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Gereon Rath #2
The Silent Death
Internation Bestseller
March 1930: The film business is changing. Talkies are taking over the silver screen and many producers, cinema owners, and silent movie stars are falling by the wayside. Celebrated actress Betty Winter is hit by a spotlight while on set for a talkie. At first it looks like an accident. But Superintendent Gereon Rath finds clues that point to murder. While his colleagues suspect the absconded lighting technician, Rath’s investigations take him in a completely different direction—and he is soon left on his own.
Volker Kutscher follows on seamlessly from his bestseller Babylon Berlin and brings 1930s Berlin back to life again in a complex and gripping mystery. He draws readers back into an era that is much closer to the present day than they might expect.
March 1930: The film business is changing. Talkies are taking over the silver screen and many producers, cinema owners, and silent movie stars are falling by the wayside. Celebrated actress Betty Winter is hit by a spotlight while on set for a talkie. At first it looks like an accident. But Superintendent Gereon Rath finds clues that point to murder. While his colleagues suspect the absconded lighting technician, Rath’s investigations take him in a completely different direction—and he is soon left on his own.
Volker Kutscher follows on seamlessly from his bestseller Babylon Berlin and brings 1930s Berlin back to life again in a complex and gripping mystery. He draws readers back into an era that is much closer to the present day than they might expect.
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
402 people are currently reading
1643 people want to read
About the author
Volker Kutscher
23 books610 followersVolker Kutscher ist ein deutscher Schriftsteller. 1995 veröffentlichte er mit Bullenmord seinen ersten Kriminalroman im Kölner Verlag Emons. 2008 erschien unter dem Titel Der nasse Fisch der erste Band einer auf mehrere Bände angelegten Reihe von historischen Kriminalromanen um die literarische Figur des Kölner Kommissars Gereon Rath, die im Berlin der späten Weimarer Republik und des Nationalsozialismus spielen. Die bis 2019 erschienenen ersten 7 Bände spielen in den Jahren 1929 bis 1935.
Volker Kutscher lebt in Köln.
Volker Kutscher lebt in Köln.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
September 12, 2019
”Then there was only a glistening light that enveloped her completely. No, more than that: she herself was light, for a fraction of a second she was part of a luminosity never before experienced. Never before had she seen so clearly, and yet in the same moment she knew it was precisely this luminosity that would plunge her into darkness, irretrievably and forever.”
It all begins with a rather dramatic death of an actress on a film set, but this turns out to be only the opening salvo in a series of actresses’ murders. The film industry in Berlin is going through a transition from silent films to talkies. There are very fervent supporters of both forms of expression. Those who believe that silent films are the pinnacle of movie making decry the vulgarity of films with sound. The directors and producers who are embracing the talkies know that sound is not a fad and that the future of film will rest with the public’s desire for films that utilize the new technology.
The battle between the silents and the talkies mirrors the unrest that is happening in the city. Two factions, the Communists and Fascists, are clashing as they vie for the hearts and minds of Germany. Inspector Gereon Rath’s father is a police legend back in his home town of Cologne. Even though he isn’t a big fan of his father, he still tries to impress him. Gereon is ambitious to succeed, but he has a predilection for finding himself in trouble with his superiors. He also has an affinity for cocaine, cognac, and jazz, a potentially deadly combination that could land him in more trouble than even what his father can extract him from.
Gereon also suffers from nightmares that make sleeping a form of punishment. ”He only had to close his eyes to see them: the demons that persecuted him, dead people, people he knew, people he had known. People pale as corpses, with bullet holes in their chest, empty eye sockets and flaps of skin hanging from their bodies like moth-eaten cloaks. Time and time again he awoke with sweat on his brow, before trying to take his mind off things, by reading, by sipping from the bottle, but at some point he would fall asleep and be at their mercy.”
He has a girlfriend, Charlotte Ritter, who is liberated and not shy about sharing her opinions. ”’You know what, Gereon? Fighting with you is till my favourite pastime.’” Gereon is absolutely crazy about her, but she, at times, is as elusive as the actresses on the silver screen. In the TV series, Charlotte is easily my favorite character.
Gereon is desperate to solve the case, even as his superiors, due to insubordination issues, try to pull him off the case. He will need to enlist the aid of all of his contacts whether it be the, at times, morally suspect reporter Weinert or his underground gangster connection Johann Marlowe. He may even require the help of his recently acquired best friend Kirie, a Bouvier puppy.
The killer will turn out to be more insidious than he could have ever imagined.
Gereon Rath has become my favorite Berlin Inspector, just as Bernie Gunther has become my favorite Berlin private investigator. I have a secret desire that they will stumble upon one another at some point, given that their timelines do overlap, but of course, they are the creation of two different writers, one who tragically died too young this year. Rest in peace Philip Kerr.
I came upon the author Volker Kutscher the same way that many readers have, through the Netflix series Babylon Berlin, which is the title from Kutscher’s first novel featuring Gereon Rath. The series was must see TV in my house, and though we don’t binge in the way that most people do, we came close with this TV series. I look forward to watching future seasons. The series conveys this view of Berlin as a very vibrant city with much hustle and bustle, but also a city with a sordid, intriguing nightlife where those very busy Berliners by day can blow off steam by night drinking, dancing, and exploring all the various aspects of sexual dalliances. Any desire can be realized with the proper amount of currency.
I actually ended up liking this one slightly better than the first book in the series, which makes me even more excited about the future volumes. There are several more novels already written about Gereon Rath that are waiting for translation. I’m ready and willing to trawl through the elegant clubs with a glass of champagne in one hand and my other hand on the handle of my pistol as I follow Inspector Gereon into the seedy basements just below the glitz and glamour above.
Maybe someday I will be calling him Chief Inspector.
f you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
It all begins with a rather dramatic death of an actress on a film set, but this turns out to be only the opening salvo in a series of actresses’ murders. The film industry in Berlin is going through a transition from silent films to talkies. There are very fervent supporters of both forms of expression. Those who believe that silent films are the pinnacle of movie making decry the vulgarity of films with sound. The directors and producers who are embracing the talkies know that sound is not a fad and that the future of film will rest with the public’s desire for films that utilize the new technology.
The battle between the silents and the talkies mirrors the unrest that is happening in the city. Two factions, the Communists and Fascists, are clashing as they vie for the hearts and minds of Germany. Inspector Gereon Rath’s father is a police legend back in his home town of Cologne. Even though he isn’t a big fan of his father, he still tries to impress him. Gereon is ambitious to succeed, but he has a predilection for finding himself in trouble with his superiors. He also has an affinity for cocaine, cognac, and jazz, a potentially deadly combination that could land him in more trouble than even what his father can extract him from.
Gereon also suffers from nightmares that make sleeping a form of punishment. ”He only had to close his eyes to see them: the demons that persecuted him, dead people, people he knew, people he had known. People pale as corpses, with bullet holes in their chest, empty eye sockets and flaps of skin hanging from their bodies like moth-eaten cloaks. Time and time again he awoke with sweat on his brow, before trying to take his mind off things, by reading, by sipping from the bottle, but at some point he would fall asleep and be at their mercy.”
He has a girlfriend, Charlotte Ritter, who is liberated and not shy about sharing her opinions. ”’You know what, Gereon? Fighting with you is till my favourite pastime.’” Gereon is absolutely crazy about her, but she, at times, is as elusive as the actresses on the silver screen. In the TV series, Charlotte is easily my favorite character.
Gereon is desperate to solve the case, even as his superiors, due to insubordination issues, try to pull him off the case. He will need to enlist the aid of all of his contacts whether it be the, at times, morally suspect reporter Weinert or his underground gangster connection Johann Marlowe. He may even require the help of his recently acquired best friend Kirie, a Bouvier puppy.
The killer will turn out to be more insidious than he could have ever imagined.
Gereon Rath has become my favorite Berlin Inspector, just as Bernie Gunther has become my favorite Berlin private investigator. I have a secret desire that they will stumble upon one another at some point, given that their timelines do overlap, but of course, they are the creation of two different writers, one who tragically died too young this year. Rest in peace Philip Kerr.
I came upon the author Volker Kutscher the same way that many readers have, through the Netflix series Babylon Berlin, which is the title from Kutscher’s first novel featuring Gereon Rath. The series was must see TV in my house, and though we don’t binge in the way that most people do, we came close with this TV series. I look forward to watching future seasons. The series conveys this view of Berlin as a very vibrant city with much hustle and bustle, but also a city with a sordid, intriguing nightlife where those very busy Berliners by day can blow off steam by night drinking, dancing, and exploring all the various aspects of sexual dalliances. Any desire can be realized with the proper amount of currency.
