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Willi Kraus #1
The Sleepwalkers
In the final weeks of the Weimar Republic, as Hitler and his National Socialist party angle to assume control of Germany, beautiful girls are seen sleepwalking through the streets. Then, a young woman of mysterious origin, with her legs bizarrely deformed, is pulled dead from the Havel River. Willi Kraus, a high ranking detective in Berlin's police force, begins a murder investigation. A decorated World War I hero and the nation's most famous detective, Willi also is a Jew. Despite his elite status in the criminal police, he is disturbed by the direction Germany is taking. Working urgently to solve the murder, Willi finds his superiors diverting him at every turn. As he moves through darkness closer to the truth, Willi begins to understand that much more than the solution to a murder is at stake. What he discovers will mean that his life, the lives of his friends and family, and Germany itself will never be the same.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
24 people are currently reading
2088 people want to read
About the author
Paul Grossman
12 books45 followersPaul Grossman is the critically acclaimed author of two novels, with a third on the way. The Sleepwalkers, was published in 2010. His second, Children of Wrath released in February, 2012. He is also a long-time teacher of writing and literature at the City University of New York. His works have been translated into German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew and Portuguese.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
September 13, 2011
One of my favorite periods in 20th century history is pre-Nazi Berlin; a fragile time before the rise of an era of unspeakable darkness, when the city was a fabled cosmopolitan smorgasbord full of vibrancy- an international magnet for artists, bohemians, eccentrics, and the curious. The Berlin we know today is very different from the Berlin of before World War II and Paul Grossman’s THE SLEEPWALKERS offers us a superb evocation of that city’s pathos and tragic hedonism in the weeks leading up to Hitler’s ascendancy, even as a resolute Jewish detective hunts for a killer.
As the title suggests, this is more than a novel about a series of bizarre murders that Grossman’s hero, Detective Willi Krauss, is trying to solve. All of Berlin appears to be sleep-walking, seemingly oblivious to the endemic violence lurking under the surface, epitomized by Nazi thugs and opportunistic politicians scheming to rescue Germany from decades of penury and shame. Krauss, however, senses these fearsome undercurrents, even as he is swept up in a labyrinthine quest to discover why a young woman pulled from the river was subjected to horrific medical experiments. Revered for his recent capture of an infamous serial killer yet haunted by personal loss, Krauss is now beginning to experience a subtle but pervasive fraying of his impermeability. His keen observations of the shifting world around him anchor the novel’s dark, fascinating trajectory into both the high-ranking offices of a crumbling government and Berlin's seamy underworld.
The supporting cast of characters includes an enigmatic prostitute, an extravagant hypnotist, an earnest cadet, a jaded aristocrat, and a street hustler. While some of the characters conform to established clichés, Grossman handles them with sensitivity and style, while his villains— including a terrifying, buck-toothed Josef Mengele—display the sociopathic tendencies which became a Nazi blueprint and are all the more unsettling because they are not fictional. Fast-paced action sequences interspersed with Krauss’s uneasy awareness that the life he’s always believed in is turning to quicksand under his feet give the novel a brooding, unstoppable feel that kept me reading far into the night. Though Krauss fights with every part of his being to halt the shadow sweeping over him, and everyone he loves, we know the inevitable outcome; it is a testament to Mr. Grossman's talent that despite this, we still find ourselves rooting for his idealistic, damaged hero, caught up in circumstances far beyond his control, like so many thousands of Germany's inhabitants.
As the title suggests, this is more than a novel about a series of bizarre murders that Grossman’s hero, Detective Willi Krauss, is trying to solve. All of Berlin appears to be sleep-walking, seemingly oblivious to the endemic violence lurking under the surface, epitomized by Nazi thugs and opportunistic politicians scheming to rescue Germany from decades of penury and shame. Krauss, however, senses these fearsome undercurrents, even as he is swept up in a labyrinthine quest to discover why a young woman pulled from the river was subjected to horrific medical experiments. Revered for his recent capture of an infamous serial killer yet haunted by personal loss, Krauss is now beginning to experience a subtle but pervasive fraying of his impermeability. His keen observations of the shifting world around him anchor the novel’s dark, fascinating trajectory into both the high-ranking offices of a crumbling government and Berlin's seamy underworld.
The supporting cast of characters includes an enigmatic prostitute, an extravagant hypnotist, an earnest cadet, a jaded aristocrat, and a street hustler. While some of the characters conform to established clichés, Grossman handles them with sensitivity and style, while his villains— including a terrifying, buck-toothed Josef Mengele—display the sociopathic tendencies which became a Nazi blueprint and are all the more unsettling because they are not fictional. Fast-paced action sequences interspersed with Krauss’s uneasy awareness that the life he’s always believed in is turning to quicksand under his feet give the novel a brooding, unstoppable feel that kept me reading far into the night. Though Krauss fights with every part of his being to halt the shadow sweeping over him, and everyone he loves, we know the inevitable outcome; it is a testament to Mr. Grossman's talent that despite this, we still find ourselves rooting for his idealistic, damaged hero, caught up in circumstances far beyond his control, like so many thousands of Germany's inhabitants.
June 12, 2016
You must read this book. It starts slow. Do not give up. This is one of those precious books that completely surrounds the reader. One cries, shouts and mourns, yet one has hope. The hero is flawed but has a deep moral compass. He tries to save others. He fails some. He succeeds some. He carries on. I have read many stories and histories of this time. One knows these monsters' story. What made this book touch this reader so deeply is that the characters were just trying to live their lives. They could not believe that such outrageous bullies could ever destroy their beloved country. As the truth was hurled against them, they had to make decisions that would destroy themselves or save themse;ves. It was all told in very personal stories that were not about fighting the Nazis but about finding truth and spreading truth and seeing though the coming darkness. I am a confessed bookaholic. I finish a book, I must start a new one. Some very few cherished times, I must stop, think about the story & charactes. I must think though feelings brought roaring to my mind and heart by the story. This is such a book. I will read it again after a while.
January 26, 2012
This book, set in late 1932 Weimar Germany, is one scary book. One reason I like dystopias so much is that the horrible people in them are just pretend. But the Nazis who came to power in early 1933 were not pretend, and they committed atrocious crimes. And this close-up look at Berlin just as the brownshirts were taking it over is frightening both for what is described and for what you know will be coming later.
Inspektor-Detektiv Willi Kraus, 35, is a respected Berlin homicide cop who received the Iron Cross for his heroism in World War I, and additionally is a local hero for solving a child-killer crime not long ago. His wife Vicki died two years earlier in a freak accident, and her sister now raises his two young sons, Stefan and Erich.
Now Kraus has two new cases. Washed up in the river on the west side of Berlin near Spandau, the body of a woman has been found with mutilated legs – her fibulae have been surgically removed and replanted in the opposite direction. Kraus also is charged with finding a missing Bulgarian princess. While missing persons are not within his ordinary purview, this situation could cause a diplomatic crisis. Both cases turn out to be connected, however. In fact, a number of women have gone missing over the past nine months, all of whom were thought to be under a hypnotic trance when they abruptly left their homes and took the train out to Spandau, from which they never returned.
