As someone who reads mysteries in part for the escapism, I was initially concerned that serial killer story set in Nazi Berlin might be too depressing to be of interest. This turns out not to be true: even though danger to the Jewish protagonist is a constant, oppressive force in the background, the story is more about resourcefulness and hope under unthinkable circumstances. Richard Oppenheimer used to be a police investigator before the war and once again finds purpose in the opportunity to apply his professional expertise to solving horrific crimes. Oppenheimer’s situation is already special, because his marriage to a non-Jewish woman gives him some level of protection, but he lives in constant fear. Now he is needed by the wartime government and for the duration of the investigation finds a reprieve from some of the many restrictions placed upon him. The authors does a fine job balancing the story of the investigation with descriptions of how Oppenheimer works within the limitations and privations of his situation. He is chasing a murderer while still feeling pursued at all times. The novel is well worth reading both for the mystery and for the fascinating depiction of life in Berlin at this time in history.

GERMANIA

Set in Berlin during WWII, this was a very good murder mystery involving a serial killer who targeted what at first appeared to be random prostitutes. Each one was left at the base of a WWI monument, with similar mutilations. As the story develops, it seems that these women may have been involved with some elite members of the Nazi party. To avoid scandal, SS Hauptsturmführer Vogler enlists the help of Richard Oppenheimer with the case.

Former Detective Superintendent in the German Army, Oppenheimer is a Jewish man married to an Aryan woman, Lisa. Although expelled from the army for being Jewish, Oppenheimer has had experience in the past with serial killers involved with sexual deviance. With pressure from the regime, Vogler’s hope is to use the former police inspector unofficially to solve the case quickly. Oppenheimer has no choice. The relationship that develops between Vogler and Oppenheimer involving their motives and reactions is also fascinating. With the help of a physician friend Hilde and her acquaintances in the German resistance, and his Pervitin tablets, Oppenheimer makes progress on the case.

What makes this book so good is how, although the mystery clears with discovery along the way, it is the upset in the last days of World War II Berlin Germany during the Normandy invasion that gives it its interest. The daily struggles of the German people, and especially Jewish citizens, is woven throughout the story painting a clear picture of hunger, weariness, confusion and general turmoil. Political wrangling and nightly bombings of the city result in horrendous upset to transportation, housing, food supply and safety. That this is the “norm” while trying to stop a maniac killer feels incredibly suspenseful and bizarre.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Harald Gilbers, and Thomas Dunne Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a fascinating police procedural, taking place in Nazi Germany. It features a Jewish detective who was forced to retired is then called back to solve a crime. Fascinating premise with excellent character development. I enjoyed the exploration of moral ambiguities in an amoral society. The conclusion was not totally satisfying, so I hope this becomes a series. Definitely worthwhile reading.

Wow! This book kept me on the edge of my seat!
The fact that it was a historical thriller was a definite bonus.
I hope to see more of this author!

I found this book fascinating. There's a serial killer in Nazi Germany. The war isn't going well and Nazi leaders certainly don't need such news to get out to the general public. To try to track down the killer as quickly and quietly as possibly, they break down and call in a homicide detective who's been inactive for a few years - because he's Jewish. He's distrustful of their motives (for obvious reasons) and is put in an impossible situation, knowing there's probably no good outcome for him - but decides he has no choice and must work with them. In return he's viewed with distrust from all sides - he walks a tightrope between his home life and his work life. I found it all to be well done, and enjoyed watching Richard Oppenheimer teach his Nazi cohorts some lessons in murder investigation. It appears that this is the first in a series, and I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

This was a great story about a serial killer in Nazi Germany. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Although I found it a little slow at times, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Set in WWII Nazi Germany, An SS officer enlists a Jewish, former police inspector to help him catch a serial killer. Lots in intrigue and social commentary on the times. Strongly recommended

An excellent piece of historical fiction written from a new, for me, perspective. Richard Oppenheimer is a former police inspector in Berlin. Former due to the fact he is Jewish and could not stay in the job he performed well. The reason he is still in Berlin and has not been transported is that he has he has an Aryan wife which earns a dispensation.

