Cavalcade

Pinkerton Mysteries

by Walter Satterthwait

Pinkerton agents Jane Turner and Philip Beaumont have just finished another difficult assignment abroad; now the office is sending them to Germany. Their to find the assassin who almost succeeded in killing Adolf Hitler when he was in Berlin.

Their first surprise is a pleasant one---the Nazi big shot assigned to be their guide, Ernst (Putzi) Hanfstaengl, is a huge, jovial man who amazes his guests immediately; his English is almost without any accent! Hanfstaengl has learned American ways during his student days at Harvard. He is a talented pianist and as friendly as a puppy. Jane and Phil have no reason to think his fellow Nazis are not just as personable. This isn't going to be so bad.

Everything starts to go downhill after that, however, although a handsome Nazi almost turns Jane's head with his attentions. Their job becomes a questionable one as the agents see more and more of the new party's dreadful face. A woman who gives them some information is found murdered. There are other deaths, all clearly connected to the Nazi Party. By the time Jane and Phil meet Hitler, they are not only horrified and puzzled about why the Pinkerton agency accepted the job, they are very aware that they are in danger themselves.

Walter Satterthwait has uncannily taken his readers to the Germany of 1923, introducing them to characters from the actual front pages of the period's newspapers---Hanfstaengl, Rudolf Hess, and many others. As in the previous two books of this series, the crimes that Turner and Beaumont encounter are committed against a genuinely historical background. It all adds up to a suspenseful story of two likable people at risk in the treacherous atmosphere of Germany's postwar nightmare.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Walter Satterthwait (b. 1946) was an author of mysteries and historical fiction. A fan of mystery novels from a young age, he spent high school immersed in the works of Dashiell Hammett and Mickey Spillane. While working as a bartender in New York in the late 1970s, he wrote his first book: an adventure novel, Cocaine Blues (1979), about a drug dealer on the run from a pair of killers.

After his second thriller, The Aegean Affair (1982), Satterthwait created his best-known character, Santa Fe private detective Joshua Croft. Beginning with Wall of Glass (1988), Satterthwait wrote five Croft novels, concluding the series with 1996’s Accustomed to the Dark. In between Croft books, he wrote mysteries starring historical figures, including Miss Lizzie (1989), a novel about Lizzie Borden, and Wilde West (1991), a western mystery starring Oscar Wilde. His most recent novel is Dead Horse (2007), an account of the mysterious death of Depression-era pulp writer Raoul Whitfield. 

Reviews

[MaggyGray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Früher fand ich die Bücher von Walter Satterthwait extrem toll, und im Grunde tue ich das auch heute noch, aber irgendwie ist der Lack dann doch ab. Oder die Geschichte ist nicht das, was ich erwartet habe. Für manche Autor:innen scheint das blosse Vorkommen von Adolf Hitler in einem Roman alles zu tragen, sodass man keinen roten Faden, schlüssige Abläufe und eine gute Auflösung braucht. Und dann, wie bei Satterthwait üblich, sind alle Probleme, Abnormitäten, Gewalt etc. ständig die Folge von bizarren / grotesken / absurden sexuellen Vorlieben und/oder Begierden, bei denen stets Frauen die Schlampen und Huren und Flittchen und generell die "Unreinen" sind. Nun ja. War trotzdem ein nettes Lesehäppchen. Mehr aber auch nicht.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Cavalcade” is the third and last volume in Walter Satterthwait’s trilogy about Pinkerton agents Phil Beaumont and Jane Turner in 1920s Europe, and once again they meet with genuine historical figures in the course of their investigation. Unfortunately, in this case they have arrived in Germany, where they are looking into a mysterious incident in which an unknown person apparently fired a gun at Hitler. The cast of characters that they meet, both real and fictional, are by and large horrible anti-semites, or else they’re once middle class people (especially women) who are now prostitutes because of the hyper-inflation in Germany since the end of WWI. And while our two are investigating, other unsavory characters are keeping an eye on them, to make sure they don’t get too close to the truth…. Honestly, I enjoyed this book less than the other two in the series, simply because of the ubiquitous presence of Nazis throughout. This is set in the Spring of 1923, so after Hitler started his National Socialist party but before he came into power; the people around him at this stage are largely the people who figured highly in later years, and it all just leaves a rather bitter taste in my mouth. Don’t get me wrong - the story is well-told and the two leads remain likeable, but the subject matter is a very large turn-off. A pity.

[Araych · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinkerton Detectives #3. ................ Germany, 1923. Phil and Jane are hired to go to Germany to find out who tried to kill Adolf Hitler. Very well done with lots of period details BUT their previous mystery adventure in Paris of 1922 was fun but this book is much darker. Tough to write a light fun mystery about Nazis. But I do like Phil and Jane so 3.5 stars. Plus Satterthwait has died so the series is over. Bye Walter.

[Susan Jo Grassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this is the last of the Pinkerton series. This mystery takes place in Germany between WWI and WWII. Our heroes are asked to investigate an attempted assassination of none other than Adolf Hitler. The cast of infamous characters are right out of history. There's suspense galore mingled with a hint of romance and true insanity.

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment puts our favorite Pinkerton detectives in early 1920s Germany, just as Hitler is building his Nazi party. Phil and Jane are hired by the Nazis to investigate an attempted assassination attempt on Hilter. As Phil and Jane become familiar with the party leaders, the detectives discover far more about the disturbing anti-Semitism and militarism of Nazi ideology than about the assassination itself. This mystery is a bit odd, in that solving the actual crime is not the primary focus. (Indeed, that aspect is resolved rather hastily in a couple paragraphs at the end.) This is instead an exploration of the evils of Nazism, and the ways in which it could attract both scary psychos and seemingly normal people. This atmosphere very well rendered. In addition, we get some great character development of the Jane/Phil relationship. Satterthwait also sounds an ominous final note, hinting that other western governments allowed Nazism to gain power because they viewed the alternative, communism, as even more dangerous. I have heard this theory discussed in history courses, and there is probably a grain of truth in it. But then, we have the benefit of hindsight. Governments probably make such "bargains with the devil" every day. It's just that they usually don't turn out quite so horrifically.

[Lorna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good book to read while travelling. The Pinkerton detectives Phil Beaumont and Jane Gardner are in pre-World War II Germany. They've been hired by the Nazi Party to find out made an assassination attempt on Hitler's life. As they try to do their job, they learn more and more about events leading up to the war and find that they do not much care for the Nazis. Tho my review sounds flip, it is a good read and kept me occupied at the airport for several hours. There are several more about this detective duo and I may look into them at some point.

[Bayneeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phil and Jane move on to Germany to investigate an attempt on Hitler's life in 1923. Similar in style to Escapade and Masquerade but it's tough to make much about the Nazis light and humorous. Similar introduction of real or based-on-real characters or fictional characters from the works of others: psychic magician based on Hanussan, a passing glimpse of Marlene Dietrich, and Arthur Norris and Sally Bowles from Isherwood's Berlin stories.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! The story is told from 2 points of view and it works very well. The reader is allowed insight into how the other protagonist is reacting. I didn't know much about Germany before WWII and this book provides an interesting glimpse.

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is in the same style as the previous two books but still keeps the characters fresh and developing. Like the other two the mystery is interesting and engaging. It's also an interesting perspective on the early Nazi movement in Germany before their rise to power.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

very entertaining. I was really engaged with the characters