A Quiet Flame [Hardcover]

Once again, Kerr has lived up to his well-earned reputation for dealing with the deep, dark, and ugly side of humankind. This story is full of an incomprehensible brew of brutality, courage, fear, love and bad consciences. Kerr is one of those rare literary risk-takers when it comes to creatively using whatever is available in the human estate to get at the truth. In this novel, his creative genius dredges up a large dose of the nastiness and horror from the modern past of two major countries in order to produce a believable story about one man's grit and determination to bring to justice some of its more notorious criminals in hiding. Former police detective, Bernie Gunther, is the hero who, back in the early 30s in Germany was in hot pursuit of a suspected Nazi killer who raped and enviscerated his victims when he is suddenly inexplicably taken off the case and given a desk job. WW II intervenes and Gunther's life becomes entangled with the Nazi party. Later in the early 50s, he and a number of prominent Nazis like Eichmann are secreted out of Germany to Argentina to start a new life. It is there that the story takes off when a Jewish group contacts him to investigate another vicious spate of murders that eerily the ones back in Germany. What Gunther, aka Hauser, is about to learn is that the unfinished business of his past is coming back in dramatic fashion to shape the outcome of his latest assignment. By accepting the job, he has unwittingly step into a more sinister situation than anything he faced during WW II that involves the likes of powerful figures such as the Argentinean government, Juan and Evita Peron, Dr. Mengeles, and lesser Nazi henchmen. What truly makes this novel such a fascinating read is that as fiction it parallels the real story of nefarious activities connected with the Peron dictatorship and the infamous Directives 11 and 12 of the late 1930s that sanctioned the persecution of Jews. This novel serves as an entertaining thriller and a polished memoriam that takes the reader inside a society that is struggling to come to grips with the unpunished wrongs of the past. At the end, we are left wondering if Argentina has really turned the page on this grisly chapter in its history.

Bernie is in Argentina. After the last four books set in Germany, it takes courage to completely switch the locale of the story telling. However, in the evolution of the character, Kerr needed to take this chance. Kerr's strong point is being able to write a book, set historically, and maintain authenticity without overwhelming the reader with research. You come to trust that he gets his facts rights. This may be the most personal of the Berlin Noir series ... and easily one of the best. If you like historical fiction, if you like mysteries, this series is great for you. WARNING ... this is a series to read in order, would be a mistake to start with this book - at least in my opinion.

Book 5 in the Bernard Gunther series

This fiction examines Directive 11, a secret order issued in 1938 that bared Jews from entering Argentina and the consequences that derived from it. It also explored the rumour and the strong possibility that a concentration camp existed in a remote part of the country. At the time thousands of Argentina's Jewish citizens had simply disappeared, never to be seen again. Coincidently, in later years, Argentina became a safe haven for Nazis in hiding.

" A Quiet Flame ", opens in 1950 with private eye Bernie Gunther, now in fine form getting off the boat in Argentina. He is not alone; one of the other passengers is Adolf Eichmann. Both have changed their identities to avoid the consequences of their past and are trying to start a new life in a new country.

It didn't take long before Bernie was fingered by President Peron's secret police, it turns out they had a file on him and knew about his past activities. They felt he could assist them in the political investigation of a child abduction and murder. Knowing he had no choice but to accept, he used the opportunity to gain medical treatment for his thyroid cancer. After reviewing the case he notices many similarities with unsolved cases he worked on back in early 30's Berlin, once again he finds himself forced to tread a delicate path.

Gunther's work attracts the beautiful Anna Yagubshy who is desperately looking for help in finding her Jewish relatives who have disappeared; he is immediately drawn into a horror story that rivals everything from his past. The Peron period of Buenos Aires holds terrible secrets within its corrupt halls of power, one never knows whom to trust and danger is waiting at every corner.

The stories move back and forth in time from Bernie's past early 30's Berlin to the turbulent time of post war Buenos Aires 1950.

The depiction of the two eras is fascinating and captivating, it also gives a unique and intriguing view into the Nazi haven created during the time of President Peron. The characterization is superb and the players have depth. I like Gunther particularly; he is a compelling protagonist, an ex-SS "collaborator" with strong ethics. This novel never lags for thrilling and chilling suspense; it will grip you from the start. The sub-plots are as powerful as the main plot and contain many dead-ends and red herrings blended seamlessly creating a well-crafted work of fiction.

I started with this novel and find it could easily stand alone but was left so intrigued and entertained by the protagonist adventures I feel impelled to read the author's previous works.