This is a book that successfully spans the chasm between genres – it is first and foremost a crime thriller focusing on the work of the main heroine, Karin Muller as a Major in the East German police during the Cold War. The plot is taut and the characters fully believable as is the ever present danger that the police worked under in terms of both following the tenets of the Communist Party and also avoiding the machinations of the Stasi in trying to influence and control their investigation.
Secondly there is much darker strand to the story that delves into the realms of industrial espionage and the role of the Stasi in the running of East Germany. In this it is more of a spy thriller. I found this both believable and also interesting as I am of the generation that remembers the constant threats inherent during the Cold War. Also within this strand is the fear that constantly exists in Karin as to who she can trust amongst those around her and more especially who is an agent of the Stasi.
I would say that this book needs to be worked at to fully enjoy it. By this I mean it is not the sort of book that you can switch off from and still be able to follow. It demands your attention especially given the use of German terms throughout the story – though there is a good glossary at the back of the book to aid in this area.
I had not read the previous books in this series but having read this book I will be going back to read them now.
Secondly there is much darker strand to the story that delves into the realms of industrial espionage and the role of the Stasi in the running of East Germany. In this it is more of a spy thriller. I found this both believable and also interesting as I am of the generation that remembers the constant threats inherent during the Cold War. Also within this strand is the fear that constantly exists in Karin as to who she can trust amongst those around her and more especially who is an agent of the Stasi.
I would say that this book needs to be worked at to fully enjoy it. By this I mean it is not the sort of book that you can switch off from and still be able to follow. It demands your attention especially given the use of German terms throughout the story – though there is a good glossary at the back of the book to aid in this area.
I had not read the previous books in this series but having read this book I will be going back to read them now.