Philip kerrs thrilling mystery series starring private detective bernie gunther has been hailed as one of the great historical crime series by bookmarks magazine. I did not enjoy this as much as other books by philip kerr. Kerr lives in wimbledon with his wife and fellow novelist, jane thynne. These novels are from the historical, crime, mystery, and thriller genres. Bernard gunther is a former soldier he fought with the wehrmacht on the turkish front in the first world war and an excop an inspector for the kriminalpolizei now working as a private eye in the preworld war ii years of berlin, specializing in the missing persons. Philip kerr was and amazing writer, his works are very fast paced and compulsive reading. In prussian blue, philip kerr once more shows himself one of the greatest master storytellers in english. Bernie gunther is the name that philip kerr gave his series of hardboiled crime fiction novels. Philip kerrs berlin noir trilogy connects personal with political crime. Below is a list of philip kerrs bernie gunther books in order of when they were originally. A bernie gunther novel by philip kerr july 27, 2004. Discover the bernie books as well as kerr s impressive catalogue of non bernie titles. Joan acocella writes about the detective fiction of philip kerr, the author of the berlin noir trilogy, featuring the detective bernie gunther. March violets, the pale criminal, and a german requiem 1993.
Below is a list of philip kerrs books in order of when. Kerr also won several shamus awards and the british crime writers association ellis peters award for historical crime fiction. Now in one volumethe first three novels in philip kerrs new york times. Bernie gunther, the detective hero of the trilogyand of nine subsequent. Penguin in the intervening years, kerr produced standalone books, starting with the ambitious a. However instead of sending bernie on a case to knuckle the nazis one last time, kerr decided to let him live on and gave us a glimpse of gunthers very early years before his chief adversaries came to power. Philip kerr was born in edinburgh in 1956 and read law at university.
Fifteen years after the publication of a german requiem, philip kerr returned to gunther with the one from the other, again set in postwar germany. Philip kerr is the author of more than 30 books, including 12 bernie gunther novels, several standalone thrillers, and seven books in the youngadult series children of the lamp under the pen name of p. Following several trips to germany his first novel, march violets, was published in 1989 and bernie gunther was born. He also has written nonfiction and novels that do not link to his bernie gunther series. His series include bernie gunther and the children of the lamp series. The bernie gunther book series by philip kerr includes books march violets, the pale criminal, a german requiem, and several more. The bernie gunther book series by philip kerr includes books march violets, the pale criminal. Kerr died barely a week before the latest gunther saga was scheduled to hit amazon and the bookstores. Philip kerr became a published author in 1989 with the novel march violets, the beginning of his bernie gunther series. March violets the pale criminal a german requiem book of. The novels cover the period of world war ii and the cold war. It is so sad that we shall have no more bernie gunther stories and that philip kerr will write no more. Philip kerr is the author of more than 30 books, including 12 bernie gunther novels, several standalone thrillers, and seven books in the youngadult series. Bernie gunther is the central character in a series of historical mysterythriller novels by british novelist philip kerr.
Bernie gunther had his first brush with evil as a policeman in 1930s berlin and came to know it intimately as a private eye under the nazis, when each case drew him deeper into the enormities of the regime. The author of over 30 books since his debut in 1989, kerr is best known for. Mar 25, 2018 bernie gunther first appeared in march violets 1989, set in berlin in 1936. His death on friday was confirmed by his publisher. Greeks bearing gifts is the th bernie gunther novel. The first novel is set in 1936, the year the nazis won their second election with 98. At the beginning of march violets, bernie is hired by a rich industrialist. The bernie gunther series began in 1989 with march violets. A guide to philip kerrs bernie gunther series crime fiction lover. The bernie gunther novels are set in nazi germany, but some are set after the fall of the nazis starting in the mid thirties.
Bernie gunther is the brainchild of philip kerr, a prolific and uncommonly versatile scottish writer, who claims to have found his literary calling at the age of twelve, when he retrieved a. The scottish crime writer philip kerr, best known as the creator of the fictional detective bernie gunther, has died at the age of 62. This edgar awardnominated novel in philip kerrs new york times bestselling bernie gunther series reveals the cynical, hardboiled detectives harrowing history as an unwilling ss officer in world war 2. He drinks too much, smokes excessively, and is somewhat overweight but a russian prisoner of war camp will take care of those bad habits. Mar 28, 2018 greeks bearing gifts is the th bernie gunther novel. Mar 23, 2018 the scottish crime writer philip kerr, best known as the creator of the fictional detective bernie gunther, has died at the age of 62. Visit our forum to connect with other readers of the series.
