investigate and finds more than he bargained for.
I thoroughly enjoyed Where God Does Not Walk, which is a mammoth undertaking for both reader and writer. It is a long, complicated novel with an emotional resonance that surprised me.
I found the novel slow to catch fire and I wasn’t initially sure if I would keep going with it, but after a few chapters I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. There is so much going on in it and it’s all good I hardly know where to start, perhaps the setting because that gives the plot context and a unique relevance. Reinhardt is a front line officer, so much of the novel is set in the trenches and the surrounding front line. The descriptions are realistic enough to be horrendous with much emphasis on lice, fear and shell shock. I felt, at points, I was living the danger and then there is the almost casual bravery and sense of camaraderie of the storm troopers in the face of senior politics and callousness.
Then there is the plot. The reader follows Reinhardt as he uncovers serious wrongdoing and so many murders. I swallowed everything he reasoned and had to say, but there are more twists than he could comprehend. It’s tense, exciting and puzzling and the only thing stopping me from getting too nervous was the knowledge that he survives (the three previous novels to feature him are set in WWII). I was impressed by how the author builds his storyline and manages to throw in some strong action scenes and serious misdirection.
The novel portrays a young Reinhardt who has had to grow up fast. He seems so much older than 19 in many ways, but sometimes reverts to being a teenager. He is obviously smart and has a strong survival instinct, so this can also be looked at as a coming of age novel. As a bonus he has a clear voice and a logical thought process.
Where God Does Not Walk is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
July 1918. Reinhardt is a 19 year old lieutenant in a stormtrooper regiment when one of his men is accused of bombing a high level officers’s meeting and then committing suicide. Not believing a word of it he sets out to investigate and finds more than he bargained for.
I thoroughly enjoyed Where God Does Not Walk, which is a mammoth undertaking for both reader and writer. It is a long, complicated novel with an emotional resonance that surprised me.
I found the novel slow to catch fire and I wasn’t initially sure if I would keep going with it, but after a few chapters I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. There is so much going on in it and it’s all good I hardly know where to start, perhaps the setting because that gives the plot context and a unique relevance. Reinhardt is a front line officer, so much of the novel is set in the trenches and the surrounding front line. The descriptions are realistic enough to be horrendous with much emphasis on lice, fear and shell shock. I felt, at points, I was living the danger and then there is the almost casual bravery and sense of camaraderie of the storm troopers in the face of senior politics and callousness.
Then there is the plot. The reader follows Reinhardt as he uncovers serious wrongdoing and so many murders. I swallowed everything he reasoned and had to say, but there are more twists than he could comprehend. It’s tense, exciting and puzzling and the only thing stopping me from getting too nervous was the knowledge that he survives (the three previous novels to feature him are set in WWII). I was impressed by how the author builds his storyline and manages to throw in some strong action scenes and serious misdirection.
The novel portrays a young Reinhardt who has had to grow up fast. He seems so much older than 19 in many ways, but sometimes reverts to being a teenager. He is obviously smart and has a strong survival instinct, so this can also be looked at as a coming of age novel. As a bonus he has a clear voice and a logical thought process.
Where God Does Not Walk is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
April 1, 2023
The novel is the fourth addition to the Gregor Reinhardt series. It is set behind the german lines of the WW1 western front. Gregor is a lieutenant in the stormtroopers. The plot only begins to resemble the rapid and action packed ones of the other three novels at the second half of the book though. But for good reason. The first half describes in great detail the events that took place at the fateful day of the Mericourt bombing (a scandalous event that allows Reinhardt to take a peek at the underlying corruption of the german army, and allows for the entire plot to unravel). There, the reader gets to know the dramatis personae and forms a clear picture of their rich character, which enables them to appreciate the complexity of the fictional situation taking place and is described later on, at the second half of the book. Overall, it is a slow read at the first half, but the plot finally escalates to a point where it begins to unravel in a very gripping and dramatic way, as was the case with the previous three novels of the series. Last but not least, the reader gets to know Reinhard himself better, and witnesses the transformation of the character from an obedient teenage soldier to someone who isn't afraid to look at the naked and often ugly reality of things, to challenge those that stand in the way of justice and have a self formulated opinion that he defends fearlessly. This is not the last part of the series, as mentioned by the author, and it is definitely worth reading both as a standalone and (especially) as an enrichment of Reinhardt's story.