I actually ended up liking this one slightly better than the first book in the series, which makes me even more excited about the future volumes. There are several more novels already written about Gereon Rath that are waiting for translation. I’m ready and willing to trawl through the elegant clubs with a glass of champagne in one hand and my other hand on the handle of my pistol as I follow Inspector Gereon into the seedy basements just below the glitz and glamour above.
Maybe someday I will be calling him Chief Inspector.
f you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
January 8, 2024
Al 2-le volum al seriei are în prim plan apariția filmului sonor, care ca orice inovație este privită cu scepticism de către o parte a celor din branșă. Volum are tot ceea ce îi trebuie unui thriller, dar mi se par interesante și părțile politice legate de începuturile mișcării naziste. Să sperăm că vor traduce și celelalte volume ale seriei.
January 9, 2025
Hat mir deutlich besser gefallen als Teil 1, auch wenn Rath immer noch ein Idiot ist.
November 20, 2018
"Why shouldn't the Commies and the Nazis bash each other's heads in?" one of them asked. "It would save us a lot of work."
The Silent Death is the second in the Gereon Rath series set during the Interwar Period in Berlin. The period markers between the World Wars are really well done, integrated into the storyline perfectly. 1930 and talkies are taking over the cinema leaving behind one art form for another. The conflict, the change in equipment, and shooting strategies are all touched upon throughout as Rath follows up on a homicide.
Rath has the ambition and personality to create waves and ruffle feathers. His transfer from Vice to Homicide hasn't changed that; he's still rubbing colleagues the wrong way and aggravating his boss, DCI Böhm. Rath gets himself into hot water multiple times, yet manages to find a way to flip the tables. Question is, when will his luck run out?
This is definitely a new favorite series, so I'm glad to see that Goldstein was just released in English (British) translation.
October 16, 2018
Spannend ist der Krimi gewesen. Aber außer dem Buch-Cover versetzte mich die Geschichte keinen Moment zurück in das Berlin der 30er Jahre. Zu viel wirkt an den Haaren herbeigezogen, um Authentizität vorzugaukeln und gleichzeitig wurde zu wenig investiert in Sprache und Atmosphäre.
Ferner weiß ich nicht so recht, was ich von dem Protagonisten halten soll. Raths permanente Verstöße gegen Vorgesetzte, seine stupiden Seitenermittlungen, die er nur dilettantisch zu vertuschen vermag, wenn überhaupt, sie nerven. - Nein, eine starke Charaktere ist er bei weitem nicht. Und so gönnte ich ihn den Ärger mit Gennat und Böhm von Herzen. Nur wenn mir jemand versprechen könnte, dass Rath durch das Disziplinarverfahren wachsen würde und intelligenter wie gereifter im dritten Teil ermittelt und seine Frauengeschichten regelt, würde ich ihn eventuell auch lesen.
Die Zwischenszenarien, die uns die Gedanken und Handlungen des Mörders vorstellen, fand ich inhaltlich richtig schwach. Typisches pseudopsychologisches o8/15-Thriller-Geplänker. Wenn ich um ein bisschen originellere Einfälle bitten dürfte!!!
Ferner weiß ich nicht so recht, was ich von dem Protagonisten halten soll. Raths permanente Verstöße gegen Vorgesetzte, seine stupiden Seitenermittlungen, die er nur dilettantisch zu vertuschen vermag, wenn überhaupt, sie nerven. - Nein, eine starke Charaktere ist er bei weitem nicht. Und so gönnte ich ihn den Ärger mit Gennat und Böhm von Herzen. Nur wenn mir jemand versprechen könnte, dass Rath durch das Disziplinarverfahren wachsen würde und intelligenter wie gereifter im dritten Teil ermittelt und seine Frauengeschichten regelt, würde ich ihn eventuell auch lesen.
Die Zwischenszenarien, die uns die Gedanken und Handlungen des Mörders vorstellen, fand ich inhaltlich richtig schwach. Typisches pseudopsychologisches o8/15-Thriller-Geplänker. Wenn ich um ein bisschen originellere Einfälle bitten dürfte!!!
January 14, 2025
Инспектор Рат отново пропушва, сдобива се с прегладняло пале белгийска порода, посещава фабрика на Хенри Форд и за първи път опитва китайския плод янгтао. И все така третира йерархията и координацията в отдел “Убийства” на Берлинската криминална полиция като несъществена подробност, поради което всяка успешно хваната от него следа върви ръка за ръка с недоволството на почти всичките му колеги.
Берлин от 1930 г. е все така интересен, като този път сюжетът се завърта из филмовите среди с тепърва прохождащите озвучени филми (и с няколко съвсем истински убийства), но погребението на нациста Хорст Весел е поредният тъмен предвестник на нацизма. Поредицата върви приятно в тази втора част, единствено краят беше леко deus ex machina, но се надявам по-нататък това да е изключение. Десет книги са все пак, като последната част е за 1938 г., когато историческият елемент би трябвало да надделее над криминалния. Да видим нататък.
3,5⭐️
September 28, 2021

Update October, 2020:
Finished watching the season #3 of Babylon Berlin. What a great TV series, I can't recommend it highly enough. The book #2 builds a major plot for the third season but the TV series differs a lot from the original material. I am very sad that it is over, please watch it!
TV series season#3--> all stars!
This scene - sorry, the best I found instead of the original video that was deleted because of copyrights :( - is an absolute highlight of the season #3.
Here is the translation from German, if you'd like to know 👉
This series has the best soundtrack ever!
3,5 stars,
I picked up the third book in the series because I pretty much enjoyed the first two seasons of Babylon Berlin, the most expensive TV series that has ever been produced in Germany. The third season is running in pay TV at the moment and I decided on purpose to read the book #3 that serves as the basis for the season #3 BEFORE I watch it.
It is probably one of those cases when a movie/TV series is better than a written version. I am going to read the next book ( and the next...and the next either), and I hope that I'll enjoy them more than this one. My main complaint is the missing atmosphere of the 1930s in Berlin that the makers of the TV series masterfully und fascinatingly created. The main protagonist that I found extremely well performed by Volker Bruch in the series didn't impress me really. I am glad that I knew the character from the TV series already.
Still I am hooked and now I am looking forward for the next book! The next audio book will be released in 2 days! * happy dance*
Update October, 2020:
Finished watching the season #3 of Babylon Berlin. What a great TV series, I can't recommend it highly enough. The book #2 builds a major plot for the third season but the TV series differs a lot from the original material. I am very sad that it is over, please watch it!
TV series season#3--> all stars!
This scene - sorry, the best I found instead of the original video that was deleted because of copyrights :( - is an absolute highlight of the season #3.
Here is the translation from German, if you'd like to know 👉
This series has the best soundtrack ever!
3,5 stars,
I picked up the third book in the series because I pretty much enjoyed the first two seasons of Babylon Berlin, the most expensive TV series that has ever been produced in Germany. The third season is running in pay TV at the moment and I decided on purpose to read the book #3 that serves as the basis for the season #3 BEFORE I watch it.
It is probably one of those cases when a movie/TV series is better than a written version. I am going to read the next book ( and the next...and the next either), and I hope that I'll enjoy them more than this one. My main complaint is the missing atmosphere of the 1930s in Berlin that the makers of the TV series masterfully und fascinatingly created. The main protagonist that I found extremely well performed by Volker Bruch in the series didn't impress me really. I am glad that I knew the character from the TV series already.
Still I am hooked and now I am looking forward for the next book! The next audio book will be released in 2 days! * happy dance*
August 23, 2023
Gegenstand der Handlung ist die Umstellung des Filmgeschäfts vom Stumm- zum Tonfilm. Deshalb müssen bekannte Schauspielerinnen sterben. Daneben wird Konrad Adenauer als Kölner Oberbürgermeister erpresst und Horst Wessel umgebracht. Der Krimi läuft von Anfang an beim Lesen, besser als der erste Teil. Die Haupt-Charaktere sind bekannt, auch die Auswüchse des Herrn Kommissars, die manchmal nerven.
June 20, 2024
Geçtiğimiz ay beni kurtaran şey polisiye ve çizgi romanlar oldu. Sessiz Ölüm de onlardan birisiydi.
