Nazis. I Hate These Guys.

It’s the end of the month, and so it’s time for my review of September’s book club pick, March Violets by Philip Kerr.

March Violets is a very good novel in a series featuring private detective Bernie Guenther. Bernie is a former Berlin police detective, but after several cases turned up corruption in the department, he left the force to open his own agency. Now, he is asked to investigate a missing necklace that is embroiled in corruption, betrayal, murder, skeletons in the closet and the Gestapo. Did I mention Nazis? Bernie usually stays out of cases that might involve the secret police or step on the toes of the Berlin criminal police, the kripo, but in this instance he is in the thick of it from the get go. He investigates the missing necklace and soon discovers one secret after another. He is a better detective than his client expected, and with each discovery, Bernie is deeper into the corruption that is rampant in Nazi Germany, to the point where he is a pawn in the power struggle between Goering and Himmler themselves. Goering is actually a major player in the turn of events that leads to the answers Bernie seeks.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. Kerr takes the cliche gumshoe and puts him deep in the heart of Nazi Germany in 1936, adding to the usual dangers that befits the private eye. Not only does Bernie deal with shady clients, corrupt police, and the Mob, but also Nazis. To update the travails of the classic noir detective, Kerr increases the level of violence and desperation. When I was researching this novel, I read a blog that compared it to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (which, of course, I can’t find now), and I would agree in the sense that the level of violence is very similar. The shocking rape and torture scenes of GWTDT would fit in quite well in March Violets - there are a couple of scenes that are quite similar. To ensure that you don’t forget that you are reading about Nazis, Bernie is sent to Dachau, and he witnesses first hand the atrocities against the prisoners.

The novel is a gripping story from start to finish. Kerr adheres to the tradition of noir fiction, specifically the self-defeating protagonist; on several occasions, Bernie gets himself into further trouble simply because his pride is wounded and he feels compelled to respond in kind. As well, Bernie is a romantic possibility with each eligible female character, another noir staple. The mystery at the heart of the story is a straightforward tale of half-truths and secrets, and no character is as they seem at the outset. However, where Kerr shines is in replicating the anxiety, tension and fear of Berlin under those conditions. It’s not quite wartime yet, but it’s not exactly peacetime for the citizens of Germany in 1936. "March violets" is a term referring to this atmosphere, describing those members of the Nazi party who signed up in March 1933, just months before new membership was suspended. If you were not a member of the party by that point, your future in Germany was limited and potentially dangerous.

I would recommend it for mystery fans, certainly fans of Stieg Larsson or other dark mystery writers such as Michael Connelly or Ian Rankin. It may also appeal to historical fiction fans, especially fans of World War II novels. However, it is quite graphic in some scenes, so heads up. Three missing necklaces out of five.

Summer Vacation Reading

Inspired by an essay on The Millions called What I Read on My Summer Vacation, I decided to write what I read on my summer vacation - as it turns out, not that much. However, I can talk about the books that we talked about on my summer vacation:

1. A Prayer for Owen Meany. As this is our current club selection, I dutifully brought it with me to our trip to New Jersey. I'm halfway through, and it's proving to be slow, probably since much of the story takes place around Christmas, which makes for terrible summer vacation reading. But John Irving's a great writer, and Owen Meany is a great character. I'm pushing forward, with high hopes for the latter half.
2. A Widow For One Year. Another John Irving book, this time purchased at an awesome book store in Greenwich Village my wife and I stumbled upon called Three Lives & Company.

It is the quintessential corner bookshop, with low ceilings and dark-wood shelves. I bought the American edition of Widow to mark the event. I have read the book a few times already, so I probably won't actually read this edition, but it already looks great on the shelf.
3. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger. I've been thinking about Salinger a lot lately, for a few reasons. One, I recently reread Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella, in which Salinger (or "Jerry") is a main character. Two, I recently rewatched Imagine: John Lennon and could not help but somehow implicate Salinger in Lennon's death, as Mark David Chapman was obsessed with Holden Caulfield and had a copy of Catcher in the Rye in his pocket when he shot Lennon to death. This feeling of tragedy was exacerbated by our visit to The Dakota and Strawberry Fields in Central Park:

Nine Stories is brilliant, however, so I forgave Salinger his involvement in the twisting of Chapman's mind.
4. Housekeeping vs. The Dirt. Nick Hornby's second collection of articles for The Believer are every bit as enjoyable as the other two. I can't really put into words what these books do for me, though "pure enjoyment" comes pretty close. And he talks about Miriam Toews in this one, which gets me even more excited, as I always feel a little bit of excitement whenever a Canadian is featured in an international-type program or book. The same is true for Owen Meany, as the protagonist eventually ends up in Toronto. Even though it's Toronto, I still think to myself, "cool, he's talking about Toronto!" I'm so Canadian.
5. Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Everybody's favourite book about a bookstore became my wife's beach book this summer. Since she liked it, a lot, I am inclined to read it sooner rather than later. In her words, "It's a strange, mysterious mystery. And strange."

6. Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson. Another American edition find. I shopped at Borders for this one, and was lucky enough to find an edition that is not available in Canada, making my biblioventure complete. My wife also recently finished this one, and liked it, a lot. It's a dark, dark mystery, set in Sweden and is part one of a trilogy. Part 2 is out now in hardcover, Girl Who Played With Fire, and the third one is set for release next summer. The author wrote the trilogy but died before its publication, and its subsequent translation from Swedish has been an interesting biblioventure in itself, as the entire trilogy, called the Millennium trilogy, has been fully translated into French, but not English. There's also a movie in the pipe, making this a burgeoning franchise opportunity. For all the hype, however, well-deserved, according to my wife.

That's my trip in books - look for less interesting posts in the days to come. Also, it's close to September reading time, so get your thinking caps on for a September book selection.