December 30, 2021
I enjoyed the previous three novels by Luke McCallin in this detective series about Gregor Reinhardt. In previous books, Reinhardt is a German military policemen at the end of WWII who is called to investigate murders and finds corruption. It is ironic that is a world of killing, murder stands out by itself. In this book we meet him as a young man fighting for Germany in WWI. It is the end of the war and Germany is on its last legs. Reinhardt is a seasoned veteran of trench warfare, attaining the rank of lieutenant and having fought on the Eastern front and now in France. During a meeting of the General and some others under mysterious circumstances, a bomb goes off and kills several of the participants. One of Reinhardt's soldiers is found shot and thought to have committed suicide after setting off the bomb. Reinhardt doesn't think so and begins an investigations on a personal basis. A very complicated affair is unravelled by Reinhardt ... and at the end he is encouraged to become an investigator. Tada.
I liked the book because I am a fan. But the story was overly complicated. I would not have finished it if it were the first book. It was a very thoughtful depiction of trench warfare in WWI and the suffering of Germany at the end of the war. The political changes wrought by the Bolshivek revolution and its threat to the German aristocracy was interesting.
I liked the book because I am a fan. But the story was overly complicated. I would not have finished it if it were the first book. It was a very thoughtful depiction of trench warfare in WWI and the suffering of Germany at the end of the war. The political changes wrought by the Bolshivek revolution and its threat to the German aristocracy was interesting.
September 7, 2024
Torn between three or four stars for Luke McCallin's Gregor Reinhardt prequel.
I did enjoy this book. I'd read two of the three other books in the series, 'The Pale House' and 'The Ashes of Berlin' previously so I was looking forward to this. However the first problem, it's slow to get going, I struggled to get into it at first. It does pick up though, but that's the biggest gripe with this book, it's far too long. About a hundred pages too many. And something else, the body count is huge. Okay it's set during the Great War which is well known for it's high level of casualties but this is at it's heart a murder mystery set during war time. I've not read a crime novel with so many murders!
But the good points, I genuinely wanted to know where this was going. I found myself guessing who was responsible and enjoyed some of the situations Reinhardt has to try and extricate himself from. I also like the camerarderie between Reinhardt, Sergeant Brauer and the other veterans in their band.
This is a good read and whilst not as good, if anyone is a fan of Philip Kerr's peerless Bernie Gunther this is for you.
I did enjoy this book. I'd read two of the three other books in the series, 'The Pale House' and 'The Ashes of Berlin' previously so I was looking forward to this. However the first problem, it's slow to get going, I struggled to get into it at first. It does pick up though, but that's the biggest gripe with this book, it's far too long. About a hundred pages too many. And something else, the body count is huge. Okay it's set during the Great War which is well known for it's high level of casualties but this is at it's heart a murder mystery set during war time. I've not read a crime novel with so many murders!
But the good points, I genuinely wanted to know where this was going. I found myself guessing who was responsible and enjoyed some of the situations Reinhardt has to try and extricate himself from. I also like the camerarderie between Reinhardt, Sergeant Brauer and the other veterans in their band.
This is a good read and whilst not as good, if anyone is a fan of Philip Kerr's peerless Bernie Gunther this is for you.
December 9, 2021
This is a bit of a different read for me, I choose it because I always like to read something a bit different as you never know if you will enjoy it or not. I was pleasantly surprised that I did enjoy it. It is quite heavy going but in a fast paced kind of way. I do enjoy books set in the past and to find out what happened on the Western Front in 1918. It was a real eye opener and I discovered after reading this, that I hardly knew much about The Western Front but after reading this book I feel as though I have gained a great more deal of knowledge. The way Luke the author writes, you can almost imagine you are there in the trenches with all the men, smelling the gun powder and everything else. It is captivating and I went on a rollercoaster of emotions reading it, but I am glad I did as I feel as though I have learnt a great deal and I hope it helps other people learn things that they might not of known before. Such a great story too. I would be intrigued to read the other books in this series now too.