Serinin ilk kitabı Islak Balık’a adapte olmakta biraz zorlanmıştım hatta bir noktaya gelene kadar oldukça yavaş okumuştum. Ancak Sessiz Ölüm’de hikayeye dahil olmam çok daha hızlı oldu. Genelde karşılaştığım yorumlar, hikayenin ilk kitaba göre daha yavaş olduğu yönündeydi ama benim için tam tersi oldu. Sinemada yeni bir dönemin açılıp sessiz filmlerden sesli filmlere geçildiği süreci 1930’lar Berlin’inde okumak çok ilgi çekiciydi. Tabii polisiye gerilimi açısından değerlendirdiğinizde suça dair detayları yakalamak ve çok başlarda faili bulmak hiç zor değil. Eğer sizi “katil kim?” merakıyla son sayfaya kadar sürükleyecek bir gerilim arıyorsanız, Gereon Rath serisi yanlış bir seçim olur. Ancak 1930’ların Berlin sokaklarında gezinmek, alttan alta ışıkları şehrinin nasıl “kahverengi gömlekliler”in şehrine dönüştüğünü görmek ve iç çatışmanın ayak seslerini dinlemek isterseniz Gereon Rath ile mutlaka tanışın.
Serinin ilk kitabı Islak Balık’a adapte olmakta biraz zorlanmıştım hatta bir noktaya gelene kadar oldukça yavaş okumuştum. Ancak Sessiz Ölüm’de hikayeye dahil olmam çok daha hızlı oldu. Genelde karşılaştığım yorumlar, hikayenin ilk kitaba göre daha yavaş olduğu yönündeydi ama benim için tam tersi oldu. Sinemada yeni bir dönemin açılıp sessiz filmlerden sesli filmlere geçildiği süreci 1930’lar Berlin’inde okumak çok ilgi çekiciydi. Tabii polisiye gerilimi açısından değerlendirdiğinizde suça dair detayları yakalamak ve çok başlarda faili bulmak hiç zor değil. Eğer sizi “katil kim?” merakıyla son sayfaya kadar sürükleyecek bir gerilim arıyorsanız, Gereon Rath serisi yanlış bir seçim olur. Ancak 1930’ların Berlin sokaklarında gezinmek, alttan alta ışıkları şehrinin nasıl “kahverengi gömlekliler”in şehrine dönüştüğünü görmek ve iç çatışmanın ayak seslerini dinlemek isterseniz Gereon Rath ile mutlaka tanışın.
January 23, 2020
I really enjoyed Kutscher's first book in the Gereon Rath series, but this one was absolutely dire. Dragged out over 522 pages, it's a rambling mess of a story and I found myself dreading the thought of having to read it all. I should have given up, but I persevered. Sadly, despite umpteen twists and turns - most of them completely pointless - the story didn't improve and the ending was a complete letdown. More time was spent documenting Rath's seemingly unending run-ins with his superiors in the Berlin police force than in the solving of the murders which form the basis of this story. Possibly the worst crime mystery I've ever read and the complete opposite of the 1st book.
May 10, 2021
Whilst searching for something to fill the Bernie Gunther sized hole (RIP Philip Kerr), I turned to Babylon Berlin (Gereon Rath #2) (2007) by Volker Kutscher. I enjoyed it and so I continued with The Silent Death (2009) (Gereon Rath #2).
The Silent Death follows straight on from Babylon Berlin, which introduced Gereon Rath, a Berlin police inspector recently relocated from Cologne. After a short stint in the vice squad he ends up working in homicide.
The first novel's powerful period atmosphere is less pronounced here, despite references to street politics and the funeral of Horst Wessel, however there's another intriguing case for Gereon to get stuck into.
The advent of "talkies" leaves German film producers scrambling to adapt to the new technology. A series of murders seem to be targeting female film stars.
Once again the wilful and egocentric Gereon rubs up his superiors and colleagues the wrong way, and his on/off relationship with Charley also develops, whilst an unnecessarily labyrinthine plot gradually comes to a conclusion.
The Silent Death is less satisfying than Babylon Berlin however I did get further invested in the characters and will most likely continue on with the third novel.
3/5
The Silent Death follows straight on from Babylon Berlin, which introduced Gereon Rath, a Berlin police inspector recently relocated from Cologne. After a short stint in the vice squad he ends up working in homicide.
The first novel's powerful period atmosphere is less pronounced here, despite references to street politics and the funeral of Horst Wessel, however there's another intriguing case for Gereon to get stuck into.
The advent of "talkies" leaves German film producers scrambling to adapt to the new technology. A series of murders seem to be targeting female film stars.
Once again the wilful and egocentric Gereon rubs up his superiors and colleagues the wrong way, and his on/off relationship with Charley also develops, whilst an unnecessarily labyrinthine plot gradually comes to a conclusion.
The Silent Death is less satisfying than Babylon Berlin however I did get further invested in the characters and will most likely continue on with the third novel.
3/5
September 12, 2020
Berlin, März 1930: Am Set eines Tonfilms stirbt die Schauspielerin Betty Winter einen qualvollen Tod - sie wird von einem Scheinwerfer erschlagen. War ihr Tod ein Unfall? Oder gar Mord? Kommissar Gereon Rath beginnt zu ermitteln. Als dann noch die Leiche einer anderen Schauspielerin auftaucht ist Berlin in Aufruhr. Ihr wurden die Stimmbänder entnommen...
Historische Krimis haben einfach einen ganz besonderen Charme und der zweite Teil der Reihe um Gereon Rath, "Der Stumme Tod", von Volker Kutscher hat mich direkt in das Jahr 1930 katapultiert. Der Roman ist stimmungsvoll und bildgewaltig, die Geschehnisse haben sich wie ein Film vor meinem inneren Auge abgespielt. Wieder einmal hatte ich das Gefühl, Gereon Rath durch Berlin zu begleiten und ganz nah am Geschehen dran zu sein. Besonders war hier auch die Kombination aus Fiktion und realen historischen Begebenheiten.
In Band 1 der Reihe habe ich noch etwas die Spannung vermisst, "Der stumme Tod" ist aber tatsächlich ein richtiger Pageturner. Es passiert total viel und vor allem kommt auch die Ermittlungsarbeit nicht zu kurz. Wer gerne miträtselt und mitermittelt kommt hier voll und ganz auf ihre*seine Kosten. Gerade das Setting hat mir auch richtig gut gefallen. Berlin zu dieser Zeit finde ich sowieso echt cool und in Verbindung mit der Filmbranche hatte das Buch eine ganz außergewöhnliche Note.
Einzige Kritikpunkte waren für mich die überwiegend männliche Besetzung der Hauptrollen sowie die vielen Namen. Ersteres ist wohl sowohl auf die Zeit, zu der das Buch spielt, als auch auf die Zeit, zu der das Buch geschrieben wurde, zurückzuführen. Letzteres hat bei mir leider öfter zu großer Verwirrung geführt, vor allem weil die Herren alle auch gefühlt gleich heißen. Das ist aber beides Meckern auf recht hohem Niveau.
Insgesamt bin ich begeistert von "Der Stumme Tod" (man beachte auch, wie passend der Titel gewählt ist!) und freue mich darauf, die Reihe weiterzulesen. Ich vergebe 4,5 / 5 🌟.
Historische Krimis haben einfach einen ganz besonderen Charme und der zweite Teil der Reihe um Gereon Rath, "Der Stumme Tod", von Volker Kutscher hat mich direkt in das Jahr 1930 katapultiert. Der Roman ist stimmungsvoll und bildgewaltig, die Geschehnisse haben sich wie ein Film vor meinem inneren Auge abgespielt. Wieder einmal hatte ich das Gefühl, Gereon Rath durch Berlin zu begleiten und ganz nah am Geschehen dran zu sein. Besonders war hier auch die Kombination aus Fiktion und realen historischen Begebenheiten.
In Band 1 der Reihe habe ich noch etwas die Spannung vermisst, "Der stumme Tod" ist aber tatsächlich ein richtiger Pageturner. Es passiert total viel und vor allem kommt auch die Ermittlungsarbeit nicht zu kurz. Wer gerne miträtselt und mitermittelt kommt hier voll und ganz auf ihre*seine Kosten. Gerade das Setting hat mir auch richtig gut gefallen. Berlin zu dieser Zeit finde ich sowieso echt cool und in Verbindung mit der Filmbranche hatte das Buch eine ganz außergewöhnliche Note.
Einzige Kritikpunkte waren für mich die überwiegend männliche Besetzung der Hauptrollen sowie die vielen Namen. Ersteres ist wohl sowohl auf die Zeit, zu der das Buch spielt, als auch auf die Zeit, zu der das Buch geschrieben wurde, zurückzuführen. Letzteres hat bei mir leider öfter zu großer Verwirrung geführt, vor allem weil die Herren alle auch gefühlt gleich heißen. Das ist aber beides Meckern auf recht hohem Niveau.
Insgesamt bin ich begeistert von "Der Stumme Tod" (man beachte auch, wie passend der Titel gewählt ist!) und freue mich darauf, die Reihe weiterzulesen. Ich vergebe 4,5 / 5 🌟.
