- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Quercus Publishing Plc (Mar 4 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1849161933
- ISBN-13: 978-1849161930
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 3.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 281 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #117,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story and characters...,
By
This review is from: If the Dead Rise Not (Hardcover)
This is the first Philip Kerr-Bernie Gunther novel I've read, even though I am a great fan of historical fiction, particularly World War 1 and World War 2 genre. I picked this up and even though I probably should have started with Kerr's earlier books to get an idea of the Bernie Gunther character, this book was a very good read.Set in Berlin in 1934 and involving some hefty plot points like Nazis, the coming Berlin Olympics, and several suspicious deaths Bernie investigates, the same characters meet up in Havana 20 years later. People are still meeting untimely ends and Bernie, who has evidently lived a cat's nine lives in the intervening twenty years, is involved. Many "real life people" make appearances in the book, including the whole Meyer Lansky crowd in 1950's Havana gambling spots and hotels. Kerr is an excellent writer. He introduces plot points and characters who, in a lesser writer's hand, would seem slightly ridiculous. As a first time reader of the Gunther novels, I was introduced to nuanced character whose adventures I will now seek out in Kerr's backlist.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Weakest in the Series,
By
This review is from: If the Dead Rise Not (Hardcover)
Bernie Gunther has been very entertaining - the life he lives, created by Kerr, takes us from the trenches of WW1 now to 1950's Cuba. I have read each entry and appreciate the hard-boiled character, the history mash-ups, and the underlying mysteries. Unfortunately, this effort does not measure up to the previous works. The plot was slow and predictable. The first half of the book in 1934 Germany moved at a glacier-like pace and the whole gangster angle was actually boring. Still the history was accurate and Bernie's Zelig-like appearances with leading figures of the day continues to intrigue. I am now torn between desiring another one or letting Bernie retire after a life well lived.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Captivating,
By
This review is from: If the Dead Rise Not: A Bernie Gunther Novel (Paperback)
Book 6, in the Bernie Gunther seriesThe readers are carried deeper into Bernie's saga in this terrific story that flips from 1934 Berlin into the rapidly changing world of 1954 Havana. The blend of madness and murder mixed with the Nazi and the Batista era creates an action packed backdrop for an exciting read and Mr. Kerr knows how to spice it up and to deliver it well. 1934, Germany is preparing to host the 1936 Olympic Games. The action begins when Bernie, the house detective of the Hotel Adlon discovers the body of a German businessman with strong construction industry ties dead in his room. With a body and a multitude of clues, Bernie's investigation propels him into a world of international corruption and dangerous double dealings involving American gangsters, corrupt Nazis and an insight into Hitler's plan for the 1936 Olympics. Meanwhile, Noreen Chalambides, an American journalist is also a patron of the hotel, she is on assignment to expose the Nazi regime and convince the American powers that be they should boycott the Olympics'.Bernie soon finds himself infatuated by her charming personality. Two thirds into the novel, the action switches to post war- Cuba 1954 After being expelled from Argentina (the previous novel 'A Quiet Flame') Bernie relocates to Havana with the hope of living a less stressful life under an assumed name. That soon changes when he runs into his old flame, the journalist Noreen, and is invited to her home for a dinner party. Bernie sees this as a chance to rekindle a previous relationship but he quickly learns Noreen has another agenda. Unable to escape his past and head first into the presence, he learns he is still the target of a vicious killer and due to his recent acquaintances he finds himself caught up in the smoldering rebellious movement which is being magnified by Fidel Castro incarceration. Mr. Kerr's stories are told entirely in dialogue, there is a lot of chatter going on mostly handled by Bernie, I love this, it makes you part of the story. I really enjoy Bernie, he is funny even when dealing with serious issues, he is not portrayed as the customary super hero as found in most novels of this genre. The plot is dynamic and captivating with many twists and turns and tense situations, an attention grabber to the last page. Although, highly entertaining the story is a tad predictable and less realistic than the previous novels, nevertheless following Bernie on his escapades is always a blast, and a journey into historical fiction. I am looking forward to Bernie's next exploits.
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