But now there has been an unusual murder of a woman involving signs that a sexual predator may be active in the city. And this is not acceptable in the ordered Reich, even in the spring of 1944 as the Allies have begun bombing in earnest. Oppenheimer finds himself summoned during the night to a crime scene by a member of the SS, unsure why he is there. Is this a trap? Are they going to accuse him of a crime? But it seems one officer wants the benefit of his expertise.

And so begins an unusual mystery and "semi" police procedural performed without benefit of the Berlin police. Oppenheimer proves himself worthy of a modicum of trust as more murders occur. Motives and murderer unknown. There are so many well drawn characters and constant danger for everyone Oppenheimer knows who isn't a Nazi. And he lives day to day watchful and wondering lest he should misstep. What will happen at the end of this all, if there is an end?

I highly recommend this novel written with an inside view of Berlin during the final year of the war, when the government"s attention remained on winning the war at home and abroad and maintaining order. Fascinating.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was a great thriller that showed the time period well. I hope that he translates more of his books into English

I couldn’t put this book down. I felt like I knew the characters because they were so well developed. The author put you right into the heart of the situation going on toward the end of the war and the hope of a desperate people to be free. I felt their desperation and pain.

Author Harald Gilbers published the novel “Germania: A Novel of Nazi Berlin” in 2020. This is his first English publication and the first of his Richard Oppenheimer series.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence. The story is set in 1944 Berlin. The primary characters are Jewish former Police Inspector Richard Oppenheimer and SS Hauptsturmfüher (Captain) Vogler.

Oppenheimer had been living a secluded life since his dismissal from the police. He had been able to avoid the plight of most Jews because his wife is a gentile. The Sicherheitsdienst (German SS intelligence) wake him and his wife Lisa one morning.

They take Oppenheimer to the site of a brutal murder. A young woman has been killed. SS Hauptsturmfüher Vogler is leading the investigation. Vogler recruits Oppenheimer to assist as a consultant. Oppenheimer has little choice but to cooperate.

The investigation proceeds over a period of weeks from May 7 until June 25. The murder is the work of a serial killer. The killing won't stop until they find the perpetrator. Vogler receives criticism for involving a Jew. Oppenheimer fears more than once for his very life.

There is more than just a murder investigation going on. The Nazi leadership wants a quick solution. They also want to make sure that there are no ties back to the party.

I enjoyed the 16+ hours I spent reading this 348-page WWII era mystery. The situation of a Jew working with the SS in wartime Berlin provides a very different setting. The mystery itself is a little slow and dull, but the image of wartime Berlin is interesting. There are a few abrupt transitions between characters. This makes it a little difficult to read. The selected cover art is not great, but it does fit the image of a Police Inspector. I give this novel a 3.9 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

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This was an enjoyable read. I love the premise of the Jewish inspector pulled out of retirement to assist the SS in a murder investigation. I kept thinking though that something was "off" about the language. Certain usages were nagging me as being too "modern" for the time period. For example, referring to getting drunk as "shitfaced". (For the record, this one bothered me so much I looked up the etymology of the word. Depending on what site you're looking at, it seems it could be as old as Scotland in the Middle Ages or as young as the 1970s.) Anyway, I felt like it was taking away from the experience of the story a bit. I found out after I finished the book that this book is a translation which may account for some of what I was experiencing. If I had realized it was translation going in, I probably would not have been so focused on it.

I saw another review mentioning that this isn't your typical crime thriller, and I completely agree. This was more like a crime investigation novel, which I felt made it better than a thriller would've been. I love the investigatory aspect much more than the hand to hand combat stuff. I would read more books by this author.

It is a wonderful story! I love historical fiction and have read quite a few books and this is one of the best ones. Looking forward to re-read it.