July 7, 2017
"The Silent Death" is the second of German author Volker Kutscher's "Gereon Rath" series translated from German to English. The first book in the series, "Babylon Berlin" was released in 2016. According to Kutscher's listing on Amazon, there are a few other books in the series which have not yet been released in English. The series is set in Berlin in the late 1920's/early 1930's.
Gereon Rath is a police officer based at Berlin's Alexanderplatz police headquarters. He has recently moved to Berlin from Cologne, where an incident of some sort derailed his career there. He's trying for a fresh start in Berlin. But new starts are sometimes rocky, as the reader finds out in book one of the series. Rath doesn't get along much better in Berlin than in Cologne, but his view of Berlin in the precarious times of the Weimar Republic gives the reader a good look at life in the city. Rath and other officers are charged with looking into the deaths of film actresses, cut down just as they're making the transition from silent movies to the "talkies". There's an insane person doing the murders and almost everyone, from studio boss down to street criminal, has a secret of some sort.
As in most period mysteries, the times, the settings, and the characters of "The Silent Death" are more interesting than the plot line. Kutscher does a superb job at describing life in 1930, as the world settles into a deepening economic depression and the politics on the streets of Berlin is as combustible as a firecracker. Some mention is made of the funeral of Horst Wessel - that street thug made into a hero by the Nazis after his death - and of the mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenhauer. The book is rather eclectic - and other than being a bit too long - is a fine read. I hope Kutscher's next books are translated soon and released in English.
Gereon Rath is a police officer based at Berlin's Alexanderplatz police headquarters. He has recently moved to Berlin from Cologne, where an incident of some sort derailed his career there. He's trying for a fresh start in Berlin. But new starts are sometimes rocky, as the reader finds out in book one of the series. Rath doesn't get along much better in Berlin than in Cologne, but his view of Berlin in the precarious times of the Weimar Republic gives the reader a good look at life in the city. Rath and other officers are charged with looking into the deaths of film actresses, cut down just as they're making the transition from silent movies to the "talkies". There's an insane person doing the murders and almost everyone, from studio boss down to street criminal, has a secret of some sort.
As in most period mysteries, the times, the settings, and the characters of "The Silent Death" are more interesting than the plot line. Kutscher does a superb job at describing life in 1930, as the world settles into a deepening economic depression and the politics on the streets of Berlin is as combustible as a firecracker. Some mention is made of the funeral of Horst Wessel - that street thug made into a hero by the Nazis after his death - and of the mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenhauer. The book is rather eclectic - and other than being a bit too long - is a fine read. I hope Kutscher's next books are translated soon and released in English.
June 1, 2020
The late Philip Kerr had his Bernie Guenther series. Ben Pastor has Martin Bora. Now we have Volker Kutscher’s Gereon Rath character as an addition to the German civilian police/military police genre that depicts Berlin in the 1930s, crimes during World War II as well as the Cold War. Kutscher has followed up his BABYLON BERLIN with the second in his Rath series entitled THE SILENT DEATH where he continues the exploits and personal journey of a flawed Berlin detective who has a very unorthodox approach to police work, much to the chagrin of the higher ups in the Berlin Police Department. As with the work of Kerr and Pastor, Kutscher takes the reader inside the thought process and life experiences of his protagonist in a meaningful way injecting outside influences on criminal investigation be it the role of the Gestapo, the SS, or as in THE SILENT DEATH Berlin in the 1930s with the Weimar Republic teetering on the edge, as the rise of the Nazi Party proceeds quite rapidly with all it engenders.
Berlin Inspector Rath has a checkered past. He had been on the police force in Cologne, but an incident forced his relocation to Berlin as his father a police director in Cologne arranged his transfer. He employs a “lone ranger” approach to police work and has little respect for those above him in the police hierarchy. He is an engaging character who must survive in an atmosphere that seems to change every day. Kutscher does a superb job conveying to the reader what Rath is up against as the noise from Nazi murders, crimes, and demonstrations form the background of daily life in Berlin in an addition to his own intemperate ways, i.e., “punching out” Deputy Inspector Frank Brenner for making fun of his last girlfriend, Charlotte Ritter who he was deeply in love with.
Kutscher has created an interesting plot line focusing in on the German movie industry as it seems to be moving away from “silent films” to “talkies.” The problem is that there are producers and directors who do not see the new “talkies” approach as progress and may be involved in trying to sabotage the new type of film. Enter Betty Winter, a silent film actress who is about to make her first talkies film when suddenly she is felled by a lighting system during the filming of her latest movie. She is crushed and dies from the flames – was it sabotage or was it an accident?
Rath is called in to investigate but soon runs out of favor with his superior, Detective Inspector Wilhelm Bohm, a stereotypical Prussian type who will remove him from the investigation of Winter’s death. Rath refuses to allow Bohm to impede his investigation and continues his work. It seems that sabotage may have gone awry as Heinrich Bellman, a producer who worked with Winter is up against Manfred Oppenberg another producer who is in competition over the new genre. As this progresses, Oppenberg’s star Vivian Franck disappears and it is up to Rath to find her. This competition forms the first thread that Kutscher develops.
The second thread involves Konrad Adenauer, the Mayor of Cologne. Rath’s father Engelbert travels to Berlin to introduce his son to Adenauer who seeks his help. It seems that Adenauer is being blackmailed over certain investments and financial transactions centered in Berlin involving the transfer of a Ford Motor plant to Cologne. In addition to taking on this task for his father, Rath must deal with his removal from the Winter case and being tasked to deal with the Horst Wessel case. Horst Ludwig Georg Erich Wessel, commonly known as Horst Wessel, was a Berlin leader of the Nazi Party's stormtroopers, the Sturmabteilung. After his murder in 1930, he was made into a martyr for the Nazi cause by Joseph Goebbels. Wessel is an interesting character who has the dubious distinction to having the official anthem of the Nazi Party dedicated to him. Wessel in reality is murdered by Ali Hohler, the former pimp of the whore Wessel is involved with. But for Goebbles, a master of “fake news” and propaganda it was a situation that he would take full advantage of.
As in the Wessel case, Kutscher has an excellent command of German history, a case in point is the death of Gustav Ernst Stresemann the German statesman who served as Chancellor in 1923 and Foreign Minister 1923–1929, during the Weimar Republic. He was co-laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926 and his death brought about the end for any hope for the success of the Weimar Republic.
The last thread that permeates the novel is Rath’s attempts to navigate the intricacies of surviving the Berlin police bureaucracy and leadership embodied in Wilhelm Bohm. There are many fascinating characters that Kutscher develops including movie stars, producers, politicians, and gangsters. The book itself is a gripping read from the perspective of criminal investigation, but also the tangled private life that Rath leads. His love life is shambles as he is in love with Charlotte who dumped him six months before Winters death, Kathi, the woman he lived with who he turned away, and his own past.
As in the tradition of Kerr and Pastor, Kutscher’s work is well worth exploring if you enjoy period crime novels subsumed with good historical fiction. In the present instance the reader must sort out the deaths of a number of actresses and determine if a serial killer is involved. Newspapers have already made up their minds which in part gets Rath into further trouble with his superiors. At times, the plot seems to meander, but in the end, Kutscher produces a rousing closure. Having completed THE SILENT DEATH, I look forward to reading the next installment in the series, GOLDSTEIN.
Berlin Inspector Rath has a checkered past. He had been on the police force in Cologne, but an incident forced his relocation to Berlin as his father a police director in Cologne arranged his transfer. He employs a “lone ranger” approach to police work and has little respect for those above him in the police hierarchy. He is an engaging character who must survive in an atmosphere that seems to change every day. Kutscher does a superb job conveying to the reader what Rath is up against as the noise from Nazi murders, crimes, and demonstrations form the background of daily life in Berlin in an addition to his own intemperate ways, i.e., “punching out” Deputy Inspector Frank Brenner for making fun of his last girlfriend, Charlotte Ritter who he was deeply in love with.
Kutscher has created an interesting plot line focusing in on the German movie industry as it seems to be moving away from “silent films” to “talkies.” The problem is that there are producers and directors who do not see the new “talkies” approach as progress and may be involved in trying to sabotage the new type of film. Enter Betty Winter, a silent film actress who is about to make her first talkies film when suddenly she is felled by a lighting system during the filming of her latest movie. She is crushed and dies from the flames – was it sabotage or was it an accident?
Rath is called in to investigate but soon runs out of favor with his superior, Detective Inspector Wilhelm Bohm, a stereotypical Prussian type who will remove him from the investigation of Winter’s death. Rath refuses to allow Bohm to impede his investigation and continues his work. It seems that sabotage may have gone awry as Heinrich Bellman, a producer who worked with Winter is up against Manfred Oppenberg another producer who is in competition over the new genre. As this progresses, Oppenberg’s star Vivian Franck disappears and it is up to Rath to find her. This competition forms the first thread that Kutscher develops.
