Where do field gray, prague fatale and man without breath fit into the series, historically speaking. Over fourteen stories beginning with his classic berlin noir trilogy kerr brilliantly evokes a murky world of secrets, corruption and lies, taking gunther through time from naziera berlin to a nascent postwar europe. Strangely, it wasnt until 2006 that the books march violets, the pale criminal and a german requiem were followed up with the one from the other, and since then the edinburghborn author has been bringing us regular episodes from the life of his tough, resourceful and. Philip kerrs final bernie gunther novel announced with. Philip kerr was the new york times bestselling author of the acclaimed bernie gunther novels, three of whichfield gray, the lady from zagreb, and prussian bluewere finalists for the edgar award for best novel. Bernie gunther and all all philip kerr books with summaries including the latest releases. Philip ballantyne kerr 22 february 1956 23 march 2018 was a british novelist. Kerrs writing is terrific, full of wise observations. Kerr wrote for the sunday times, the evening standard, and the new statesman. Order of bernie gunther books bernie gunther is the central character in a series of historical mysterythriller novels by british novelist philip kerr. Reading order of a bernie gunther novel and list of all philip kerr books including his 2017 books. This is exactly the reference you need to make sure you dont miss a book or story and you get a chance to read each one in the best reading order. Philip kerr by albie berk overdrive rakuten overdrive.
We are very sad to have lost philip kerr today, a wonderful man and a great author. For that reason we think firsttime readers are better off getting to know bernie in the way philip kerr presented him. Author philip kerrs complete list of books and series in order, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions and availability. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting. Bernard cornwells books about the adventures of british soldier richard sharpe during the napoleonic wars have been enjoyed by millions, mixing as they do a combination of action, combat, and historical research. He also has written nonfiction and novels that do not link to his bernie gunther series. Bernard cornwells sharpe books in chronological order.
The novels cover the period of world war ii and the cold war. He is not pointing the finger, but evaluating history as hardly ever told in books. The author, most recently, of the other side of silence thinks heroes are always too heroic to be real. This seems to be the last of the late philip kerrs bernie gunther novels. New york times bestselling author philip kerr was best known for his acclaimed bernie gunther novels, three of which field gray, the lady from zagreb, and prussian blue were finalists for the edgar award for best novel. From philip kerr, the new york times bestselling author of the bernie gunther novels, comes a breathtaking journey of survival in the dark days of wwii in ukraine, a country that remains tumultuous today.
I discovered philip kerr, the scottish detectivenovel writer, only recently, and one thing i like about him is. Philip kerr is the author of more than 30 books, including 12 bernie gunther novels, several standalone thrillers, and seven books in the youngadult series. The first, march violets, was published in 1989, followed by the pale. Just before his death in 2018, he was made a fellow of. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Philip kerr was synonymous with his series of novels featuring fictional detective bernie gunther. The narrative is swift and adept, and so wellgrounded in the history and custom of the period that the reader is totally immersed. Has anyone done a list of the bg books in chronological order, rather than published order.
Follow our twitter feed to keep up with the latest news that may be of interest to bernie. The books include adventures, battles and the need to save people like uncle nimrod who are held hostage by evil. The most interesting legal philosophy is german, so naturally i went to germany, particularly to berlin, quite a bit. Loving philip kerrs bernie gunther novels the great.
Philip kerrs berlin noir series was published between 1989 and 1991, and introduced the world to bernie gunther. Philip kerr novels are listed in best reading order, chronological order, with a summaries, a checklist. Every now and then i read a crime novel that makes me feel grumpy, usually because of the poor quality of the writing, plotting or characterisation. Philip kerr books list of books by author philip kerr.
The first few stories that philip kerr tells are actually set in berlin before the second world war. However, readers can have difficulty putting the many volumes into chronological order, especially as the author has written many prequels and sequels. Philip kerr books checklist in order with summaries updated 2017 includes. Philip kerr was a british author of thriller novels and childrens books under the pen name of p. His childrens books are published by scholastic press. Home the books forum about bernie about philip kerr. Berlin held a great fascination for the author philip kerr, who has died aged 62 of cancer. Dont miss a single philip kerr book and read them all in the best order. British author philip kerr introduced his series character, world war iiera berlin private eye bernie gunther, in march violets. Kerr jumps around quite a bit in the last few books, after seemingly reached the end of his career in if the dead rise not. Kerr paints a vivid picture of the tension that was rife at the time, this as hitlers party began to oppress the jewish populace even as germany struggled to keep its atrocities hidden. As some readers of this blog will have noticed, im a huge fan of the historical detective novels by scotsman philip kerr featuring his wwiiera berlin police detective bernie gunther. Kerr got his masters in law from the university of birmingham before working as a copywriter and finally becoming a fulltime author in 1989. A guide to philip kerrs bernie gunther series crime.
