Straight Into Darkness

Starred review from September 1, 2005
When the murder of a young, affluent Munich woman turns out to be the opening salvo from a serial killer, Axel Berg, an inspector with the police departments new homicide unit, resists his superiors orders to settle the case quickly by scapegoating Jews. Swimming against the rising tide of antiSemitism in 1929 Germanysentiments only fueled by the growing influence and visibility of Adolf Hitlerthe pragmatic Berg knows that he must keep his wits about him and tread lightly if he wants to find the true killer. Kellerman (Street Dreams; Double Homicide) has written a stunning historical crime novel that pulses with the political and social tension of 1920s Munich, especially as seen through the eyes of a man not sympathetic to the Nazis yet trying to protect his family from the gathering clouds of civil unrest. Plenty of twists and turns, coupled with the accelerating turmoil threatening to envelop the city, will keep readers guessing until the final, unforgettable scene. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/05.]Amy BrozioAndrews, Albany P.L., NY

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2005
Kellerman, perhaps best known for her Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus novels, takes a hiatus from things contemporary in this ambitious historical mystery, in which politics, prejudice, and revenge form the backdrop for murder. The time is 1929, the place is Munich, and Hitler and his thugs and sycophants are gathering momentum for the horrors to come. Kommunisten, Social Democrats, gays, and, especially, Jews are the targets of Brown Shirts, who are increasing in number and viciousness. Even Munich's Homicide Unit has its Nazi sympathizers. Inspektor Axel Berg, however, isn't one of them. He hopes to steer clear of politics, especially on the job. But when the murders of three women and a young child spawn rumors of a serial killer, the pressure to find a scapegoat (the Jewish husband of one of the victims will do as a start) intensifies, and Berg finds himself fighting not only for fairness for the accused but also for his own career. This is a complicated novel, and its mystery occasionally flounders under the weighty political backdrop. But suspense gradually mounts, and the ironic ending is worth the wait. As for Berg, he is one of Kellerman's richest creations--an intriguing protagonist, flawed yet compassionate and heroic, forced to confront enormous odds in brutal times.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)