The second thread involves Konrad Adenauer, the Mayor of Cologne. Rath’s father Engelbert travels to Berlin to introduce his son to Adenauer who seeks his help. It seems that Adenauer is being blackmailed over certain investments and financial transactions centered in Berlin involving the transfer of a Ford Motor plant to Cologne. In addition to taking on this task for his father, Rath must deal with his removal from the Winter case and being tasked to deal with the Horst Wessel case. Horst Ludwig Georg Erich Wessel, commonly known as Horst Wessel, was a Berlin leader of the Nazi Party's stormtroopers, the Sturmabteilung. After his murder in 1930, he was made into a martyr for the Nazi cause by Joseph Goebbels. Wessel is an interesting character who has the dubious distinction to having the official anthem of the Nazi Party dedicated to him. Wessel in reality is murdered by Ali Hohler, the former pimp of the whore Wessel is involved with. But for Goebbles, a master of “fake news” and propaganda it was a situation that he would take full advantage of.
As in the Wessel case, Kutscher has an excellent command of German history, a case in point is the death of Gustav Ernst Stresemann the German statesman who served as Chancellor in 1923 and Foreign Minister 1923–1929, during the Weimar Republic. He was co-laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926 and his death brought about the end for any hope for the success of the Weimar Republic.
The last thread that permeates the novel is Rath’s attempts to navigate the intricacies of surviving the Berlin police bureaucracy and leadership embodied in Wilhelm Bohm. There are many fascinating characters that Kutscher develops including movie stars, producers, politicians, and gangsters. The book itself is a gripping read from the perspective of criminal investigation, but also the tangled private life that Rath leads. His love life is shambles as he is in love with Charlotte who dumped him six months before Winters death, Kathi, the woman he lived with who he turned away, and his own past.
As in the tradition of Kerr and Pastor, Kutscher’s work is well worth exploring if you enjoy period crime novels subsumed with good historical fiction. In the present instance the reader must sort out the deaths of a number of actresses and determine if a serial killer is involved. Newspapers have already made up their minds which in part gets Rath into further trouble with his superiors. At times, the plot seems to meander, but in the end, Kutscher produces a rousing closure. Having completed THE SILENT DEATH, I look forward to reading the next installment in the series, GOLDSTEIN.
May 19, 2025
28. Februar bis14. März 1930
Spannend und mit eine historischen Blick in das Berlin um 1930 und erhellenden Infos zum damaligen Kinobetrieb, dem Wettkampf zwischen Stumm- und Sprechfilm.
... das müsse ihm doch gefallen, als Rheinländer, hatte sie gesagt und ihm Karten für den Kostümball gezeigt. Fasching! Allein schon dieses Wort. (S. 16)
1. Satz - Der Lichtstrahl tanzt durch die Dunkelheit, noch haltloser als sonst, so scheint es ihm, unruhig und wild.
letzter - Die Stille vor dem Tod.
Spannend und mit eine historischen Blick in das Berlin um 1930 und erhellenden Infos zum damaligen Kinobetrieb, dem Wettkampf zwischen Stumm- und Sprechfilm.
... das müsse ihm doch gefallen, als Rheinländer, hatte sie gesagt und ihm Karten für den Kostümball gezeigt. Fasching! Allein schon dieses Wort. (S. 16)
1. Satz - Der Lichtstrahl tanzt durch die Dunkelheit, noch haltloser als sonst, so scheint es ihm, unruhig und wild.
letzter - Die Stille vor dem Tod.
November 11, 2024
Yine süper bir hikaye. Başta dizinin belli bit yeri gibi başlasa da diziden çok çok ayrı gidiyor seri. Özellikle charlotte ritter bu seride çok yok gereon ayrı devam ediyor çoğunlukla. Yeni karakterler ilk kitaptaki gibi yine var. Kitap iyi başlayıp bir yerde yavaşlasa da sona doğru yine çok hızlanıyor.
March 20, 2014
Zitat
So kam es, dass Rath morgens um halb acht mit einer tiefschwarzen Remington und einer braunen Aktentasche unterm Arm an der Gepäckaufbewahrung im Bahnhof Zoo stand und sich reichlich dämlich vorkam. Vor allem, als der Mann am Schlater fragte, ob er die Schreibmaschine zur Aufbewahrung abgeben wollte, und Rath verneinte.
"Verstehe, Sie führen ihren Liebling nur spazieren, wa," sagte der Dienstmann. "Koofense besser ne Leine, denn müssense nich so schleppen."
Rath verzog keine Miene. "Ich brauche eine Information," sagte er und stellte die Maschine ab, um seine Marke zücken zu können.
"Sieh mal an! Die Kriminalen jetzt mitten mobilen Büro unterwegs, wa? Und de Janoven? Nehmense die Huckepack, wennse einen fangen?"
"Sie sollten im Varieté aufdtreten, ein Witzbold wie Sie ..."
"Sacht meene Ilse ooch immer."
"...aber die Preußische Polizei ist dummerweise gänzlich humorlos. Sparen Sie ihre dummen Witze also besser für das Bewerbungsgespräch im Wintergarten!"
"Schon jut, schon jut. Is Humor neuerdings polizeilich verboten?"
Gereon Rath ist kein einfacher Kollege. Der Ermittler der Berliner Krinalpolizei neigt zu cholerischen Ausbrüchen und spontanen Alleingängen. Zur Arbeit im Team lässt Rath sich meist erst unter dem Druck seines Vorgesetzten "Bulldoggge" Böhm herab. Der in die Reichshauptstadt versetzte Rheinländer tut sich auch nach einem Jahr noch immer schwer mit dem bissigen Humor der Berliner. Den Ansprüchen seines äußerst ehrgeizigen Vaters, der im Höheren Polizeidienst in Köln Karriere gemacht hat, kann Rath sich auch in Berlin nicht entziehen. Rath senior reist gemeinsam mit dem damaligen Kölner Oberbürgermeister Konrad Adenauer an, um seinem Sohn eine Sonderaufgabe aufzudrängen. Rath junior ist derweil völlig mit Dienstpflichten und Privatleben ausgelastet. Bei Aufnahmen in einem Filmstudio war es während der Karnevalswoche des Jahres 1930 zu einem tödlichen Zwischenfall gekommen. Die Einführung des Tonfilms lässt bei Produzenten und Kinobesitzern die Emotionen hochschlagen. Es bleibt nicht bei dem einen Todesfall in der Filmbranche. Rath schafft es mal wieder, dass ihm sein privates und dienstliches Chaos über den Kopf wächst. Sein Gewährsmann bei der Zeitung läuft aus dem Ruder, Rath hat ein Disziplinarverfahren am Hals; und er müsste endlich seine privaten Beziehungen klären.
Raths aktueller Fall spielt zur Zeit des Todes von Horst Wessel, mit dem Raths Abteilung am Rande befasst ist, und bietet damit einen interessanten historischen Hintergrund. Die Aufklärung mehrer Todesfälle in der Berliner Filmbranche zur Zeit der Weimarer Republik zieht sich im zweiten Band der Krimireihe hin. Doch der Blick hinter die Kulissen der "Burg", der Kriminalpolizei am Alexanderplatz, ließ mich bis zur letzten Seite geduldig ausharren. Volker Kutscher erzählt in "Der stumme Tod" Details, die dem Verständnis der Folgebände dienen. Wie erfahren von Raths komplizierter Beziehung zu seinen Eltern, warum er - ausgerechnet zur Zeit der Wirtschaftskrise - ein ausländisches Auto fährt, wie es in der Beziehung zu Charly weitergeht und wie Rath zu seinem Hund gekommen ist.
So kam es, dass Rath morgens um halb acht mit einer tiefschwarzen Remington und einer braunen Aktentasche unterm Arm an der Gepäckaufbewahrung im Bahnhof Zoo stand und sich reichlich dämlich vorkam. Vor allem, als der Mann am Schlater fragte, ob er die Schreibmaschine zur Aufbewahrung abgeben wollte, und Rath verneinte.
"Verstehe, Sie führen ihren Liebling nur spazieren, wa," sagte der Dienstmann. "Koofense besser ne Leine, denn müssense nich so schleppen."
Rath verzog keine Miene. "Ich brauche eine Information," sagte er und stellte die Maschine ab, um seine Marke zücken zu können.
"Sieh mal an! Die Kriminalen jetzt mitten mobilen Büro unterwegs, wa? Und de Janoven? Nehmense die Huckepack, wennse einen fangen?"