This was a hard read for me. I’m not sure but sometimes one scene ended and another started with no notice. Not sure if it was because of arc or translation. I really forced myself to finish because I wanted to see the ending

Loved it!

Let me start by stating that I love that this novel combines historical fiction with a mystery. The author combined the right amount of both to give the reader's an intense, driven, and sophisticated murder mystery and detective. It was almost crazy how fast that I finished this read within a few days. I couldn't put it down and recommended it to friends and family members right away. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind read, this is the one for you.

Pros: Everything about this book was a simple and engaging read. It combines genres so well and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was easy to follow along with the murder mystery, but kept you wanting more as it delved into the intense era of the Holocaust time.

Cons: I didn't have any cons for this book. I only wish I would have heard of it sooner!

Seriously, if you haven't read this book!

This is not your typical WWII historical fiction or mystery thiller book.

The story takes place as a former Jewish homicidal inspector is hired by SS Vogler to help solve a confidential murder case. This case revives "inspector" within him, but he is given limited information as a jew.

At the same time, he is conflicted between escaping from Germany or solving the case.

I love how complex the external and internal conflicts are expressed for Richard and Vogler.
In addition, the limitations for Richard to help on the case is realistic from the Jewish perspective.

I won't expose the ending; however, it was epic! It expressed mercy and freedom in a creative way.

This title was originally published in German on October 17, 2013.
Richard Oppenheimer is a Jewish former detective, living in war-torn Berlin 1944, amidst heavy bombing.
Residing with his wife Lisa at a Jewish house and given a menial job, the only reason he hasn't been deported to a camp, is due to the fact his spouse is an Aryan.
Oppenheimer is forced into helping SS Captain Volger investigate the brutal murder of a woman. She is mutilated and there are sexual overtones to the killing.
When more victims are discovered, the search is on for a serial killer who may have ties to the Nazis.
And Oppenheimer may be in grave danger himself as he tries to solve these horrific crimes.
I really enjoyed this distinctive story, a blend of historical fiction/police procedural/mystery.
The characters were engaging and their personalities were intriguing.
I've heard this might be continuing in a series and I will look forward to reading the next one.
Thank you St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 stars.

I have one word after I finished reading this book, “interesting”. From the beginning until the end, that word almost became my conclusion every time I finished reading a chapter from this book.

The book took place during WWII in Berlin, German. A woman has been murdered and mutilated, a Jewish detective named Richard Oppenheim forced out by the Gestapo to help the investigation. What Oppenheim deals is not just how to find and stop the murderer but also his own survival and his safety as a Jewish. He had no other choice except to continue solving the mystery while he realized his life was also being in danger.

What I liked; the book is very informative, what happened during WWII pretty much well described in a point of view of a Jewish person, who happened to be a former detective and he is also an important person for the Gestapo. How they solved the mystery during the war is intriguing, no computers, no cellphone, every source that they need is very minimum.

What I didn't like; there were some characters that suddenly appeared in the story and made me confused and have a slight difficulty to remember and what role that they had in this book.

Overall I enjoyed it, it's very old fashioned as a mystery type of book, the back story about Nazis added extra elements to enjoy this book.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

Quite a different take on historical fiction/mystery. Germania is a murder mystery set in Berlin in 1944. When a woman's mutilated body is found in front of a war memorial, a former Jewish detective with the Berlin police, Richard Oppenheimer, is forced into helping the Nazis track down the killer. The dead woman has connections to members of the SS. Oppenheimer has no other choice but to help track down not just a murderer, but a serial killer.

Germania is quite a compelling novel with interesting characters. This is a must-read for fans of historical mysteries and police procedurals. It is unique, well-written, and is hard to put down.

A police procedural set in Germany during WW2. The book was slow to start and the ending was a bit anticlimactic but the background on how Nazi Germany operated was interesting. The Kindle version I received didn’t have breaks between the differing points of view making it hard to follow throughout the entire book. I feel like this book would have been more enjoyable in its original language.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.