But the berlin of philip kerrs stories is a character in the books a personality as complex and troubled as his privateinvestigator protagonist. Kerrs bernie gunther series was his first foray into writing fiction. There is absolutely nothing to be found wrong with these books. Excitement, pathos, history, wisecracking humour, suspense, tension, world weariness, and brilliant, beautiful writing. Hereafter, his novels dont follow a strict chronological order and can be read in any order. Philip ballantyne kerr 22 february 1956 23 march 2018 was a british author, best known for his bernie gunther series of historical detective thrillers. Essentially, theres a good police procedural hidden in it but you have to wade through pages of verbiage and codphilosophising that the author puts into bernies mouth. He stayed on as postgraduate and read law and philosophy, most of this german, which was when and where he first became interested in german twentieth century history and, in particular, the nazis.
This is the order of bernie gunther books in both chronological order and. This is the reading order, as it is the published order. Ive been a lawyer, ive been an advertising man, ive been a telly executive, ive been a teacher. The death of philip kerr last year was a tragic loss for the crime fiction world. Kerr has also won several shamus awards and the british crime writers association ellis peters award for historical crime fiction. In 1989, firsttime british author philip kerr introduced the world to bernie gunther, his sardonic, toughtalking fictional detective who was as the new york times put it the right kind of hero for his time. There are now nine gunther novels that dont follow any chronological order. A complete list of every philip kerr book published over 30 books. The jalna books form a different kind of series in that they are definitely chronological. Berlin, 1928 sadly, last march british author philip kerr passed away. Each is shown with their proper position in each series. Philip kerr was born in edinburgh and read law and philosophy at birmingham university, subjects which drew him to germany. A guide to philip kerrs bernie gunther series crime fiction lover.
Now, five new novels later, kerr has abandoned the chronological order, and prague fatale is set back in 1942, in the czech city under the command of reinhard heydrich, where bernie is. When juno reads the unfinished novel, she resolves to uncover the secret that continued to divide the sisters amid the turmoil of love, espionage, and war. The author of over 30 books since his debut in 1989, kerr is best known for his 14 novels novels featuring excop turned private detective bernhard bernie gunther, who finds his progress up the ranks of the berlin kriminalpolizei interrupted by the rise of the national socialist german workers party. Philip kerr is the author of nineteen previous novels, including a philosophical investigation, and five bestselling childrens books. He went to grammar school in northampton, and would go to college at the university of birmingham from 1974 until 1980 and was able to get his masters degree in the subjects of law and philosophy. Philip kerr is the author of more than 30 books, including 12 bernie gunther novels, several standalone thrillers, and seven books in the youngadult series children of the lamp under the pen name of p. Below is a list of philip kerrs bernie gunther books in order of when they were. This is the order of philip kerr books in both chronological order and publication order. Bernie gunther series in order philip kerr fictiondb. He wrote two sequels over the next couple of years the pale criminal and a german requiem, but then abruptly discontinued the series, instead producing a succession of standalone thrillers. Such a frightful shame philip passed away last year. Philip kerr simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This unofficial fan site is a hub of information about these historical novels, set initially in 1930s berlin, and the unforgettable character of bernie gunther. Philip kerr february 22, 1956 march 23, 2018 was born in edinburgh and read law at university.
Equally, as youve noticed, i shift around the timeframe so there is no chronological order. The first three bernie gunther novels a bernie gunther novel by philip kerr 4. In prussian blue, philip kerr once more shows himself one of the greatest master storytellers in english. The bernie gunther novels are historical literature. In this vivid portrait of nazi berlin, from its high society to its devastating fall, jane thynne examines the truths we sometimes dare not tell ourselves. Kerr was a prolific writer of over thirty books, including works of adult fiction and nonfiction, in addition to writing childrens books under the name, p. Kerr also won several shamus awards and the british crime writers association ellis peters award for historical crime fiction. List verified daily and newest books added immediately. An interview with philip kerr washington independent. Discover the bernie books as well as kerrs impressive catalogue of nonbernie titles. So there is really no way to accurately read them in chronological order bernies chronological time because the timelines skip around within some of the books. Book maven lists the thirteen fascinating bernie gunther books in chronological order and gives a very informative. Author philip kerr is a british man and was born in edinburgh in february of 1956. Includeslist and summaries for bernie gunther and all philip kerr books, including latest release book lis with summaries 31 kindle edition by maven, book.
The complete series list for bernie gunther philip kerr. The novels are based in the 1930s and take place in germany and other locations. Bernie fought on the turkish front during world war i and was a cop before becoming a private eye in berlin before world war ii. Has anyone done a list of the bg books in chronological order, rather. He was married to fellow novelist jane thynne kerr was known for the bernie gunther series of historical thrillers set in germany and elsewhere during the 1930s, the second world war and the cold war. Praise for philip kerr and the bernie gunther novels. When i started writing i was after the character of the berliner rather than the history of berlin, says kerr. The 10 books dont relate bernies story in chronological order, but its probably best to approach. For a scot, philip kerr knows history and the german soul in detail. I have read all his books, and greeks bearing gifts is as good as any of kerrs novels.