"Sie sollten im Varieté aufdtreten, ein Witzbold wie Sie ..."
"Sacht meene Ilse ooch immer."
"...aber die Preußische Polizei ist dummerweise gänzlich humorlos. Sparen Sie ihre dummen Witze also besser für das Bewerbungsgespräch im Wintergarten!"
"Schon jut, schon jut. Is Humor neuerdings polizeilich verboten?"
Gereon Rath ist kein einfacher Kollege. Der Ermittler der Berliner Krinalpolizei neigt zu cholerischen Ausbrüchen und spontanen Alleingängen. Zur Arbeit im Team lässt Rath sich meist erst unter dem Druck seines Vorgesetzten "Bulldoggge" Böhm herab. Der in die Reichshauptstadt versetzte Rheinländer tut sich auch nach einem Jahr noch immer schwer mit dem bissigen Humor der Berliner. Den Ansprüchen seines äußerst ehrgeizigen Vaters, der im Höheren Polizeidienst in Köln Karriere gemacht hat, kann Rath sich auch in Berlin nicht entziehen. Rath senior reist gemeinsam mit dem damaligen Kölner Oberbürgermeister Konrad Adenauer an, um seinem Sohn eine Sonderaufgabe aufzudrängen. Rath junior ist derweil völlig mit Dienstpflichten und Privatleben ausgelastet. Bei Aufnahmen in einem Filmstudio war es während der Karnevalswoche des Jahres 1930 zu einem tödlichen Zwischenfall gekommen. Die Einführung des Tonfilms lässt bei Produzenten und Kinobesitzern die Emotionen hochschlagen. Es bleibt nicht bei dem einen Todesfall in der Filmbranche. Rath schafft es mal wieder, dass ihm sein privates und dienstliches Chaos über den Kopf wächst. Sein Gewährsmann bei der Zeitung läuft aus dem Ruder, Rath hat ein Disziplinarverfahren am Hals; und er müsste endlich seine privaten Beziehungen klären.
Raths aktueller Fall spielt zur Zeit des Todes von Horst Wessel, mit dem Raths Abteilung am Rande befasst ist, und bietet damit einen interessanten historischen Hintergrund. Die Aufklärung mehrer Todesfälle in der Berliner Filmbranche zur Zeit der Weimarer Republik zieht sich im zweiten Band der Krimireihe hin. Doch der Blick hinter die Kulissen der "Burg", der Kriminalpolizei am Alexanderplatz, ließ mich bis zur letzten Seite geduldig ausharren. Volker Kutscher erzählt in "Der stumme Tod" Details, die dem Verständnis der Folgebände dienen. Wie erfahren von Raths komplizierter Beziehung zu seinen Eltern, warum er - ausgerechnet zur Zeit der Wirtschaftskrise - ein ausländisches Auto fährt, wie es in der Beziehung zu Charly weitergeht und wie Rath zu seinem Hund gekommen ist.
March 31, 2019
As I remembered myself struggling with Der nasse Fisch (Babylon Berlin), for a moment I contemplated returning this to the library without even opening it and letting the next person in the line get it. However, I figured I'd give it a chance since I had a good two weeks to finish it. And boy, am I happy I decided to read this after all!
If Babylon Berlin was too many plotlines in all possible directions and so many characters you would have needed an elaborate dramatis personae, this avoided all that. A wonderfully straightforward plot and a good handful of characters that were easy to keep track of. And most importantly, the story flowed. It moved forward naturally and we weren't stuck in one place for ages like last time.
The plot revolves around dead actresses (yes, it would be refreshing if women had some other role besides being a) dead bodies or b) secretaries or c) girlfriends) and at least I enjoyed all the movie stuff and talk quite a bit. With Hollywood blockbusters being the norm, it was fun to take a look at how it was when movies where people speak were just starting to come out. The plot also sticks to being about movies and actors and actresses, apart from a short sidequest for Gereon to save Konrad Adenauer and enable him one day to become the great figure in German history he is. That was also the most political part of this book, and while I enjoy politics, it was nice to see it toned down to fleeting mentions.
Apart from Gereon, the other characters don't gain much depth which is a shame. However, there is continuity which was great to see as it would have been easy to discard characters who had a role in Babylon Berlin but who you wouldn't see being integral to this story.
All in all, despite having 650+ pages, this was a surprisingly fast read with a good, simple yet compelling plot. And really, I can't hate on a book that open with quoted Nine Inch Nails lyrics. (Even if Hurt is the most obvious song choice in the history of obvious choices. Worked though.)
If Babylon Berlin was too many plotlines in all possible directions and so many characters you would have needed an elaborate dramatis personae, this avoided all that. A wonderfully straightforward plot and a good handful of characters that were easy to keep track of. And most importantly, the story flowed. It moved forward naturally and we weren't stuck in one place for ages like last time.
The plot revolves around dead actresses (yes, it would be refreshing if women had some other role besides being a) dead bodies or b) secretaries or c) girlfriends) and at least I enjoyed all the movie stuff and talk quite a bit. With Hollywood blockbusters being the norm, it was fun to take a look at how it was when movies where people speak were just starting to come out. The plot also sticks to being about movies and actors and actresses, apart from a short sidequest for Gereon to save Konrad Adenauer and enable him one day to become the great figure in German history he is. That was also the most political part of this book, and while I enjoy politics, it was nice to see it toned down to fleeting mentions.
Apart from Gereon, the other characters don't gain much depth which is a shame. However, there is continuity which was great to see as it would have been easy to discard characters who had a role in Babylon Berlin but who you wouldn't see being integral to this story.
All in all, despite having 650+ pages, this was a surprisingly fast read with a good, simple yet compelling plot. And really, I can't hate on a book that open with quoted Nine Inch Nails lyrics. (Even if Hurt is the most obvious song choice in the history of obvious choices. Worked though.)
October 21, 2019
In his follow-up to “Babylon Berlin” Kutscher delivers another solid, if a bit pulpy, police procedural. We pick up the story in March 1930, shortly after the events of the first novel, as disgraced detective Gereon Rath gets assigned to a case involving the death of a silent film star, Betty Winter, just at the advent of “Talkies”. This grisly on-set death serves only as prelude, however, as two more film actresses are soon after found dead in disused cinemas, with their vocal cords having been surgically removed. There’s more than a hint of Thomas Harris here, as we are taken into the warped mindset of a killer in the occasional chapter going forward.
Charlotte Ritter, Rath’s alienated girlfriend, reappears as the case progresses, as do many familiar characters from the first book. The reader knows more than the protagonist as the plot develops, though there are plenty of surprises, nonetheless. My chief quibble is that this novel felt less palpably set in Weimar Berlin than the first, despite references to the battle between Nazis and Communists at Horst Wessel’s funeral, and the exhibition at the Eiffel Tower-like radio tower known as the Funkterm (apparently still around), which was new to me. At 512 pages it also runs perhaps just a bit longer than it might have done.
More cannot be said without spoilers, though the reader is left with something of a cliffhanger. Overall I enjoyed it, and I’ll probably continue reading the series with Kutscher’s next in the Gereon Rath series, “Goldstein”.
Charlotte Ritter, Rath’s alienated girlfriend, reappears as the case progresses, as do many familiar characters from the first book. The reader knows more than the protagonist as the plot develops, though there are plenty of surprises, nonetheless. My chief quibble is that this novel felt less palpably set in Weimar Berlin than the first, despite references to the battle between Nazis and Communists at Horst Wessel’s funeral, and the exhibition at the Eiffel Tower-like radio tower known as the Funkterm (apparently still around), which was new to me. At 512 pages it also runs perhaps just a bit longer than it might have done.
More cannot be said without spoilers, though the reader is left with something of a cliffhanger. Overall I enjoyed it, and I’ll probably continue reading the series with Kutscher’s next in the Gereon Rath series, “Goldstein”.
