Berlin Noir

By Philip Kerr,

Book cover of Berlin Noir: March Violets; The Pale Criminal; A German Requiem

Book description

A combined edition of: March Violets, The Pale Criminal, A German Requiem, and Philip Kerr.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

2 authors picked Berlin Noir as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This pick is probably the outlier of my list, and I’ll explain why. Berlin Noir is actually three books published as a compendium: March Violets, The Pale Criminal, and A German Requiem.

You can buy them individually, but I highly recommend you pick up the trilogy: spoiler alert, it’s 800 pages (with small print!) I’ve always been a fan of Kerr’s mind-bogglingly well-researched historical novels, and these three are, in my opinion, his best.

They are about a German detective, who is not a Nazi, attempting to survive and make a living just before, during, and just after WWII.…

This book – well, technically, the first three books in the series – is for anyone who enjoys mysteries or detective stories, especially the hardboiled variety. The core of the book is Bernie Gunther, who is – depending on the situation – a protagonist, a hero, and/or an anti-hero. A former Berlin detective turned private investigator, he’s cynical and sardonic, not to mention a hopeless romantic who repeatedly falls for the femme fatale or damsel in distress while on a case, which pretty much always leads him into trouble. The first book is set in Berlin in 1936, the second…

From Amy's list on the Third Reich (fiction).

Want books like Berlin Noir?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Berlin Noir.

Browse books like Berlin Noir

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Berlin, Nazi Germany, and Vienna?

Berlin 111 books
Nazi Germany 157 books
Vienna 61 books