What Kraus discovers is a horrific preview of barbarity to come. And yet he, like so many other Jews at that time, still thinks that reason will prevail, and resists the idea of leaving Germany. But increasingly, his ability to do his job is stymied by anti-Semitism. As more and more non-Jews are hypnotized by facism, more and more Jews sleepwalk to their deaths. At the end of the book, you find yourself racing through to see if Kraus will escape in time.
Discussion: For me, there were some problems with the book. The intermittent insertion of German phrases is bizarre – the characters presumably all speak German, not English. It just didn’t make sense. The tropes of hypnotism and sleepwalking are clever but at the same time too obviously trying to convey a message about pre-War Germany. And while I accept that the author messed around with the dates of some historical events for plot reasons (which he explains in the afterward), the addition of dialogue from some of the many historical figures of the era just felt like unnecessary “name-dropping.”
Evaluation: This is a definite page-turner with an interesting premise – a Jewish cop trying to solve a crime in the early days of the Nazis. There is an eclectic, interesting cast of characters, and by the end, you can’t put it down until you know what will happen.
Rating: 3.5/5
Inspektor-Detektiv Willi Kraus, 35, is a respected Berlin homicide cop who received the Iron Cross for his heroism in World War I, and additionally is a local hero for solving a child-killer crime not long ago. His wife Vicki died two years earlier in a freak accident, and her sister now raises his two young sons, Stefan and Erich.
Now Kraus has two new cases. Washed up in the river on the west side of Berlin near Spandau, the body of a woman has been found with mutilated legs – her fibulae have been surgically removed and replanted in the opposite direction. Kraus also is charged with finding a missing Bulgarian princess. While missing persons are not within his ordinary purview, this situation could cause a diplomatic crisis. Both cases turn out to be connected, however. In fact, a number of women have gone missing over the past nine months, all of whom were thought to be under a hypnotic trance when they abruptly left their homes and took the train out to Spandau, from which they never returned.
What Kraus discovers is a horrific preview of barbarity to come. And yet he, like so many other Jews at that time, still thinks that reason will prevail, and resists the idea of leaving Germany. But increasingly, his ability to do his job is stymied by anti-Semitism. As more and more non-Jews are hypnotized by facism, more and more Jews sleepwalk to their deaths. At the end of the book, you find yourself racing through to see if Kraus will escape in time.
Discussion: For me, there were some problems with the book. The intermittent insertion of German phrases is bizarre – the characters presumably all speak German, not English. It just didn’t make sense. The tropes of hypnotism and sleepwalking are clever but at the same time too obviously trying to convey a message about pre-War Germany. And while I accept that the author messed around with the dates of some historical events for plot reasons (which he explains in the afterward), the addition of dialogue from some of the many historical figures of the era just felt like unnecessary “name-dropping.”
Evaluation: This is a definite page-turner with an interesting premise – a Jewish cop trying to solve a crime in the early days of the Nazis. There is an eclectic, interesting cast of characters, and by the end, you can’t put it down until you know what will happen.
Rating: 3.5/5
March 2, 2024
A new author for me, with a story from one of my favourite periods in history.
Detective Willi Kraus is the star of the show, a celebrity even, as he mixes in circles with Marlene Dietrich as well as President Von Hindenburg! All on first name terms to! He even works in a passing “chat” with Albert Einstein about the state of Germany before he is off to America. Kraus is a decorated war hero as well as a famed detective for solving the biggest cases & reports directly to the top, his face easily recognisable on the street, he is the flavour of the month, hence all the fame & rubbing noses with the notorieties of the era. But as he is Jewish is this all about to change? He though thinks otherwise, forever the optimist, whilst others around him can see the rapidly changing landscape & begin to make plans to escape Germany whilst they still have the choice.
It’s very well done, in that it paints the changing face of Germany, namely Berlin 1932 through early 1933. A Berlin of the times brought to life through the narrative, the vibe of its people through the character interactions, it’s a lively read & Detective Kraus is a likeable guy & much respected by all.
The mystery is exactly as it says, women turning into sleepwalkers & disappearing mysteriously after featuring in a hypnotist show earlier that night. The Nazi regime (to be) are of course involved in the guise of the SS & play the bad guys as expected. I shall reveal no more that the book/spine splurge.
And that’s how we were right up until the point where Willi meets the happy hooker & they fall for each other whereupon the story dynamic changes completely to summit akin to madcap, amiable enough to continue with, although at times it almost falls into “jolly caper” mode which I didn’t quite expect from the early nuance & style. It really is a change-up. The plot & story jus leap ahead at times & it’s a very quick read from scene to scene (akin to a film script) which in truth I found a bit of a shame after the original outline the author put together; I expected (far) more substance….
A huge plus is that the author certainly brings early 1930’s Germany to life & knows Berlin intimately through his narrative, it’s what kept me going through some of the more “capier” moments. His grasp of the politics of the era is detailed as is the everyday lives/fears of the Jewish population which he captures superbly.
The action scenes though are all a little too rushed, giving no real tension, pithy might be a good description to use which leaves you with a feeling of it’s all jus good escapist fun in the end, though the backdrop is obviously a lot darker.
(FAR) Too melodramatic in places too as you get deeper into the read. It’s almost like the style changed as it went.
I’ll (perhaps) be back for more when the mood is right (think maybe a summer read)
3 stars overall as having mostly enjoyed the opening & first 1/3rd (plus the historical detail) or so of the book it certainly tailed off (piecemeal plotting at times) & certainly was not quite what I had expected after a very strong start.
It's all a bit of a pickle....
Detective Willi Kraus is the star of the show, a celebrity even, as he mixes in circles with Marlene Dietrich as well as President Von Hindenburg! All on first name terms to! He even works in a passing “chat” with Albert Einstein about the state of Germany before he is off to America. Kraus is a decorated war hero as well as a famed detective for solving the biggest cases & reports directly to the top, his face easily recognisable on the street, he is the flavour of the month, hence all the fame & rubbing noses with the notorieties of the era. But as he is Jewish is this all about to change? He though thinks otherwise, forever the optimist, whilst others around him can see the rapidly changing landscape & begin to make plans to escape Germany whilst they still have the choice.
It’s very well done, in that it paints the changing face of Germany, namely Berlin 1932 through early 1933. A Berlin of the times brought to life through the narrative, the vibe of its people through the character interactions, it’s a lively read & Detective Kraus is a likeable guy & much respected by all.
The mystery is exactly as it says, women turning into sleepwalkers & disappearing mysteriously after featuring in a hypnotist show earlier that night. The Nazi regime (to be) are of course involved in the guise of the SS & play the bad guys as expected. I shall reveal no more that the book/spine splurge.
And that’s how we were right up until the point where Willi meets the happy hooker & they fall for each other whereupon the story dynamic changes completely to summit akin to madcap, amiable enough to continue with, although at times it almost falls into “jolly caper” mode which I didn’t quite expect from the early nuance & style. It really is a change-up. The plot & story jus leap ahead at times & it’s a very quick read from scene to scene (akin to a film script) which in truth I found a bit of a shame after the original outline the author put together; I expected (far) more substance….
A huge plus is that the author certainly brings early 1930’s Germany to life & knows Berlin intimately through his narrative, it’s what kept me going through some of the more “capier” moments. His grasp of the politics of the era is detailed as is the everyday lives/fears of the Jewish population which he captures superbly.