February 1, 2018
çoğu kitapta olduğu üzere ilk vaka daha güzeldi. ama bu volken kutscher'in başarısız olduğu anlamına gelmiyor. çok iyi bir araştırmacı ve sessiz sinema döneminden sesli filme geçişi o kadar detaylarla veriyor ki romanda resmen aydınlandım. bu bilgileri sırıtmadan, göze batmadan kurguya yedirmesi de oldukça başarılı.
katilin geçmişi, hastalığı, annesi ve sanatsal takıntısı biraz zorlama geldi bana. yani whodunnit polisiyesi değil kesinlikle kutscher'inkiler, arka planı, dönemsel ve mekansal ayrıntılar çok daha güzel.
ilk romana göre daha az politik, 1930'larda geçmesine rağmen çok az bahsediliyor nazilerden ama konuyla da alakası yok aslında. yakın zamanda bu kadar alman edebiyatı, üstüne berlin seyahati olunca galiba benim beklentim bu yöndeydi :)
katilin geçmişi, hastalığı, annesi ve sanatsal takıntısı biraz zorlama geldi bana. yani whodunnit polisiyesi değil kesinlikle kutscher'inkiler, arka planı, dönemsel ve mekansal ayrıntılar çok daha güzel.
ilk romana göre daha az politik, 1930'larda geçmesine rağmen çok az bahsediliyor nazilerden ama konuyla da alakası yok aslında. yakın zamanda bu kadar alman edebiyatı, üstüne berlin seyahati olunca galiba benim beklentim bu yöndeydi :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2019
It's February 1930 in Berlin, and Gereon Rath's newest case takes him into the world of film. One actress on the cusp of fame is dead in what appears at first glance to be a tragic accident on set but soon turns out to have involved an act of sabotage. Another, working for a rival producer, is missing. Coincidence? Business rivalry turned deadly? Or might there be something more sinister afoot in the city?
A solid second book in the series. The explosive politics of the time are very much relegated to the background here compared to the first book, which I found a little disappointing as they're part of what makes the setting so interesting. The mystery itself was pretty good, though.
A solid second book in the series. The explosive politics of the time are very much relegated to the background here compared to the first book, which I found a little disappointing as they're part of what makes the setting so interesting. The mystery itself was pretty good, though.
March 17, 2018
Good story terribly written - I think in this one the translator makes it better
September 10, 2020
Ähnlicher Fall, ähnliche Personen, aber völlig anders als Babylon Berlin. Mir hat es ganz gut gefallen. Kurzweilig, wenn auch keine große Literatur.
November 15, 2025
Sessiz Ölüm’de Gereon’un peşinden Berlin’de dolaşıyor, sessiz film devrinin kapanıp sesli filme geçildiği ve o parlak sandığımız dünyanın ardındaki çalkantıları görüyor, giderek detaylanan cinayetlere tanık oluyor ve bu arada tabii ki fonda sinsice yükselen Nazizmin etkilerini hissediyoruz. Hatta, savaşın ardından şansölye olacak olan Konrad Adenauer’le ufak bir karşılaşma bile yaşıyoruz.
Rath polisiyeleri, son sayfaya dek “whodunnit” heyecanı arayan ve sürekli ters köşe bekleyenler için pek uygun olmayabilir. Çünkü katilin kim olduğunu kitabın daha ortasında tahmin etmek çok kolay; yazar bunu gizlemiyor, hatta adını bile açıkça veriyor. Dolayısıyla büyük bir sürpriz olmuyor okur için.
Ama benim gibi karakter ve atmosfer inşası peşindeyseniz işte o zaman yolculuk çok keyifli. Berlin sokaklarında sadece ipucu kovalamak da değil; Rath’la birlikte Radyo Kulesi’nin tepesine çıkmak, Potsdamer Platz’ın kalabalığına girmek, Wannsee kıyısında yürümek, Berlin Garı’nda trenleri izlemek… Tüm bunların içinde, cinayetle örülü ve siyasi gerginliği usulca hissettiren bir hikâyenin peşine düşmek için de bu kitap biçilmiş kaftan.
Sessiz Ölüm, komünist-Nazi çekişmesi ve polis içi hiyerarşiye dair detaylar barındırsa da siyasetin ağır bastığı bir arka plana sahip değil bu defa. Yine de bu atmosferin içinde dönen cinayetler ve (kötü adamı çok orijinal olmasa da) okuru son sayfaya dek sürükleyen hızlı kurgusuyla yine kendini hemen okutuyor. Bir de bu kitapta çok güzel bir köpekle tanışıyoruz - açıkçası cinayetler filan umrumda olmadı, ona bir şey olacak diye gerildim en çok. Neyse ki Kutscher böyle şeylerle okurunu şok etmeyi tercih edecek kadar tembel bir yazar değil. Hatta tam tersi, bütün o dönemi öyle iyi biliyor ve araştırıyor ki, kitaplar size 1930’lardan sesleniyor sanabilirsiniz.
Şimdi sırada serinin daha sert olduğu söylenen üçüncü kitabı, Goldstein var.
•
— “İnsan kendi kaderini belirleyebilir.”
— “Onu bir kere denedim, olmuyor. Yanlış insanlar seviyor seni, yanlış insanlar nefret ediyor.”
•
— “Bugün hayvanlara insanlardan daha sevecen davranıyorsunuz,” diye laf attı.
— “Sadece bugün olduğunu kim söyledi?”
Rath polisiyeleri, son sayfaya dek “whodunnit” heyecanı arayan ve sürekli ters köşe bekleyenler için pek uygun olmayabilir. Çünkü katilin kim olduğunu kitabın daha ortasında tahmin etmek çok kolay; yazar bunu gizlemiyor, hatta adını bile açıkça veriyor. Dolayısıyla büyük bir sürpriz olmuyor okur için.
Ama benim gibi karakter ve atmosfer inşası peşindeyseniz işte o zaman yolculuk çok keyifli. Berlin sokaklarında sadece ipucu kovalamak da değil; Rath’la birlikte Radyo Kulesi’nin tepesine çıkmak, Potsdamer Platz’ın kalabalığına girmek, Wannsee kıyısında yürümek, Berlin Garı’nda trenleri izlemek… Tüm bunların içinde, cinayetle örülü ve siyasi gerginliği usulca hissettiren bir hikâyenin peşine düşmek için de bu kitap biçilmiş kaftan.
Sessiz Ölüm, komünist-Nazi çekişmesi ve polis içi hiyerarşiye dair detaylar barındırsa da siyasetin ağır bastığı bir arka plana sahip değil bu defa. Yine de bu atmosferin içinde dönen cinayetler ve (kötü adamı çok orijinal olmasa da) okuru son sayfaya dek sürükleyen hızlı kurgusuyla yine kendini hemen okutuyor. Bir de bu kitapta çok güzel bir köpekle tanışıyoruz - açıkçası cinayetler filan umrumda olmadı, ona bir şey olacak diye gerildim en çok. Neyse ki Kutscher böyle şeylerle okurunu şok etmeyi tercih edecek kadar tembel bir yazar değil. Hatta tam tersi, bütün o dönemi öyle iyi biliyor ve araştırıyor ki, kitaplar size 1930’lardan sesleniyor sanabilirsiniz.
Şimdi sırada serinin daha sert olduğu söylenen üçüncü kitabı, Goldstein var.
•
— “İnsan kendi kaderini belirleyebilir.”
— “Onu bir kere denedim, olmuyor. Yanlış insanlar seviyor seni, yanlış insanlar nefret ediyor.”
•
— “Bugün hayvanlara insanlardan daha sevecen davranıyorsunuz,” diye laf attı.
— “Sadece bugün olduğunu kim söyledi?”
September 4, 2023
Der zweite Teil der Reihe hat mich etwas mehr abholen können. Gereon ist nach wie vor ein Charakter mit dem ich nichts oder kaum etwas anfangen kann, aber dennoch habe ich mit ihm gefühlt.
February 24, 2019
Der 2. Fall des Kommissars Gereon Rath entführt uns in die Berliner Filmstudios der frühen dreißiger Jahre. Genauso spannend wie das erste Buch der nasse Fisch, nur der Fall war diesmal weniger spektakulär. Ich habe mich ein bißchen verliebt in diesen eigenwilligen Charakter, der mit so vielen Schwächen und einem großen Herzen daherkommt. Seine Angebetete hat glücklicherweise alles im Blick. 😉 übrigens eine tolle Frau, diese Charlotte Ritter.
January 10, 2023
Der "Held" ist dermaßen unsympathisch dass ich nicht über 4 Sterne bewerten kann, immerhin hat er den Hund gerettet! Die Serie steigert sich bereits in der 2. Geschichte zu einer ordentlichen Krimihandlung und wirklich guter Unterhaltung. Die Kriminalgeschichte ist noch ausbaufähig, da erwartet ich in den nächsten Romanen mehr.
April 11, 2020
It was good, but (like I said in an update) definitely not as amazing as the first one, and the potential of the series is much bigger than this.
I did find the murderer interesting, I thought his chapters were well written and his backstory was pretty unique and perfectly eerie.
But the actual mystery/plot was pretty easy to see through about 1/3 in and not half as complex and spanning different milieus and groups like the first book's was. It was more....focused on one specific area (the film industry), no politics or bigger social themes this time, besides a tiny side plot not really worth mentioning. Which is a shame, because I think painting a larger picture of society through stories of crime is the most interesting potential of this series.
Instead we get a lot of personal drama with Rath and his erratic behavior at his job, drama with his colleagues and Charly, which is all fine, but I don't find him as a character on his own half as interesting as a character responding to and being influenced by, larger events happening around him.