January 18, 2022
The War To End All Wars
I’ve been a fan of this series ever since I read the The Man From Berlin. I’ve read each book in the series as they became available and devoured them in quick succession. I enjoyed each book more then the last (The Pale House and The Ashes of Berlin). So you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn there was a new book and that it was a prequel set in the last year of WW1. Although set during the latter part of The First World War, this is not just a war story but a murder mystery and Gregor’s coming of age as a Lieutenant in the German army who is desperately seeking the truth about the supposed suicide of one of his men. If you enjoy historical fiction you will love the Gregor Rhinehardt series. From a Dark Horizon is a wonderfully written book describing conspiracy, murder and comradeship while dealing with the horrors of trench warfare and all the ugliness of the war to end all wars.
I’ve been a fan of this series ever since I read the The Man From Berlin. I’ve read each book in the series as they became available and devoured them in quick succession. I enjoyed each book more then the last (The Pale House and The Ashes of Berlin). So you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn there was a new book and that it was a prequel set in the last year of WW1. Although set during the latter part of The First World War, this is not just a war story but a murder mystery and Gregor’s coming of age as a Lieutenant in the German army who is desperately seeking the truth about the supposed suicide of one of his men. If you enjoy historical fiction you will love the Gregor Rhinehardt series. From a Dark Horizon is a wonderfully written book describing conspiracy, murder and comradeship while dealing with the horrors of trench warfare and all the ugliness of the war to end all wars.
February 28, 2022
My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Well written and researched this is the fourth book in the excellent 'Gregor Reinhardt series, but if you have not read any of the previous books WHY NOT, however don't let it stop you reading this book, as the Author has cleverly gone back in time, and our hero is a young Lieutenant on the Western Front in 1918. Atmospheric clever descriptive with a real feel for the time and place and the horrors of trench warfare. There are a sometimes bewildering number of characters, especially if your memory isn't what it was, but this provides numerous suspects, and or victims as our hero investigates a series of murders. A engaging gripping story with plenty of mystery and surprise twists along the way.
Completely recommended.
Well written and researched this is the fourth book in the excellent 'Gregor Reinhardt series, but if you have not read any of the previous books WHY NOT, however don't let it stop you reading this book, as the Author has cleverly gone back in time, and our hero is a young Lieutenant on the Western Front in 1918. Atmospheric clever descriptive with a real feel for the time and place and the horrors of trench warfare. There are a sometimes bewildering number of characters, especially if your memory isn't what it was, but this provides numerous suspects, and or victims as our hero investigates a series of murders. A engaging gripping story with plenty of mystery and surprise twists along the way.
Completely recommended.
February 28, 2022
McCallin goes back to Gregor Reinhardt’s early days to when he is a teenaged lieutenant fighting on the Western Front in WWI. The story is very intricate, merging the impending German loss of the war with the revolution spawning the Soviet Union spreading through the troops. As usual Reinhardt finds himself at odds with the powers that be, hunted and unjustly accused of any number of crimes. We learn how Reinhardt injures his knee and obtains the Englishman’s watch (read the other books to see why this is important). One criticism: Reinhardt is a 19-year-old in this book but his actions, perspectives and behaviors don’t vary at all from his depiction in later books, when Reinhardt is an adult. McCallin does a good job of describing the horror and futility of the fight on the Western Front. Good news: more chapters are coming.
July 5, 2023
As usual, Luke McCallin has produced a novel of rare intensity; McCallin's space is very close to that of Alan Furst but the specific weight of his work is 3:1 , meaning that it is like having 3 Furst novels pressed into one (actually, without Furst's frequent and lenghty digressions, so it might be like 5:1). So don't be surprised if by the end, despite the quality writing, you're caught by some reading fatigue.
And as usual, From A Dark Horizon is a highly atmospheric, complex, multi-faceted story and quite a challenging read.
Reading it in Kindle edition is quite helpful as X-ray guides you through the incredibly intricate plot and vast gallery of characters.
For all the intricacies, twists and turns of its complex plot, the book's underlying theme is really about the meaningless horror and waste brought by wars.