The action scenes though are all a little too rushed, giving no real tension, pithy might be a good description to use which leaves you with a feeling of it’s all jus good escapist fun in the end, though the backdrop is obviously a lot darker.
(FAR) Too melodramatic in places too as you get deeper into the read. It’s almost like the style changed as it went.
I’ll (perhaps) be back for more when the mood is right (think maybe a summer read)
3 stars overall as having mostly enjoyed the opening & first 1/3rd (plus the historical detail) or so of the book it certainly tailed off (piecemeal plotting at times) & certainly was not quite what I had expected after a very strong start.
It's all a bit of a pickle....
October 17, 2011
Give away book received from Goodreads first read give-away.
Mein namen ist Willie! (Well there goes most of my 30 year old HS German.) I will be your tour guide to 1933-34 Berlin. I will take you to the largest restaurants and biergarten's in the city-some seat thousands of hungry and thirsty people daily. I will introduce you to the infamous Boot Girls of Berlin-remember to buy your guidebook-so you know which lovely lady offers which services(really true!). I will show you The Wiemar underbelly of my fair city.
I will also teach German politics-Germans vs Communists vs Brown shirts vs Nazis. Most verses the special, the different, the challenged, the mental, the foreign, and of course the Jews-like me.
I am a Jewish Police detective-Kripo. I will tell you of my last case, before the Nazi plague engulfed my Berlin, my home. I fought and lost for this great nation in the first war, and to see it turn on it citizens makes me physically ill. The horrors I will tell you I have seen, and the vile evils that lurk within the Nazi party. I am running not only for my life, but running to solve the case of my life-to save my country. Join me, as I a spin a tale of woe and horror, and intrigue in my city of Berlin.
I learned so much from this book. I googled locations, people, and events. I ordered a book on Wiemar Berlin-that has been on my wishlist for a couple years now. I really enjoy a book that teaches me new things, and excites me about history. I feel the continuity of the story line suffered some. A mission is undertaken, then the next chapter starts: "Three days later, I arrived in Paris.". Come on--all readers of this book want to know about those 3 days! The writing from Willie's point of view is nice, but on the mission, I so wanted the hear the others' reactions to what they saw. Also, early one, there is a great character introduced to the story line, then this person just not there anymore. I felt it was poorly done-to create such a fascinating person, then just throw them away.
I actually would give this book 4.5 stars-the more I read, the more I kept turning the pages-not being able to put the book down. I am looking forward to the author's next Willie book. It is to be set years before this one.....
Mein namen ist Willie! (Well there goes most of my 30 year old HS German.) I will be your tour guide to 1933-34 Berlin. I will take you to the largest restaurants and biergarten's in the city-some seat thousands of hungry and thirsty people daily. I will introduce you to the infamous Boot Girls of Berlin-remember to buy your guidebook-so you know which lovely lady offers which services(really true!). I will show you The Wiemar underbelly of my fair city.
I will also teach German politics-Germans vs Communists vs Brown shirts vs Nazis. Most verses the special, the different, the challenged, the mental, the foreign, and of course the Jews-like me.
I am a Jewish Police detective-Kripo. I will tell you of my last case, before the Nazi plague engulfed my Berlin, my home. I fought and lost for this great nation in the first war, and to see it turn on it citizens makes me physically ill. The horrors I will tell you I have seen, and the vile evils that lurk within the Nazi party. I am running not only for my life, but running to solve the case of my life-to save my country. Join me, as I a spin a tale of woe and horror, and intrigue in my city of Berlin.
I learned so much from this book. I googled locations, people, and events. I ordered a book on Wiemar Berlin-that has been on my wishlist for a couple years now. I really enjoy a book that teaches me new things, and excites me about history. I feel the continuity of the story line suffered some. A mission is undertaken, then the next chapter starts: "Three days later, I arrived in Paris.". Come on--all readers of this book want to know about those 3 days! The writing from Willie's point of view is nice, but on the mission, I so wanted the hear the others' reactions to what they saw. Also, early one, there is a great character introduced to the story line, then this person just not there anymore. I felt it was poorly done-to create such a fascinating person, then just throw them away.
I actually would give this book 4.5 stars-the more I read, the more I kept turning the pages-not being able to put the book down. I am looking forward to the author's next Willie book. It is to be set years before this one.....
December 26, 2011
Where I got the book: LibraryThing Early Reviewers program
Inspektor-Detektiv Willi Kraus's new case involves a corpse whose leg bones are the wrong way round. And a sleepwalking princess. Stringing together the clues drags him into contact with history; in Berlin in 1933, Hitler's National Socialists are gaining more power, more rapidly than anyone could have imagined. And they seem to be implicated in the mysterious disappearances.
Kraus starts out thinking that he's looking for an ordinary serial killer, but soon realizes there's a lot more involved. His contacts within the traditional power structure, and his knowledge of the Berlin underground, are of great use to him; but he has one huge disadvantage. He's a Jew, and his friends and family are saying just one thing to him: get out of Berlin now.
It's such a pleasure to be able to give a five-star review to a debut author. I loved the way Grossman combines the elements of a murder mystery with the history of 1930s Berlin, blending fact and fiction together with great skill. His characters are well-drawn and memorable, and the novel is loaded with descriptive elements that pulled me right into its setting. The writing jarred at a few points, but these were minor quibbles compared to the novel's overall high quality.
Recommended for thriller fans who like their reading to have a certain literary quality and a fascinating setting.
Inspektor-Detektiv Willi Kraus's new case involves a corpse whose leg bones are the wrong way round. And a sleepwalking princess. Stringing together the clues drags him into contact with history; in Berlin in 1933, Hitler's National Socialists are gaining more power, more rapidly than anyone could have imagined. And they seem to be implicated in the mysterious disappearances.
Kraus starts out thinking that he's looking for an ordinary serial killer, but soon realizes there's a lot more involved. His contacts within the traditional power structure, and his knowledge of the Berlin underground, are of great use to him; but he has one huge disadvantage. He's a Jew, and his friends and family are saying just one thing to him: get out of Berlin now.
It's such a pleasure to be able to give a five-star review to a debut author. I loved the way Grossman combines the elements of a murder mystery with the history of 1930s Berlin, blending fact and fiction together with great skill. His characters are well-drawn and memorable, and the novel is loaded with descriptive elements that pulled me right into its setting. The writing jarred at a few points, but these were minor quibbles compared to the novel's overall high quality.
Recommended for thriller fans who like their reading to have a certain literary quality and a fascinating setting.
December 18, 2015
I was possibly expecting too much from this book when I started it and ended up being quite disappointed by it.
Willi Kraus is a famous detective in the Berlin police force at the end of 1932. When a young woman with inexplicably deformed legs is washed up of the banks of the Havel River, Willi takes the lead in the murder investigation. When a politically sensitive missing person case is also added to his case load Willi must find out why beautiful young women are sleepwalking their way into oblivion. With the Nazi Party becoming increasingly dominant and the Weimar Republic waning in power, Willi must be careful not to become a victim himself as it is becoming ever more dangerous to be Jewish in Berlin.
There were several things that bothered me about this book, a few of the characters were irritating, most notably the prostitute Paula. It felt like they all could have done with a little more complexity or explanation or something to make them more engaging. The writing was lacking, I can't quite put my finger on why but it was and the end of the book.....I couldn’t wait for it to end, it seemed to take forever to wrap up the story once the mystery was solved.