But overall I still enjoyed reading this, it's a good thriller by itself, I just have bigger standards at this point because I've seen what else this series can do.
I'm feeling positive about the next one though!
I did find the murderer interesting, I thought his chapters were well written and his backstory was pretty unique and perfectly eerie.
But the actual mystery/plot was pretty easy to see through about 1/3 in and not half as complex and spanning different milieus and groups like the first book's was. It was more....focused on one specific area (the film industry), no politics or bigger social themes this time, besides a tiny side plot not really worth mentioning. Which is a shame, because I think painting a larger picture of society through stories of crime is the most interesting potential of this series.
Instead we get a lot of personal drama with Rath and his erratic behavior at his job, drama with his colleagues and Charly, which is all fine, but I don't find him as a character on his own half as interesting as a character responding to and being influenced by, larger events happening around him.
But overall I still enjoyed reading this, it's a good thriller by itself, I just have bigger standards at this point because I've seen what else this series can do.
I'm feeling positive about the next one though!
March 19, 2016
Anders als so manch anderer Autor kann Volker Kutscher eines sehr gut: Informationen über die damalige Zeit vermitteln, ohne dass man das Gefühl hat Absätze zu lesen, die 1:1 aus dem Geschichtsbuch rauskopiert wurden. Es gelingt ihm einfach alles relevante geschickt in die Erzählung oder die Dialoge einzubauen, dass es ganz natürlich wirkt. Ein Talent, dass vielen Autoren historischer Romane leider fehlt (bei Kindersucher, ein anderer historischer Berlin-Krimi hab ichs nicht mal durch die Leseprobe geschafft weil ich das Gefühl hatte, dass ich da auch gleich ein Sachbuch über das Berlin der 20er Jahre lesen kann...Germania war nicht ganz so schlimm, hatte aber auch üble Infodumperitis).
Eigentlich könnte alles so schön sein wenn Rath nicht jemand mit der geistigen Reife eines 15jährigen wäres, dem die Eltern verboten haben nach 10 Uhr noch aus dem Haus zu gehen, und der dann trotzig auf den Boden stampft und ruft 'IHR SEID DOOF' und dann noch wütender wird wenn er dafür Hausarrest kassiert. Rath kann nämlich Böhm, seinen direkten Vorgesetzten nicht ausstehen. Böhm verlangt so unglaubliche Dinge von Rath, wie dass er das tut was ihm gesagt wird, zu den Besprechungen erscheint und kommt wenn Böhm ihn sprechen möchte.
Genau. Unverschämt, oder?
Und es geht hier nicht um Dinge wie 'Rath konnte den Auftrag nicht ausführen, weil ein wichtiger Zeuge aufgetaucht ist mit dem er sofort sprechen muss und Böhm tickt aus weil er findet Rath sollte doch in der Lage sein an zwei Orten gleichzeitig zu sein'. Nein, Rath versetzt seinen Chef einmal weil er lieber mit einem Kollegen Mittag essen will. Sorry aber für sein verwundetes Ego wenn Böhm darüber sauer wird habe ich herzlich wenig Mitleid.
Für über die Hälfte des Buches habe ich wesentlich mehr Verständnis für den Chef als für Rath. Dann ist es tatsächlich so, dass Böhm sich weigert eine Idee Raths als beachtenswert anzusehen. Auch wenn man jegliches Verständnis dafür hat, dass er nicht gut auf ihn zu sprechen ist sollte das eigentlich keine Rolle spielen (aber andererseits ist Böhms Meinung an der Stelle sowiso irrelevant, denn dessen Chef ist wieder da und der findet die Spur verfolgenswert).
Zwar ist es durchaus schön wenn die Krimi-Ermittler nicht zu glattgebügelt sind und sich nur durch ihre tragische Kindheiten unterscheiden aber Raths Verhalten ist hier einfach zuviel des (Un)Guten.
Der Fall an sich ist weniger politisch als der des ersten Bands (aber die Zeit an sich ist natürlich alles andere als unpolitisch) und ich mag meine Krimiplots so ehrlichgesagt am liebsten. Allerdings habe ich mich auch gefragt warum die Ermittler auf so manche Zusammenhänge nicht ein wenig früher gekommen sind. Sie hätten ja nicht gleich alles erkennen müssen aber, dass bei zwei in-Kinos-drapierten toten Schauspielerinnen mit herrausgeschnittenen Stimmbändern kein Mensch das Wort 'Stummfilm' nur mal in den Raum wirft ist ein bisschen sehr unglaubwürdig.
Und am Schluss ist Rath mal wieder zu dumm zum Leben. Aber vielleicht hat er davon ja wenigstens gelernt, warum Alleingänge keine gute Idee sind.
Eigentlich könnte alles so schön sein wenn Rath nicht jemand mit der geistigen Reife eines 15jährigen wäres, dem die Eltern verboten haben nach 10 Uhr noch aus dem Haus zu gehen, und der dann trotzig auf den Boden stampft und ruft 'IHR SEID DOOF' und dann noch wütender wird wenn er dafür Hausarrest kassiert. Rath kann nämlich Böhm, seinen direkten Vorgesetzten nicht ausstehen. Böhm verlangt so unglaubliche Dinge von Rath, wie dass er das tut was ihm gesagt wird, zu den Besprechungen erscheint und kommt wenn Böhm ihn sprechen möchte.
Genau. Unverschämt, oder?
Und es geht hier nicht um Dinge wie 'Rath konnte den Auftrag nicht ausführen, weil ein wichtiger Zeuge aufgetaucht ist mit dem er sofort sprechen muss und Böhm tickt aus weil er findet Rath sollte doch in der Lage sein an zwei Orten gleichzeitig zu sein'. Nein, Rath versetzt seinen Chef einmal weil er lieber mit einem Kollegen Mittag essen will. Sorry aber für sein verwundetes Ego wenn Böhm darüber sauer wird habe ich herzlich wenig Mitleid.
Für über die Hälfte des Buches habe ich wesentlich mehr Verständnis für den Chef als für Rath. Dann ist es tatsächlich so, dass Böhm sich weigert eine Idee Raths als beachtenswert anzusehen. Auch wenn man jegliches Verständnis dafür hat, dass er nicht gut auf ihn zu sprechen ist sollte das eigentlich keine Rolle spielen (aber andererseits ist Böhms Meinung an der Stelle sowiso irrelevant, denn dessen Chef ist wieder da und der findet die Spur verfolgenswert).
Zwar ist es durchaus schön wenn die Krimi-Ermittler nicht zu glattgebügelt sind und sich nur durch ihre tragische Kindheiten unterscheiden aber Raths Verhalten ist hier einfach zuviel des (Un)Guten.
Der Fall an sich ist weniger politisch als der des ersten Bands (aber die Zeit an sich ist natürlich alles andere als unpolitisch) und ich mag meine Krimiplots so ehrlichgesagt am liebsten. Allerdings habe ich mich auch gefragt warum die Ermittler auf so manche Zusammenhänge nicht ein wenig früher gekommen sind. Sie hätten ja nicht gleich alles erkennen müssen aber, dass bei zwei in-Kinos-drapierten toten Schauspielerinnen mit herrausgeschnittenen Stimmbändern kein Mensch das Wort 'Stummfilm' nur mal in den Raum wirft ist ein bisschen sehr unglaubwürdig.
Und am Schluss ist Rath mal wieder zu dumm zum Leben. Aber vielleicht hat er davon ja wenigstens gelernt, warum Alleingänge keine gute Idee sind.
November 15, 2020
Now the political background of the first book is dwindled to a minimum, but this book is still your above-the-average police thriller. The problem is the unloveable main character who is a stark idiot with little respect for the job he is doing and who thinks most of the time the ends justify the means. He puts his and the lives of others in danger, the due process on hold; women drop their knickers off for him etc... but I guess a character of sort would need some good reasoning to come as a hero out of this recklessness. However, Gereon has a clear case of ptsd (they didn’t know it back then) and I am not sure of the treatment he is supposed to get for it would really help.
I guess since the late 80s (where the book was first written), we have been exposed to such characters one too many times that the Rath character feels very cartoonish and predictable for us the seasoned thriller reader. If only no one has ever seen Lethal Weapon...
Edit: All that said, I still like the book. I’ve read the 3rd book and enjoyed it.
I guess since the late 80s (where the book was first written), we have been exposed to such characters one too many times that the Rath character feels very cartoonish and predictable for us the seasoned thriller reader. If only no one has ever seen Lethal Weapon...
Edit: All that said, I still like the book. I’ve read the 3rd book and enjoyed it.
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