The narrative is swift and adept, and so wellgrounded in. Kerrs bernie gunther series was his first foray into writing fiction. Philip kerr has 70 books on goodreads with 165428 ratings. Although kerr s bernie gunther series novels are historical fiction, for me he succeeded in opening up the bigger picture of the war in europe, reveals other conflicts and the various mindsets, and life in general during this dark period in history. Now the war is over and gunther is in vienna, trying to clear an old friend of the murder of an american officer. Apr 09, 2019 with the sad passing of philip kerr, my favourite fritz is given one last hurrah.
Bernie gunther audiobooks listen to the full series. Mar 27, 2018 philip kerr, a scottishborn writer whose popular novels feature a naziera detective named bernie gunther, whose hardboiled style made him literary kin to philip marlowe, raymond chandlers. Washington post new york timesbestselling author philip kerr treats readers to his beloved heros origins, exploring bernie gunthers first weeks on berlins murder squad. Bernie gunther first appeared in march violets 1989, set in berlin in 1936.
The pale criminal is set two years after march violets, with bernie gunther. Philip kerr s last novel introduces us to bernie gunther in the weimar republic berlin noir era. Oct 06, 2016 joan acocella writes about the detective fiction of philip kerr, the author of the berlin noir trilogy, featuring the detective bernie gunther. Having learned nothing as an undergraduate lawyer he stayed on as postgraduate and read law and philosophy, most of this german, which was when and where he first became interested in german twentieth century history and, in particular, the nazis.
Philip kerr, 62, author of gunther crime novels, is dead. Berlin noir bernie gunther trilogy, republished 1993 by penguin books in one volume. Bernard gunther is a former soldier he fought with the wehrmacht on the. Philip kerr has written the scott manson series, the bernie gunther series and some stand alone work.
A great story teller, with fastidious research and a sense of time and place. The novels are based in the 1930s and take place in germany and other locations. The books followed the exploits of bernie gunther, a detective. Mar 25, 2018 philip kerr, bestselling british crime novelist, died friday at age 62the same age as bernie gunther, the streetsmart german detective created by kerr, in the th and last of his thriller books.
The wisecracking bernie gunther gets a bit tedious in a fairly predictable story a shame because it was such an interesting time in berlin. Gunther first appeared in 1989s march violets, as an expoliceman. Philip kerr was the new york times bestselling author of the acclaimed bernie gunther novels, three of whichfield gray, the lady from zagreb, and prussian bluewere finalists for the edgar award for best novel. Philip ballantyne kerr 22 february 1956 23 march 2018 was a british author, best known for his bernie gunther series of historical detective thrillers. The books followed the exploits of bernie gunther, a detective with a penchant for finding missing people. A guide to philip kerrs bernie gunther series crime.
It turns out that, after some speculation, philip kerr s 14th bernie gunther novel will, in fact, be a prequel story. In 1989, firsttime british author philip kerr introduced the world to bernie gunther, his sardonic, toughtalking fictional detective who was as the new york times put it the right kind of hero for his time. Philip kerr is the new york times bestselling author of the acclaimed bernie gunther novels, two of whichfield gray and the lady from zagrebwere finalists for the edgar award for best novel. In 1989, firsttime british author philip kerr introduced the world to bernie gunther, his sardonic, toughtalking fictional detective who was as the new york. Kerr, who passed away back in march after battling bladder cancer, was able to finish his next manuscript before his death. But of course, the bar is set very high and others may well disagree. The narrative is swift and adept, and so wellgrounded in the history and custom of the period that the reader is totally immersed. During his eleven years working homicide in berlins kripo, bernie gunther learned a thing or two about evil. In this riveting historical mystery novel from new york times bestselling author philip kerr, bernie gunther trails a serial killer in 1950s buenos. And stay tuned because rumor has it bernie may be on the small screen soon thanks to tom. Bernie fought on the turkish front during world war i and was a cop before becoming a private eye in berlin before world war ii. A bernie gunther novel series philip kerr philip kerr has won an international reputation as a master of historical suspense with his noir detective bernie gunther tackling the dark underbelly of nazi and postwarera germany. About metropolis metropolis is a perfect goodbyeand first helloto its herobernie gunther has, at last, come home.
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