I would certainly have enjoyed this story more if I had read the earlier ones in the series. Although it was possible to read it as a standalone there were many references to earlier relationships and incidents which had helped form the characters' view of themselves and each other. Despite this handicap I did manage to make sense of the story and enjoy the read.
In fact I'm pretty pleased with myself for following the plot, even though I didn't figure any of it out in advance. There was twist after twist. It was crammed full of forensic detail and interesting snapshots of life behind the Iron Curtain. Our hero is a female police officer who is frequently at loggerheads with the secret police, the stasi. She does win through and solve the crimes (of course) but not without sustaining some damage and achieving some self-discovery. So there are many layers to this involving read.
In fact I'm pretty pleased with myself for following the plot, even though I didn't figure any of it out in advance. There was twist after twist. It was crammed full of forensic detail and interesting snapshots of life behind the Iron Curtain. Our hero is a female police officer who is frequently at loggerheads with the secret police, the stasi. She does win through and solve the crimes (of course) but not without sustaining some damage and achieving some self-discovery. So there are many layers to this involving read.