The history was this books saving grace. I loved it and from the bits and pieces I researched it seemed quite accurate and very disturbing. It was a great city and era to set a murder mystery in.
Willi Kraus is a famous detective in the Berlin police force at the end of 1932. When a young woman with inexplicably deformed legs is washed up of the banks of the Havel River, Willi takes the lead in the murder investigation. When a politically sensitive missing person case is also added to his case load Willi must find out why beautiful young women are sleepwalking their way into oblivion. With the Nazi Party becoming increasingly dominant and the Weimar Republic waning in power, Willi must be careful not to become a victim himself as it is becoming ever more dangerous to be Jewish in Berlin.
There were several things that bothered me about this book, a few of the characters were irritating, most notably the prostitute Paula. It felt like they all could have done with a little more complexity or explanation or something to make them more engaging. The writing was lacking, I can't quite put my finger on why but it was and the end of the book.....I couldn’t wait for it to end, it seemed to take forever to wrap up the story once the mystery was solved.
The history was this books saving grace. I loved it and from the bits and pieces I researched it seemed quite accurate and very disturbing. It was a great city and era to set a murder mystery in.
January 27, 2014
So, this was blurbed as "a riveting debut" and praised by NPR, which raised my expectations a bit. It's a mystery thriller set in Weimar Germany, immediately before (and during) Hitler's rise to power. The setup is annoyingly familiar: a woman is found mutilated & murdered, a man has to solve the crime. I keep thinking we're going to get past this trope, but apparently not. Still, I sighed and gave it a shot.
Warning: strong language, gross and possibly trigger-y stuff.
Warning: strong language, gross and possibly trigger-y stuff.
October 9, 2021
Nazi thrillers are a difficult genre. There are a few classics, like THE ODESSA FILE by Frederick Forsyth, and THE EAGLE HAS LANDED by Jack Higgins, and THE BERKUT by Joseph Heywood. Most of the rest are just sort of creepy and empty and depressing, like this book right here.
There are so many pitfalls to writing a Nazi thriller. The biggest one is that the reader can almost always guess how the story ends up. If a tough Jewish detective is out to get dirt on the Nazis in 1932, and bring them down before Hitler can seize power . . . well, the reader can pretty much guess that isn't going to happen. This book is certainly well researched, but there's no way to whip up suspense when the reader knows that Inspector Willie is beaten before he gets started. No amount of gruesome corpses, sex crimes, and guided tours of the decadent night life can change that basic fact!
The second problem involves the decadence and criminality of the Weimar Republic and pre-Nazi Berlin. Any author runs into the danger of playing into the Nazis' version of events. That is to say, if all we see in Berlin are sex clubs with whips and chains, and boy prostitutes dancing with decadent old businessmen, and girl prostitutes dying back alleys . . . well, all that fits in really well with the claims Hitler was making at the time. Germany is rotting from within and someone has to stop it! Inspector Willi sees an awful lot, but he has no real moral perspective on what he's seeing. He doesn't have any suggestions on how Berlin could be cleaned up, short of a Nazi takeover. He doesn't even seem to feel there's a problem. Which is strange, because his love interest is a working class German girl who's been forced into prostitution by extreme poverty.
The third problem involves the roots of Nazi anti-Semitism. Every author who ever writes one of these thrillers seems terribly eager to throw in some gossip about "pagan" Nazi rituals and "pagan" orgies and "pagan" barbarism. The whole problem is that the Nazis are still worshipping forest gods and burning their enemies alive in wicker cages, like they did to the Romans in 14 A.D. All that stuff is great, for thriller writing. And I even heard a German general brag about the wicker cages stuff in the Russian movie STALINGRAD. Still, the basic Nazi image of the Jews as betrayers, as people who can't be trusted, doesn't come from forest gods or Wagnerian opera. It comes from the Catholic Church. And in these type of thrillers, you never, ever see a Catholic priest condemning Nazi anti-Semitism. Or even admitting that it's a problem the church helped to create in the first place!
The fourth problem is the lack of a strong villain. Hitler is in this book, but he just has a cameo every fifty or sixty pages. Same thing with Ernst Roehm. Oddly enough, the main villain is actually not even a Nazi! He's a sleazy hypnotist who gets off on hypnotizing pretty girls and making them into his sex slaves. This is a bad idea for many, many reasons. It brings the whole book down to the level of a sixth-grade boy's fantasy life, for one thing. But again, it backs up the Nazi view that democracy and sexual liberation lead to decadence. And it cheapens the moral message of the book! "First, they came for the sleazy hypnotists. And I didn't say anything, because I wasn't a sleazy hypnotist." It just doesn't move the reader.
So was there anything good about this book? Tons of details about Berlin's many neighborhoods, and the shopping district. Lots of cameos by famous people who are fleeing the Nazis. I liked the fact that Willi had a shiksa girlfriend, even though she disappears halfway through the book. And I know why. Because if Willi brought a shiksa home to mama, there'd be tsuris without end!
There are so many pitfalls to writing a Nazi thriller. The biggest one is that the reader can almost always guess how the story ends up. If a tough Jewish detective is out to get dirt on the Nazis in 1932, and bring them down before Hitler can seize power . . . well, the reader can pretty much guess that isn't going to happen. This book is certainly well researched, but there's no way to whip up suspense when the reader knows that Inspector Willie is beaten before he gets started. No amount of gruesome corpses, sex crimes, and guided tours of the decadent night life can change that basic fact!
The second problem involves the decadence and criminality of the Weimar Republic and pre-Nazi Berlin. Any author runs into the danger of playing into the Nazis' version of events. That is to say, if all we see in Berlin are sex clubs with whips and chains, and boy prostitutes dancing with decadent old businessmen, and girl prostitutes dying back alleys . . . well, all that fits in really well with the claims Hitler was making at the time. Germany is rotting from within and someone has to stop it! Inspector Willi sees an awful lot, but he has no real moral perspective on what he's seeing. He doesn't have any suggestions on how Berlin could be cleaned up, short of a Nazi takeover. He doesn't even seem to feel there's a problem. Which is strange, because his love interest is a working class German girl who's been forced into prostitution by extreme poverty.
The third problem involves the roots of Nazi anti-Semitism. Every author who ever writes one of these thrillers seems terribly eager to throw in some gossip about "pagan" Nazi rituals and "pagan" orgies and "pagan" barbarism. The whole problem is that the Nazis are still worshipping forest gods and burning their enemies alive in wicker cages, like they did to the Romans in 14 A.D. All that stuff is great, for thriller writing. And I even heard a German general brag about the wicker cages stuff in the Russian movie STALINGRAD. Still, the basic Nazi image of the Jews as betrayers, as people who can't be trusted, doesn't come from forest gods or Wagnerian opera. It comes from the Catholic Church. And in these type of thrillers, you never, ever see a Catholic priest condemning Nazi anti-Semitism. Or even admitting that it's a problem the church helped to create in the first place!
