Set in Stasi controlled East Germany in the 1970s this is the third book in a series which features Karin Müller, a murder squad detective based in East Berlin. When the story starts she is still on maternity leave following the birth of twins but, when asked to head up a new team which will have state-wide responsibility for complex murder investigations, and with the irresistible offer of a much larger apartment and a promotion to Major, two grades higher than her current grade, she is persuaded to return to work earlier than she really wants to. Her deputy, Werner Tilsner joins her, with a similarly enhanced promotion, and they are immediately faced with an investigation into the murder of a teenage boy, found in a lake on the border with Poland. It quickly becomes apparent that this is going to be a complex investigation, one which will attract unwelcome and threatening interference from high-ranking Stasi officers, as well as rivalrous interference from the local police officers. When Markus Schmidt, the teenage son of her team’s forensic scientist, goes missing there appear to be some similarities in the circumstances of his disappearance so the race is on to try to find him alive.
Karen’s loyalties are torn as she struggles with solving an increasingly complex investigation whilst desperately missing the twins, feeling guilty about the extra burden she is putting on her aging grandmother, who is looking after them, and her deteriorating relationship with Emil, her partner and the father of the children. In addition to all these stresses, she is ever fearful of the ubiquitous spying and interference from the Stasi, always aware that they have the power to change her life in an instant. Told mostly through a third-person narrative there are some chapters which start a few months prior to the present day investigation, told from the first person point of view of Markus. I thought this switch in both voice and time was well handled and added an extra depth to the development of the story.
Although I hadn’t read the earlier books I found that there were enough clues in the narrative to enable me to fully engage with this story, without constantly wondering what had happened previously, always a difficult balance to achieve but one which the author managed well. The story very quickly becomes increasingly dark and complex and it soon becomes clear that not only are Karin and her team under pressure to solve the cases, but that there are many outside influences and conflicts of interest which they have to contend with. These will not only hamper their enquiries but will also put them in personal danger.
I found this an immediately engaging story which, from the very start, was full of tension and intrigue and a satisfying number of twists and turns. It was soon clear that the author has done a considerable amount of research into this period of time in Germany’s recent history. The oppressive atmosphere of a police state was evocatively captured and, as the story progressed, the fears about who could be trusted added increasing tension to the story-telling. The all-pervasive influence and power of the Stasi permeated the developing plot, with all the paranoia which was central to living during that communist regime – this was indeed an example of the “darker state” which governed people’s lives.
I thought that the characters were well-drawn and credible, particularly Karin, who struggled so hard to reconcile the often conflicting aspects her personal, professional and political ideals. I loved the fact that although she is a strong, ambitious young woman, she is also sensitive and flawed – a convincingly complex character. I also liked the fact that there was no black and white division between people from the East and those from the West but that there was a recognition that, whatever the machinations of the state, there are good and bad people on either side of the divide and that each side is equally capable of promoting propaganda to support their stance!
David Young’s considerable knowledge of the country and its history informs his writing throughout and yet I never felt that his use of his research got in the way of his story-telling, rather, he used it to provide a credible background to enhance the reader’s understanding of the reasons underlying some of the actions, and reactions, of his characters. I admired and appreciated this because all too often authors get this balance wrong.
Having read and enjoyed this novel I feel tempted to read the first two in the series but, even if I don’t do that, I will certainly keep an eye out for the next one (due out in 2019) because I would like to know how Karin continues her attempts to resolve the tensions and demands between her personal relationships and her professional advancement!
My thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Karen’s loyalties are torn as she struggles with solving an increasingly complex investigation whilst desperately missing the twins, feeling guilty about the extra burden she is putting on her aging grandmother, who is looking after them, and her deteriorating relationship with Emil, her partner and the father of the children. In addition to all these stresses, she is ever fearful of the ubiquitous spying and interference from the Stasi, always aware that they have the power to change her life in an instant. Told mostly through a third-person narrative there are some chapters which start a few months prior to the present day investigation, told from the first person point of view of Markus. I thought this switch in both voice and time was well handled and added an extra depth to the development of the story.
Although I hadn’t read the earlier books I found that there were enough clues in the narrative to enable me to fully engage with this story, without constantly wondering what had happened previously, always a difficult balance to achieve but one which the author managed well. The story very quickly becomes increasingly dark and complex and it soon becomes clear that not only are Karin and her team under pressure to solve the cases, but that there are many outside influences and conflicts of interest which they have to contend with. These will not only hamper their enquiries but will also put them in personal danger.
I found this an immediately engaging story which, from the very start, was full of tension and intrigue and a satisfying number of twists and turns. It was soon clear that the author has done a considerable amount of research into this period of time in Germany’s recent history. The oppressive atmosphere of a police state was evocatively captured and, as the story progressed, the fears about who could be trusted added increasing tension to the story-telling. The all-pervasive influence and power of the Stasi permeated the developing plot, with all the paranoia which was central to living during that communist regime – this was indeed an example of the “darker state” which governed people’s lives.
I thought that the characters were well-drawn and credible, particularly Karin, who struggled so hard to reconcile the often conflicting aspects her personal, professional and political ideals. I loved the fact that although she is a strong, ambitious young woman, she is also sensitive and flawed – a convincingly complex character. I also liked the fact that there was no black and white division between people from the East and those from the West but that there was a recognition that, whatever the machinations of the state, there are good and bad people on either side of the divide and that each side is equally capable of promoting propaganda to support their stance!
David Young’s considerable knowledge of the country and its history informs his writing throughout and yet I never felt that his use of his research got in the way of his story-telling, rather, he used it to provide a credible background to enhance the reader’s understanding of the reasons underlying some of the actions, and reactions, of his characters. I admired and appreciated this because all too often authors get this balance wrong.
Having read and enjoyed this novel I feel tempted to read the first two in the series but, even if I don’t do that, I will certainly keep an eye out for the next one (due out in 2019) because I would like to know how Karin continues her attempts to resolve the tensions and demands between her personal relationships and her professional advancement!
My thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.