The opening pages of A Darker State give very little away and seem to serve to set the scene and introduce its main character, the clearly conflicted detective Karin Muller. The setting, 1970’s east Berlin is an interesting time and place where dark people control the population by watching from the shadows and this is only slightly hinted at in the opening pages. However the ominous threat posed to Karin and her delicate new family is clear and despite the slow start it is just enough to make me want to read the book.