by Philip Kerr
Part of Bernie Gunther, book 8
First published 2012
September 1941. Bernie Gunther arrives in Prague on orders from Reinhard Heydrich, the newly appointed Reichsprotector of Czechoslovakia. Heydrich is throwing a celebration at his castle, and he has handpicked his guest list with sinister purpose. Every attendee holds high rank in the Nazi Party. Every one could be plotting Heydrich's assassination. The SS leader suspects treachery and wants Bernie on hand to investigate when murder strikes. The killing comes sooner than expected. A young adjutant turns up dead in his locked room, windows and door bolted from inside. Bernie must navigate the deadly politics of the Third Reich's upper echelons to find the killer. His suspects include some of the regime's most dangerous officials. Each harbors secrets that could destroy them. As Bernie digs deeper, he uncovers a web of espionage, partisan resistance, and betrayal that reaches the highest levels of Nazi power.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, espionage
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation, political-intrigue
Setting: Czechoslovakia, Prague
Period: 1941
416 pages · Hardcover · Marian Wood Books/Putnam
Content warnings: death, violence