A Berlin Wartime Thriller Series

As Germany strangles under the tight grip of the Nazi Party, the frozen winter of 1940 brings even more reasons to fear the dark in the crackling new WWII crime novel from #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Scarrow—perfect for fans of Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy, Robert Ludlum, Andrew Gross, and William Christie . . .

Germany, 1940. The world holds its breath and hopes for peace. At home, the Nazi Party’s grip on power tightens. Reasons to fear the dark are growing . . .

On a night in Berlin, during the most bitter winter in memory, SS doctor Manfred Schmesler is found in his study, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The hurried and official version of the Reich is suicide.

Schmesler’s widow doesn’t believe it. At the risk of running afoul of the Gestapo, neither does Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke. The warnings to drop the investigation only compel Schenke to dig deeper. Then Schenke learns of the suspicious death of a child in a remote clinic outside Potsdam.

At first, the cases seem unconnected, but soon chilling links emerge that point to a terrifying secret. Schenke isn’t the only one in jeopardy. So is everyone within his circle, including Schmesler’s widow, who has a secret of her own.

Under a pitiless regime, how deep into hell are they willing to go to find the truth? And what will it take to make it out alive?

#1 Sunday Times bestselling author

“Atmosphere, sharp intrigue, and a host of fascinating characters all combine to make this one the next addition to your keeper shelf.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

Fans of Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy, Howard Linskey, James D. Shipman, Robert Ludlum, Andrew Gross, and William Christie can buckle down for an intense plunge into the darkest heart of war in #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Scarrow’s blistering new World War II thriller.

As the Nazis tighten their chokehold on the capital, panic and paranoia fester as blackout is rigidly enforced. Every night the city is plunged into an oppressive, suffocating darkness—pitch-perfect conditions for unspeakable acts.

When a young woman is found brutally murdered, it’s up to Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke to solve the case quickly. His reputation is already on the line for his failure to join the Nazi Party. If he doesn’t solve the case, the consequences could be fatal.  

Schenke’s worst fears are confirmed when a second victim is found. As the investigation takes him deeper into the regime’s darkest corridors, Schenke realises danger lurks behind every corner—and that the warring factions of the Reich can be as deadly as a killer stalking the streets . . .

“Mesmerising. Nail-biting. Unputdownable. Utterly authentic and beautifully written.” —Damien Lewis

“Taut and chilling—I was completely gripped.” —Anthony Horowitz, bestselling author of the Alex Rider and Susan Ryeland series