Reviews
Praise for Philip Kerr "Kerr vividly captures the excruciating moral ambiguity of Bernie's position, driving home the point that cynicism is the only sane reaction for a man on the wrong side of history." -- Booklist Praise for The Other Side of Silence "The intricacies of the plot, partly based on Maugham's history as a British spy in charge of a team of secret agents, make this one of Kerr's best technical efforts. But it's the characterization of Maugham and the sound of his voice . . . that makes this novel memorable." -- The New York Times Book Review "Readers who love hard-boiled heroes fell for Bernie Gunther back when he was a Berlin cop talking tough to Nazi thugs ( March Violets , 1989), and we loved him just as much when he was forced to become an SS soldier on the Eastern Front ( Field Gray , 2011). And yet, those whose own dark core runs deep may well love the postwar Bernie most of all, the Bernie whose cynicism has slowly morphed into black despair, like whiskey gradually eating its way through a defenseless liver. . . . The Other Side of Silence is one of the best in a sterling series." -- Booklist (starred review) "Kerr carefully develops his plot, sense of place, and characterizations, enabling readers to imagine what it must have been like to have lived in a postwar morass of political and moral ambiguity. This is more than a crime or espionage novel; it's a marvelous, hard-boiled political read." -- Library Journal (starred review) "Intricate enough to satisfy puzzle-minded readers . . . right out of the Agatha Christie playbook." -- The Washington Post "Blackmail, murder, deception, sexual shenanigans of every sort, and an undercurrent of black humor pervade Philip Kerr's 11th novel featuring the unsinkable German detective Bernie Gunther." -- Pittsburg Post Gazette, Praise for Prussian Blue "[B]risk and agile...Gunther is one of crime fiction's most gratifyingly melancholy creations, and in Prussian Blue we watch him match wits with the officialdom of two Germanys, pre- and postwar." --The Washington Post "Bernie Gunther--sly, subversive, sardonic, and occasionally hilarious--is one of the greatest anti-heroes ever written, and as always he lights up this tough and unflinching novel. We're in good hands here."--Lee Child "Once again Kerr leads us through the facts of history and the vagaries of human nature. His Bernie Gunther thinks he's seen it all. But he hasn't, and luckily, neither have we."--Tom Hanks "In Prussian Blue , Philip Kerr once more shows himself one of the greatest master story-tellers in English. The narrative is swift and adept, and so well-grounded in the history and custom of the period that the reader is totally immersed."--Alan Furst "Kerr once again brilliantly uses a whodunit to bring to horrifying life the Nazi regime's corruption and brutality."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "In this skillfully plotted thriller, Kerr punctures the present with the painful past. Fans of the series won't be disappointed."-- Library Journal More Praise for Philip Kerr and the Bernie Gunther Novels "A brilliantly innovative thriller writer."--Salman Rushdie "Philip Kerr is the only bona fide heir to Raymond Chandler."--Salon.com "In terms of narrative, plot, pace and characterization, Kerr's in a league with John le Carr."-- The Washington Post "Every time we're afraid we've seen the last of Bernie Gunther, Philip Kerr comes through with another unnerving adventure for his morally conflicted hero."--Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review "Just as youth is wasted on the young, history is wasted on historians. It ought to be the exclusive property of novelists--but only if they are as clever and knowledgeable as Philip Kerr."-- Chicago Tribune "Kerr quantum leaps the limitations of genre fiction. Most thrillers insult your intelligence; his assault your ignorance."-- Esquire "A richly satisfying mystery, one that evokes the noir sensibilities of Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald while breaking important new ground of its own."-- Los Angeles Times "Part of the allure of these novels is that Bernie is such an interesting creation, a Chandleresque knight errant caught in insane historical surroundings. Bernie walks down streets so mean that nobody can stay alive and remain truly clean."--John Powers, Fresh Air (NPR), Praise for Prussian Blue "[B]risk and agile... Gunther is one of crime fiction's most gratifyingly melancholy creations, and in 'Prussian Blue' we watch him match wits with the officialdom of two Germanys, pre- and postwar." -- The Washington Post "Bernie Gunther--sly, subversive, sardonic, and occasionally hilarious--is one of the greatest anti-heroes ever written, and as always he lights up this tough and unflinching novel. We're in good hands here."--Lee Child "Once again Kerr leads us through the facts of history and the vagaries of human nature. His Bernie Gunther thinks he's seen it all. But he hasn't, and luckily, neither have we."--Tom Hanks "In Prussian Blue , Philip Kerr once more shows himself one of the greatest master story-tellers in English. The narrative is swift and adept, and so well-grounded in the history and custom of the period that the reader is totally immersed."--Alan Furst "Kerr once again brilliantly uses a whodunit to bring to horrifying life the Nazi regime's corruption and brutality."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "In this skillfully plotted thriller, Kerr punctures the present with the painful past. Fans of the series won't be disappointed."-- Library Journal Praise for Philip Kerr "Kerr vividly captures the excruciating moral ambiguity of Bernie's position, driving home the point that cynicism is the only sane reaction for a man on the wrong side of history."-- Booklist "The intricacies of the plot, partly based on Maugham's history as a British spy in charge of a team of secret agents, make this one of Kerr's best technical efforts. But it's the characterization of Maugham and the sound of his voice...that makes this novel memorable."