And as usual, From A Dark Horizon is a highly atmospheric, complex, multi-faceted story and quite a challenging read.
Reading it in Kindle edition is quite helpful as X-ray guides you through the incredibly intricate plot and vast gallery of characters.
For all the intricacies, twists and turns of its complex plot, the book's underlying theme is really about the meaningless horror and waste brought by wars.
December 23, 2021
This new Gregor Reinhardt tale (#4) is an astonishing new literary feat, a darkly evocative and meticulously well researched work of historical fiction and the compelling portrait of a German society on the brink of collapse. Build with enough twists and turns to keep the readers on the edge of their seats and blessed with a vast cast of unforgettable characters, this wonderful fictional tapestry was an absolute joy to read from start to finish!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Oldcastle Books for this terrific ARC
Many thanks to Netgalley and Oldcastle Books for this terrific ARC
February 6, 2022
Set on the western front in 1918 this historical thriller/mystery is the prequel to the other Gregor Reinhardt novels. I haven’t read them yet but I surely will. Gregor is a young lieutenant in the German army and has survived the war well, thus far. One morning he’s rudely awoken by the military police after one of his men is accused of a heinous crime. Namely bombing a meeting of the top brass at a farmhouse nearby. Gregor’s investigations lead him into mortal danger. A tale beautifully told of trench warfare, intrigue and man’s inhumanity.
April 15, 2024
This was a great thriller. The mystery was deep with many levels and twists. Just enjoy the read because its worth it. I would not recommend this as audio book- it was good to have the character list to go back to. I also made notes of my own and dog-eared some pages since I owned the book. It was good to go back and revisit previous passages. I do not typically do this- just to tell you how immersed I found myself in this book. I read the previous Reinhardt books, but can definitely be read stand-along.
July 6, 2024
Enjoyed this book as a prequel to the others about Gregor Reinhardt. Set in 1918 and the trench warfare around the Battle of Amiens with a young Reinhardt exposing a conspiracy aimed at ending the war on terms favourable to an elite in the German army. The descriptions of the devastation amid the front lines, a divided Berlin and hospitals that treat men with `shell shock` and other reactions to the stresses of the war is convincing and beautifully written. The characters are well drawn and the plot complex and engaging. Difficult to find historical thrillers that are any better.
March 19, 2022
Excellent prequel. Really gives insight to later / earlier books about Reinhardt
Having read all the other Reinhardt books, this gives a brilliant back story in sometimes visceral detail. It may seem a bit slow at first but once the threads of the case start to unravel, you certainly start to flick the pages quickly. If you have read the other books, you must read this. If you haven't read them yet, then got on with it. Enjoy
Having read all the other Reinhardt books, this gives a brilliant back story in sometimes visceral detail. It may seem a bit slow at first but once the threads of the case start to unravel, you certainly start to flick the pages quickly. If you have read the other books, you must read this. If you haven't read them yet, then got on with it. Enjoy
April 28, 2022
The fourth, and by far the best in what is an absorbing series. This was a long and immersive novel that after slow beginning totally drew me in.
Gregor Reinhardt is a wonderfully drawn character and the descriptions of the horrors and futility of the First World war are beautifully crafted - if understandably, brutal at times..
The mystery slowly reveals itself and this is a book that is worth the effort to read.
Gregor Reinhardt is a wonderfully drawn character and the descriptions of the horrors and futility of the First World war are beautifully crafted - if understandably, brutal at times..
The mystery slowly reveals itself and this is a book that is worth the effort to read.
July 8, 2022
Quality. As simple as that.
Luke McCallin has a gift. It's the ability to write great books and making them unforgettable. The first three Gregor Reinhardt novels left an indelible imprint on my memory and remain among the best books I have ever read and "Where God Does Not Walk" is just as good.
If you have yet to discover the Luke McCallin magic do so at the earliest opportunity.
Luke McCallin has a gift. It's the ability to write great books and making them unforgettable. The first three Gregor Reinhardt novels left an indelible imprint on my memory and remain among the best books I have ever read and "Where God Does Not Walk" is just as good.
If you have yet to discover the Luke McCallin magic do so at the earliest opportunity.
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