The fourth problem is the lack of a strong villain. Hitler is in this book, but he just has a cameo every fifty or sixty pages. Same thing with Ernst Roehm. Oddly enough, the main villain is actually not even a Nazi! He's a sleazy hypnotist who gets off on hypnotizing pretty girls and making them into his sex slaves. This is a bad idea for many, many reasons. It brings the whole book down to the level of a sixth-grade boy's fantasy life, for one thing. But again, it backs up the Nazi view that democracy and sexual liberation lead to decadence. And it cheapens the moral message of the book! "First, they came for the sleazy hypnotists. And I didn't say anything, because I wasn't a sleazy hypnotist." It just doesn't move the reader.
So was there anything good about this book? Tons of details about Berlin's many neighborhoods, and the shopping district. Lots of cameos by famous people who are fleeing the Nazis. I liked the fact that Willi had a shiksa girlfriend, even though she disappears halfway through the book. And I know why. Because if Willi brought a shiksa home to mama, there'd be tsuris without end!
September 29, 2020
Der braune Horror in Berlin.
„Dieses Berlin der Weimarer Republik, das von den Jahren des Krieges, der Niederlage, der Revolution, der Inflation und jetzt der Depression gebeutelt wurde, in dem fast vier Millionen Menschen arbeitslos waren, dessen Regierung wie paralysiert schien und in dem es vor Lasterhaftigkeit drunter und drüber ging... Sexverrückte, Serienkiller, Schlägertrupps der Rot- und Braunhemden, die sich um die Kontrolle auf den Straßen prügelten... Diese Stadt, die das Ende der Fahnenstange erreicht hatte, die kein Morgen kannte, die am Rand des Abgrunds taumelte - der Diktatur. Selbst in dieser Stadt war das ein Bild des blanken Horrors.“
Ich mag Berlin. Ich mag Bücher, die sich mit dem 2. Weltkrieg befassen. Ich mag Thriller und Kriminalromane.
All das findet sich grandios gebündelt in Paul Grossmans „Schlafwandler“ - Krimiplot und Zeitgeschichte as its best!
Berlin, Winter 1932. Inspektor Kraus ist bei der Berliner Polizei eine Legende und gefeierter Held des 1. Weltkriegs. Doch als Jude sieht er die Entwicklung in Deutschland mit größter Besorgnis, zumal er Kontakte zu den höchsten Kreisen hat und weiß, was von Hitler zu erwarten ist.
In der Spree wird eine Frauenleiche aufgefunden - man hat ihr die Knochen unter dem Knie abgetrennt.
Wenig später verschwindet die Prinzessin von Bulgarien aus dem Hotel Adlon, und Kraus erhält von Hindenburg persönlich den Auftrag, sie zu finden.
Er kommt Verbrechen von nahezu unvorstellbaren Ausmaßen auf die Spur, die sich "im echten Leben" im Dritten Reich tatsächlich zugetragen haben - nur in einer noch grauenhafteren Dimension.
„Schlafwandler“ ist ein packender, aber auch erschütternder zeitgeschichtlicher Roman, in dem gleich mehrere Nazigrößen ihren Auftritt haben. Vor allem das Portrait der Stadt Berlin zu jener Zeit fand ich extrem beeindruckend - Lebensgefühl und Atmosphäre sind perfekt eingefangen.
Grossmans zwei weitere Kraus-Romane - „Kindersucher“ und „Schattenmann“ - sind bei mir schon fest eingeplant.
„Dieses Berlin der Weimarer Republik, das von den Jahren des Krieges, der Niederlage, der Revolution, der Inflation und jetzt der Depression gebeutelt wurde, in dem fast vier Millionen Menschen arbeitslos waren, dessen Regierung wie paralysiert schien und in dem es vor Lasterhaftigkeit drunter und drüber ging... Sexverrückte, Serienkiller, Schlägertrupps der Rot- und Braunhemden, die sich um die Kontrolle auf den Straßen prügelten... Diese Stadt, die das Ende der Fahnenstange erreicht hatte, die kein Morgen kannte, die am Rand des Abgrunds taumelte - der Diktatur. Selbst in dieser Stadt war das ein Bild des blanken Horrors.“
Ich mag Berlin. Ich mag Bücher, die sich mit dem 2. Weltkrieg befassen. Ich mag Thriller und Kriminalromane.
All das findet sich grandios gebündelt in Paul Grossmans „Schlafwandler“ - Krimiplot und Zeitgeschichte as its best!
Berlin, Winter 1932. Inspektor Kraus ist bei der Berliner Polizei eine Legende und gefeierter Held des 1. Weltkriegs. Doch als Jude sieht er die Entwicklung in Deutschland mit größter Besorgnis, zumal er Kontakte zu den höchsten Kreisen hat und weiß, was von Hitler zu erwarten ist.
In der Spree wird eine Frauenleiche aufgefunden - man hat ihr die Knochen unter dem Knie abgetrennt.
Wenig später verschwindet die Prinzessin von Bulgarien aus dem Hotel Adlon, und Kraus erhält von Hindenburg persönlich den Auftrag, sie zu finden.
Er kommt Verbrechen von nahezu unvorstellbaren Ausmaßen auf die Spur, die sich "im echten Leben" im Dritten Reich tatsächlich zugetragen haben - nur in einer noch grauenhafteren Dimension.
„Schlafwandler“ ist ein packender, aber auch erschütternder zeitgeschichtlicher Roman, in dem gleich mehrere Nazigrößen ihren Auftritt haben. Vor allem das Portrait der Stadt Berlin zu jener Zeit fand ich extrem beeindruckend - Lebensgefühl und Atmosphäre sind perfekt eingefangen.
Grossmans zwei weitere Kraus-Romane - „Kindersucher“ und „Schattenmann“ - sind bei mir schon fest eingeplant.
September 27, 2011
I was interested in reading this novel because it is set in 1932-3 Germany, the end of the Weimar Republic and beginning of Hitler's Third Reich. This period and on through World War II in Germany's history is endlessly fascinating to me. How could Hitler and his Nazi Party seduce a whole country and commit such horrors as the attempt to annilate all Jews, gypsies, communists, handicapped people, and anyone else they didn't like? All this in an effort to form an unsullied blue-eyed, blond, strong Aryan nation, which of course if taken to the extreme would have taken out Hitler himself with his dark hair and eyes, and his Austrian childhood.
So, perhaps because I have read so much about Germany's history, this novel scared me half to death from beginning to breathless end. Grossman has taken some actual events from later in the 1930s and incorporated them into the story, but most of this actually happened during the 1930s.
The hero is Willi Kraus, a police detective in Berlin, who has achieved something of a celebrity status because his investigation had run down a serial child killer. That status opens doors and protects him in the first part of the book. Unfortunately in this time and place, though, Kraus is a Jew, a widower with two young sons which make him vulnerable. He also has ties to the government which put a target on his back with the growing Nazi Party.
One morning he is called to a crime scene by the river. The body of a pretty young woman has washed up on shore. Everyone is standing around horrified because her lower leg bones have been surgically reversed. This case will lead Kraus on a trip to Hell, and the story will include an evil man who really did medical "experiments" on people, Dr. Josef Mengele.
I couldn't read this book fast enough and yet occasionally I had to get away from it. I found myself warning characters under my breath as I read or breathing a sigh of relief when imminent danger was averted. I was so caught up in the story that I was nervous until the end. If that's the mark of a good novel, this one is very good. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
I won this book from LibraryThing and the recently released paperback version is available at Amazon.com or your bookstore.