-- The New York Times Book Review "Readers who love hard-boiled heroes fell for Bernie Gunther back when he was a Berlin cop talking tough to Nazi thugs ( March Violets , 1989), and we loved him just as much when he was forced to become an SS soldier on the Eastern Front ( Field Gray , 2011). And yet, those whose own dark core runs deep may well love the postwar Bernie most of all, the Bernie whose cynicism has slowly morphed into black despair, like whiskey gradually eating its way through a defenseless liver.... The Other Side of Silence is one of the best in a sterling series."-- Booklist (starred review) "Kerr carefully develops his plot, sense of place, and characterizations, enabling readers to imagine what it must have been like to have lived in a postwar morass of political and moral ambiguity. This is more than a crime or espionage novel; it's a marvelous, hard-boiled political read."-- Library Journal (starred review) "Intricate enough to satisfy puzzle-minded readers...right out of the Agatha Christie playbook."-- The Washington Post "Blackmail, murder, deception, sexual shenanigans of every sort, and an undercurrent of black humor pervade Philip Kerr's 11th novel featuring the unsinkable German detective Bernie Gunther." --Pittsburg Post Gazette, Praise for Prussian Blue "Bernie Gunther--sly, subversive, sardonic, and occasionally hilarious--is one of the greatest anti-heroes ever written, and as always he lights up this tough and unflinching novel. We're in good hands here."--Lee Child "Once again Kerr leads us through the facts of history and the vagaries of human nature. His Bernie Gunther thinks he's seen it all. But he hasn't, and luckily, neither have we."--Tom Hanks "In Prussian Blue , Philip Kerr once more shows himself one of the greatest master story-tellers in English. The narrative is swift and adept, and so well-grounded in the history and custom of the period that the reader is totally immersed."--Alan Furst "Kerr once again brilliantly uses a whodunit to bring to horrifying life the Nazi regime's corruption and brutality."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "In this skillfully plotted thriller, Kerr punctures the present with the painful past. Fans of the series won't be disappointed."-- Library Journal Praise for Philip Kerr "Kerr vividly captures the excruciating moral ambiguity of Bernie's position, driving home the point that cynicism is the only sane reaction for a man on the wrong side of history."-- Booklist "The intricacies of the plot, partly based on Maugham's history as a British spy in charge of a team of secret agents, make this one of Kerr's best technical efforts. But it's the characterization of Maugham and the sound of his voice...that makes this novel memorable."-- The New York Times Book Review "Readers who love hard-boiled heroes fell for Bernie Gunther back when he was a Berlin cop talking tough to Nazi thugs ( March Violets , 1989), and we loved him just as much when he was forced to become an SS soldier on the Eastern Front ( Field Gray , 2011). And yet, those whose own dark core runs deep may well love the postwar Bernie most of all, the Bernie whose cynicism has slowly morphed into black despair, like whiskey gradually eating its way through a defenseless liver.... The Other Side of Silence is one of the best in a sterling series."-- Booklist (starred review) "Kerr carefully develops his plot, sense of place, and characterizations, enabling readers to imagine what it must have been like to have lived in a postwar morass of political and moral ambiguity. This is more than a crime or espionage novel; it's a marvelous, hard-boiled political read."-- Library Journal (starred review) "Intricate enough to satisfy puzzle-minded readers...right out of the Agatha Christie playbook."-- The Washington Post "Blackmail, murder, deception, sexual shenanigans of every sort, and an undercurrent of black humor pervade Philip Kerr's 11th novel featuring the unsinkable German detective Bernie Gunther." --Pittsburg Post Gazette, Praise for Prussian Blue "Bernie Gunther - sly, subversive, sardonic, and occasionally hilarious - is one of the greatest anti-heroes ever written, and as always he lights up this tough and unflinching novel. We're in good hands here." -- Lee Child "Once again Kerr leads us through the facts of history and the vagaries of human nature. His Bernie Gunther thinks he's seen it all. But he hasn't, and luckily, neither have we." -- Tom Hanks "In Prussian Blue , Philip Kerr once more shows himself one of the greatest master story-tellers in English. The narrative is swift and adept, and so well-grounded in the history and custom of the period that the reader is totally immersed."-- Alan Furst Praise for Philip Kerr "Kerr vividly captures the excruciating moral ambiguity of Bernie's position, driving home the point that cynicism is the only sane reaction for a man on the wrong side of history." -- Booklist "The intricacies of the plot, partly based on Maugham's history as a British spy in charge of a team of secret agents, make this one of Kerr's best technical efforts. But it's the characterization of Maugham and the sound of his voice . . . that makes this novel memorable." -- The New York Times Book Review "Readers who love hard-boiled heroes fell for Bernie Gunther back when he was a Berlin cop talking tough to Nazi thugs ( March Violets , 1989), and we loved him just as much when he was forced to become an SS soldier on the Eastern Front ( Field Gray , 2011). And yet, those whose own dark core runs deep may well love the postwar Bernie most of all, the Bernie whose cynicism has slowly morphed into black despair, like whiskey gradually eating its way through a defenseless liver. . . . The Other Side of Silence is one of the best in a sterling series." -- Booklist (starred review) "Kerr carefully develops his plot, sense of place, and characterizations, enabling readers to imagine what it must have been like to have lived in a postwar morass of political and moral ambiguity. This is more than a crime or espionage novel; it's a marvelous, hard-boiled political read." -- Library Journal (starred review) "Intricate enough to satisfy puzzle-minded readers . . . right out of the Agatha Christie playbook." -- The Washington Post "Blackmail, murder, deception, sexual shenanigans of every sort, and an undercurrent of black humor pervade Philip Kerr's 11th novel featuring the unsinkable German detective Bernie Gunther." -- Pittsburg Post Gazette