So, perhaps because I have read so much about Germany's history, this novel scared me half to death from beginning to breathless end. Grossman has taken some actual events from later in the 1930s and incorporated them into the story, but most of this actually happened during the 1930s.
The hero is Willi Kraus, a police detective in Berlin, who has achieved something of a celebrity status because his investigation had run down a serial child killer. That status opens doors and protects him in the first part of the book. Unfortunately in this time and place, though, Kraus is a Jew, a widower with two young sons which make him vulnerable. He also has ties to the government which put a target on his back with the growing Nazi Party.
One morning he is called to a crime scene by the river. The body of a pretty young woman has washed up on shore. Everyone is standing around horrified because her lower leg bones have been surgically reversed. This case will lead Kraus on a trip to Hell, and the story will include an evil man who really did medical "experiments" on people, Dr. Josef Mengele.
I couldn't read this book fast enough and yet occasionally I had to get away from it. I found myself warning characters under my breath as I read or breathing a sigh of relief when imminent danger was averted. I was so caught up in the story that I was nervous until the end. If that's the mark of a good novel, this one is very good. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
I won this book from LibraryThing and the recently released paperback version is available at Amazon.com or your bookstore.
November 2, 2011
I won this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaways. The story was intriguing and original and I liked that it was loosely based on actual events that occurred during WWII. The crimes were horrific, but they were unusual crimes that are uncommon to Holocaust books. I had high hopes that this book would be a great, fast-paced thriller. While I did enjoy it, it wasn't without its flaws.
My first problem with this book was that there were too many characters and not enough was written about them to help me differentiate them. When you're asking me to keep track of a dozen or so villains, they need to have strong personalities or features that are mentioned if you want me to remember which one is which later in the book.
**SPOILER**
Another problem I just couldn't get past: the main character, Willi, lacked consistency in his priorities. I wanted to throw the book across the room when he took a vacation to Paris right after Paula disappears. She could still be alive, and he does nothing to save her? Willi is portrayed as a top detective who is a devoted workaholic. There is no way he would've left her to the devices of those doctors without a fight.
In the final chapters of the book, Willi escapes Germany, and returns twelve years later, where we discover the fates of his many friends. Except Fritz, his best friend and one of the most interesting characters in the story. It's as if the author hastily wrapped up the story and forgot Fritz. Another character that promised to become a more relevant character is Ava, a potential love interest. There is mention at the close of the book that Willi lives in Tel Aviv with a wife and children, but no names are mentioned. What become of Ava? And for that matter, what became of Erich and Stefan, Willi's sons? I personally need a more solid conclusion to this story.
My first problem with this book was that there were too many characters and not enough was written about them to help me differentiate them. When you're asking me to keep track of a dozen or so villains, they need to have strong personalities or features that are mentioned if you want me to remember which one is which later in the book.
**SPOILER**
Another problem I just couldn't get past: the main character, Willi, lacked consistency in his priorities. I wanted to throw the book across the room when he took a vacation to Paris right after Paula disappears. She could still be alive, and he does nothing to save her? Willi is portrayed as a top detective who is a devoted workaholic. There is no way he would've left her to the devices of those doctors without a fight.
In the final chapters of the book, Willi escapes Germany, and returns twelve years later, where we discover the fates of his many friends. Except Fritz, his best friend and one of the most interesting characters in the story. It's as if the author hastily wrapped up the story and forgot Fritz. Another character that promised to become a more relevant character is Ava, a potential love interest. There is mention at the close of the book that Willi lives in Tel Aviv with a wife and children, but no names are mentioned. What become of Ava? And for that matter, what became of Erich and Stefan, Willi's sons? I personally need a more solid conclusion to this story.
January 27, 2011
Paul Grossman has put together a mystery/thriller that is based largely on historical fact. The story takes place in Berlin on the verge of the Nazi takeover. Grossman depicts a Berlin that is not only alive with cultural brillance but also the home of unheard of decadence.
Inspector-Detektiv Willi Krauss, a Jew and decorated war veteran, finds himself investigating a series of missing person cases. The cases all involve beautiful women with beautiful legs. Those who have seen them just before their disappearance say they looked as if they were "Sleepwalking".
Willi finds himself caught between the final days of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich.
Willi must infiltrate the seedy Berlin underground. He finds himself enlisting the help of a prostitute, Paula, whom he starts to fall in love with. An affair that finds Paula helping Willi by becoming a willing decoy. She becomes a "Sleepwalker" to find out the fate of the other girls that have disappeared.
Willi must now try and find out what has happened to Paul. He discovers that there is a group of doctors that are experimenting with human subjects. The experiments are being conducted on an island that Willi must penetrate and bring back proof of its existence.
Willi is able to bring back the proof but finds that he is unable to use the information because it has been secured by the Reichstag. Willi is now in mortal danger and must find a way to flee Germany.
An excellent story that combines historical fiction and mystery. The book is well crafted and will keep the reader engrossed throughout the book.
Inspector-Detektiv Willi Krauss, a Jew and decorated war veteran, finds himself investigating a series of missing person cases. The cases all involve beautiful women with beautiful legs. Those who have seen them just before their disappearance say they looked as if they were "Sleepwalking".
Willi finds himself caught between the final days of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich.
Willi must infiltrate the seedy Berlin underground. He finds himself enlisting the help of a prostitute, Paula, whom he starts to fall in love with. An affair that finds Paula helping Willi by becoming a willing decoy. She becomes a "Sleepwalker" to find out the fate of the other girls that have disappeared.
Willi must now try and find out what has happened to Paul. He discovers that there is a group of doctors that are experimenting with human subjects. The experiments are being conducted on an island that Willi must penetrate and bring back proof of its existence.
Willi is able to bring back the proof but finds that he is unable to use the information because it has been secured by the Reichstag. Willi is now in mortal danger and must find a way to flee Germany.
An excellent story that combines historical fiction and mystery. The book is well crafted and will keep the reader engrossed throughout the book.
September 23, 2011
I liked this book, but didn't love it. The setting and history involved was fascinating. Berlin on the eve of the Nazi take-over is like watching a train wreck, you just can't look away. I often found myself yelling at the main character in my head, "GET OUT!! GET OUT NOW!!!" Which is probably the point.
The mystery itself seemed like just a method to talk about 1932-33 Berlin. It just wasn't that much of a mystery; not strong enough for what seemed to be the supposed glue of the book. The characters and setting were much more interesting.
The writing was very uneven as well. Some of it was well done, other parts I found myself taken out of the story by glaring grammatical errors or a poorly turned phrase. The grammar can be blamed on an editor, but much of the writing just felt kind of clunky.
That being said, if you enjoy this period of history, it's a pretty quick read and entertaining. Definitely good enough for a vacation read or a quiet evening at home.
The mystery itself seemed like just a method to talk about 1932-33 Berlin. It just wasn't that much of a mystery; not strong enough for what seemed to be the supposed glue of the book. The characters and setting were much more interesting.
The writing was very uneven as well. Some of it was well done, other parts I found myself taken out of the story by glaring grammatical errors or a poorly turned phrase. The grammar can be blamed on an editor, but much of the writing just felt kind of clunky.
That being said, if you enjoy this period of history, it's a pretty quick read and entertaining. Definitely good enough for a vacation read or a quiet evening at home.
January 13, 2013
A meticulously researched novel about the same time period and location I'm writing about - 1930s Berlin. It's a very exciting and fast paced thriller with just the right combination of history and the writer's imagination.
Grossman does an excellent job of giving us a smart and conflicted protaganist: a celebrated Jewish police detective, who is also a highly decorated war hero, who is torn between an intriguing case and a world that is literally crumbling around him - decending into the insanity that was 12 years of the Nazi rule.
Without a doubt I'll read more from Grossman and look forward to it. Fans of Joseph Kanon and Alan Furst will not be disappointed - Grossman fits in with them seemlessly.
Grossman does an excellent job of giving us a smart and conflicted protaganist: a celebrated Jewish police detective, who is also a highly decorated war hero, who is torn between an intriguing case and a world that is literally crumbling around him - decending into the insanity that was 12 years of the Nazi rule.
Without a doubt I'll read more from Grossman and look forward to it. Fans of Joseph Kanon and Alan Furst will not be disappointed - Grossman fits in with them seemlessly.
February 6, 2014
In interesting premise - a Jewish detective on the Murder Squad in Berlin towards the end of 1932 just before the Nazi takeover.
The author seems to cover well the atmosphere of Berlin in 1932, but I found the characterisations and dialogue a bit thin.
However, the story rolls on a quick pace and kept me entertained. Not a "great" read, but I did like it and if you're interested in pre-WW2 Berlin and enjoy the David Downing "Station" series then this would be worth a look.
The author seems to cover well the atmosphere of Berlin in 1932, but I found the characterisations and dialogue a bit thin.
However, the story rolls on a quick pace and kept me entertained. Not a "great" read, but I did like it and if you're interested in pre-WW2 Berlin and enjoy the David Downing "Station" series then this would be worth a look.
March 31, 2017
I came across this one randomly while trying to find some audiobooks at the library. Our library has a sort of eclectic and very inconsistent selection, though they are free and therefore it's all magical. It also gives me a chance to discover terrific stories like this one. Grossman's debut is a spellbinding tale of a high ranking police detective and a respected WWI hero Willi Kraus trying to solve a brutal murder/mutilation in Berlin on the brink of the rise of the Nazi party. While this works very well as a mystery, for me the most compelling aspect of it was historical, particularly resonant for Kraus since he's a Jew and suddenly he, his family and his friends are becoming persons nan grata in a country he loves, country he fought for, country he now struggles to recognize. Given the worldwide rise of nationalism, this is something of a timely read. Grossman did a terrific job writing this, descriptions are vivid, the atmosphere appropriately claustrophobic, some of the setting are nightmarish enough to disturb even seasoned horror fans. And Kraus is a strong protagonist, moral, intelligent, compassionate. I didn't love the depiction of his brief affair with a working girl whose name I don't want to misspell, it reads slightly clunky, but otherwise what a great story. And well read by the narrator too. Now serialized with two more Kraus adventures in print, this makes a very strong case for reading series, not to mention a terrifically auspicious introduction. Recommended.
March 27, 2020
This book combines a mystery with the outrages that prefaced the establishment of Adolf Hitler as the Fuhrer of Germany. It is 1932 when Willi, a police inspector, a decorated war hero and a Jew is investigating the disappearance of several women who were observed to be walking as though in their sleep shortly before disappearing. His investigation is stymied at every turn by the police bureaucracy to Willi's confusion and dismay, however when he does break the case he comes to understand that what he has found has the potential to sink the budding Nazi party and deter their hellish aims. Although the book is fiction many of the historical events and people are accurately portrayed although the time frames are changed for the sake of the story. As with any book about this era, it is a disturbing, but worthwhile read.
November 10, 2024
Not suavely written, too many thriller-ish elements, but still a serious story about a wretched time in history, salvaged by several characters with true humanity and dignity: Trude, Ruta, Kai, and the protagonist Willi.
October 8, 2011
"The Sleepwalkers" is a blend of historical telling of the Nazi's assumption of power in 1933 and a captivating police mystery. Although the author takes a few liberties with the sequence of events (he admits these), his depiction is largely accurate and is coupled with a compelling story of the protagonist's efforts to expose the Nazi's horrific racially motivated crimes. Willi is an acclaimed police detective, widely famous for a crime he has solved, who is also a Jew. As the Nazi's get closer to taking control, he begins to experience their nascent intentions to persecute Jews and uncovers a sinister scheme that portends the massive crimes the Nazi's will commit in the years to come. Grossman weaves actual persons like Ernst Roehm, Josef Mengle and others into his story and creates an intriguing and action-filled narrative of Willi's attempts to expose the horrendous nature of the impending regime. The author captures well the chaos of Berlin on the eve of the Weimar republic's collapse and the incredulity of his friends and associates that the Nazi's can succeed. Although one knows the outcome, and that Willi's quest will not succeed, the story is fascinating and well-plotted.
May 21, 2013
fast read, takes place in berlin nov. 1932-feb 1933 (from just before hitler became chancellor to right after he burned the reichstag). about a jewish police murder detective who finds that nazi doctors have been doing research on live humans in their new secret clinic, institute for racial hygiene.
a fast read, his first novel, and though perhaps he tries to juggle too many characters and plots, in the end a satisfying and exciting debut. he even tips his hat to bernie gunther (sort of, or at least an allusion to gunther) Berlin Noir: March Violets / The Pale Criminal / A German Requiem and also reminds one of the "station" novels of david downing, good company. Zoo Station
forgot to say, the title not only is integral to the plot, is also from hitler "I go the way that Providence dictates with the assurance of a sleepwalker"
a fast read, his first novel, and though perhaps he tries to juggle too many characters and plots, in the end a satisfying and exciting debut. he even tips his hat to bernie gunther (sort of, or at least an allusion to gunther) Berlin Noir: March Violets / The Pale Criminal / A German Requiem and also reminds one of the "station" novels of david downing, good company. Zoo Station
forgot to say, the title not only is integral to the plot, is also from hitler "I go the way that Providence dictates with the assurance of a sleepwalker"
June 19, 2012
I was very excited to receive this novel as a Goodreads giveaway. Unfortunately, it took me forever to finish it (not the fault of the book-just life). The novel does start slowly, but is worth the read. It is also somewhat darker than my usual fare. I find that I am not a mystery novel kind of gal. I made the exception for this novel due the setting and plot: Germany on the cusp of World War II and Hitler's rise to power. This provides for a lot of tension and suspense within the story. However, I think that is also the reason I did not enjoy the novel as much as I should have: my own knowledge of what happens during the Holocaust and World War II. Having said that, the plot is creative and weaves in historical events with skill. Grossman takes a few artistic liberties with some of the dates, but this does not detract from the storyline in any way. This novel is so much more than just a straight mystery or crime novel. It is an examination of human depravity and the events that led to one of the most tragic chapters of human history.
August 20, 2012
A good hist fic mystery. I loved the real historical info and scene descriptions throughout the book, you can tell the author loves history and did his best to make it as real as possible (with a few changes which he mentions later in the author's note). I felt the mystery was a good, solid one with more to come after the mystery was solved. Often times, I lose interest once the mystery/crime is solved but in this case, the author keeps you on the edge of your seat even after the fact.
My one gripe is his use of 'd instead of just writing out the full word, i.e. Wili'd, Vicki'd. Annoying and lazy in my opinion. I thought about docking a star for this but by the end of the book, I just didn't feel I could give this one a 3 star rating. I'm overlooking this annoyance for the sake of the story.
My one gripe is his use of 'd instead of just writing out the full word, i.e. Wili'd, Vicki'd. Annoying and lazy in my opinion. I thought about docking a star for this but by the end of the book, I just didn't feel I could give this one a 3 star rating. I'm overlooking this annoyance for the sake of the story.
January 14, 2016
In una Berlino bella ed elegante, alle soglie del demonio nazista, in cui cominciano a far capolino disperazione, follia e aristocrazia cieca, l'eroe di guerra, ebreo, Willi Kraus, cercherà di far luce su una serie di sparizioni che sembrano nascondere qualcosa di ancora più terribile, un anticipo dei tremendi e folli esperimenti degli scienziati nazisti sulle minoranze tedesche. il romanzo forse è tirato per le lunghe e l'espediente dell'ipnosi è fin troppo inverosimile, ma riesce a rendere bene l'atmosfera giusta.
La cosa migliore del romanzo è il parallelismo tra la Berlino ante guerra, elegante e sofisticata, a quella dello straniante epilogo, ambientato dodici anni dopo, nel 1945, lugubre, distrutta, disperata e persa in un mucchio di macerie.
La cosa migliore del romanzo è il parallelismo tra la Berlino ante guerra, elegante e sofisticata, a quella dello straniante epilogo, ambientato dodici anni dopo, nel 1945, lugubre, distrutta, disperata e persa in un mucchio di macerie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2011
A really intriguing storyline that takes place in one of most important and interesting time period in history. It was pretty good mystery not great but good. My favorite thing about this book was that it was historically accurate to my knowledge. very well written and I'll be waiting for Paul Grossman's next book.
September 19, 2016
This if the first time I have read this author. I stumbled across this book in my local library and thought I would give it a go, and I am glad I did.
It is a great thriller set in pre Nazi Germany in the 1930's. The story follows Will Kraus, a Jewish detective, set among the turmoil as Hitler starts to come to power. This story is original and thrilling
Highly recommended
It is a great thriller set in pre Nazi Germany in the 1930's. The story follows Will Kraus, a Jewish detective, set among the turmoil as Hitler starts to come to power. This story is original and thrilling
Highly recommended
October 5, 2011
This book was AMAZING from start to finish. Grossman puts you into a world so vivid and full of life that you actually feel like you're there. This is one the characters will stay with you for a long time.
November 6, 2016
Paul Grossman's first novel, "The Sleepwalkers" is set in Berlin, 1932, just as the Nazis are seizing power. Willi Kraus is a detective-inspector at "the Alex", the police headquarters in the Alexanderplatz. He's famous throughout Berlin as the catcher of a particularly nasty criminal, "The Child Eater". (Not much left to the imagination there).
Kraus is a widower and the father of two young sons. He is also Jewish, at a time when things are turning really nasty for Germany's Jews.
He's assigned a couple of cases, one a missing Bulgarian princess and the other the murder of a woman, whose body was found floating in a river with her legs cruelly experimented on. Detective work, even with an assistant, is becoming increasingly difficult for the Jewish Willi Kraus. He is drawn in to the murky Berlin underground crime and entertainment worlds, as well as to the on-going Nazi jockeying for power. Visits to the new concentration camp at suburban Sachausen open Kraus's eyes to what really happening in the Germany he loves and hopes to grow old in.
Grossman's writing is good. Nothing great, but he tells an interesting story fairly well.
Kraus is a widower and the father of two young sons. He is also Jewish, at a time when things are turning really nasty for Germany's Jews.
He's assigned a couple of cases, one a missing Bulgarian princess and the other the murder of a woman, whose body was found floating in a river with her legs cruelly experimented on. Detective work, even with an assistant, is becoming increasingly difficult for the Jewish Willi Kraus. He is drawn in to the murky Berlin underground crime and entertainment worlds, as well as to the on-going Nazi jockeying for power. Visits to the new concentration camp at suburban Sachausen open Kraus's eyes to what really happening in the Germany he loves and hopes to grow old in.
Grossman's writing is good. Nothing great, but he tells an interesting story fairly well.
April 26, 2024
Berlin in 1932-1933 is a decadent city, filled with hungry children and many unemployed. The country has not recovered from WWI, the defeat and the cost demanded by the conquering countries. Some look forward to Hitler taking control and fixing things.
If a reader is not a student of World War II history, they might find the details about the medical experiments unbelievable…but sadly, those details are not far fetched, with the exception of the work on the legs…not sure about that.
I have been reading works of fiction about the pre- Hitler era and saw this history as a terrible time in the world. I didn’t believe that these tactics could ever be repeated. We had learned our lessons…..then, Trump and Putin arrived on the scene.
This is a compelling book. Our hero is a Jew, so we know what he doesn’t at the time…that he needs to flee the country post haste. He is committed to solving the mystery of the sleepwalkers, so he waits until the last minute….stressing out the reader.
I liked the Epilogue. I like it when the author finishes the story.
If a reader is not a student of World War II history, they might find the details about the medical experiments unbelievable…but sadly, those details are not far fetched, with the exception of the work on the legs…not sure about that.
I have been reading works of fiction about the pre- Hitler era and saw this history as a terrible time in the world. I didn’t believe that these tactics could ever be repeated. We had learned our lessons…..then, Trump and Putin arrived on the scene.
This is a compelling book. Our hero is a Jew, so we know what he doesn’t at the time…that he needs to flee the country post haste. He is committed to solving the mystery of the sleepwalkers, so he waits until the last minute….stressing out the reader.
I liked the Epilogue. I like it when the author finishes the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2021
A quick read. Full of suspense and drama. It had a very noir feel to it. It was like reading an old 30s or 40s black and white movie, complete with dramatic break-aways.
The book takes place in Berlin in the early 30s before the Nazis take control. A WWI veteran, now a police detective and also Jewish, is trying to solve the death of a woman found in the river. As it becomes obvious the Nazis are involved, it is imperative he solves the case, but time is running out. Nazi rule is at hand. Soon it won't matter that the police detective is a celebrated war hero; only that he is a jew. More and more of his allies are killed by the Nazis as more and more people fall under the spell of nazi rhetoric.
The book delves into how people can start to fall into the beliefs of a few, while ignoring their fellow citizens. I liked the images of old Berlin it conjured. The beauty of the city, while also showing the city's seedy side.
The book takes place in Berlin in the early 30s before the Nazis take control. A WWI veteran, now a police detective and also Jewish, is trying to solve the death of a woman found in the river. As it becomes obvious the Nazis are involved, it is imperative he solves the case, but time is running out. Nazi rule is at hand. Soon it won't matter that the police detective is a celebrated war hero; only that he is a jew. More and more of his allies are killed by the Nazis as more and more people fall under the spell of nazi rhetoric.
The book delves into how people can start to fall into the beliefs of a few, while ignoring their fellow citizens. I liked the images of old Berlin it conjured. The beauty of the city, while also showing the city's seedy side.
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