The Auschwitz Detective

Adam Lapid Mysteries #6

by Jonathan Dunsky

The boy was murdered in Auschwitz. The killer isn't a Nazi.

Poland, 1944: Adam Lapid used to be a police detective. Now he's a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz.

Reduced to a slave after losing his family in the gas chambers, Adam struggles to find a reason to carry on living.

But when a boy is found murdered inside the camp, Adam is given the chance to be a detective again.

Ordered to discover the identity of the killer, Adam must employ all his wits to solve the mystery while surviving the perils of Auschwitz.

And he'd better catch the killer soon because the punishment for failure is death.

The Auschwitz Detective is a gripping historical mystery that will thrill readers of murder mysteries and historical fiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Holocaust, World War II, Jewish, Crime

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2020

About the author

Jonathan Dunsky is the author of eight crime novels, seven of which -- Ten Years Gone, The Dead Sister, The Auschwitz Violinist, A Debt of Death, A Deadly Act, The Auschwitz Detective, and A Death in Jerusalem -- are mysteries taking place in the early days of the State of Israel and featuring private investigator Adam Lapid, a holocaust survivor and former soldier and Nazi hunter. He has also published a standalone thriller called The Payback Girl and a number of short stories in various genres.

Born in Israel, he served for four years in the Israeli Army. After his military service he worked as a team leader in various high-tech firms, ran his own Search Engine Optimization business, and lectured in the faculty of Business Management in Tel Aviv University. He holds a degree in computer sciences and business. He's lived for several years in Europe and currently resides in Israel with his wife and two sons.

You can contact him at http://jonathandunsky.com/contact/

Reviews

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was dazzled by author Jonathan Dunsky's storytelling, character development, and writing. He taught himself English as an adult, but there is no indication of this in the narrative. The story is set in 1944 in the Auschwitz death camp. Adam Lapid is a former police detective and Jew from Hungary and is now forced to do slave labour each day. The meagre food is terrible, and the slave workers are starving. The men are inspected daily after long hours of physical labour. They will be selected for immediate extermination if they are too depleted in their mental or physical health. Under such conditions, the men may steal a piece of potato or bread and be beaten to death if caught. The story is convincing and emotionally moving.

We read that Adam is intelligent and kind but can be brutal. He harbours a mental list of people he wants to kill in revenge if he ever has the opportunity. All the time, Adam is witness to the obscene conditions and genocide all around him and the unspeakable crimes against humanity. He tries to turn off his emotions and feelings of futility while a fellow prisoner encourages him to keep up a glimmer of hope. His wife, children, and four sisters were sent to the gas chambers on arrival.

This was a powerful, thought-provoking book. The author's meticulous research has the ring of authenticity, and the story is convincing and moving. What surprised me was that among the vivid, dark background details was one of the best mysteries I have ever read.

A cruel, brutal former criminal and camp commander has ordered Adam to solve a murder. within three days, or he will be tortured and killed. He still must undergo his assigned physical labour for long hours each day. Why is the commander demanding a solution to the crime when thousands are killed daily on orders from Germany? The dead teenager, Franz, was the commander's personal slave and subject to the man's abuse. He wants revenge on Franz's murderer. On day 1, Adam is sent to the wrong location, so that first day is wasted. On days two and three, Adam questions people who knew Franz and several of the commander's deputies. All the time, Adam is threatened with imminent death and has an enemy among the prisoners who is anxious to kill him. Having never met Franz or viewed his body and without modern forensic tests, some of Adam's solutions to the crime are mistaken. Those under investigation are better or worse than he believes. This is a complex mystery with unexpected twists, turns, and shocking reveals. Can Adam save his life by solving the crime in two days?

This is my first Adam Lapid mystery. It is numbered 6 in the series but is a prequel, showing conditions and horrors that form his behaviour and personality. All the other books take place in Tel Aviv in the 1950s, where Adam resides in the newly formed state of Israel. Book #7 is already available, and #8 can be preordered. I am glad I learned about this author and his series on Goodreads, and I have already downloaded several of his books with the Tel Aviv location and highly recommended it to those who like a mystery with a disturbing , informative historical setting.

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

THE AUSCHWITZ DETECTIVE (Adam Lapid Mysteries Book #6) by Johnathan Dunsky is a historical fiction/crime mystery set in 1944 in Auschwitz. The mystery features former Hungarian police detective Adam Lapid while he is in the death camp and coerced into solving the murder of a young inmate. There are five previous books in this series, but this one is a prequel to his life as a P.I. in Israel after the war and is very raw and candid in its depiction of life in Auschwitz. This book is easily read as a standalone story.

Transported to Auschwitz in 1944, Hungarian police detective Adam Lapid loses his entire family to the gas chambers and is struggling to find a reason to go on. When a young man is found murdered, not by the guards in the camp, Adam is ordered to find the killer in three days or lose his own life.

This book is such a difficult book to read with the descriptive depravity laid bare that is usually somewhat glossed over in other WWII stories when they discuss life in the death camps. That said, there are small depictions of humanity and friendship intertwined throughout the story as well as an engrossing murder mystery. The research involved and carried over to the writing of this story is evident.

After reading this story, I am going to move on to book one in the series from here. I believe this book will give me a greater understanding of Adam Lapid’s character in 1950’s Israel.

I highly recommend this historical fiction/crime mystery for a more in-depth though fictional look at life in Auschwitz.

[George Pedersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This by far is one of the best books I've read recently. It is definitely the best Adam Lapid book yet. The historical detail is great. Obviously Jonathan put a lot of work in this book.
If you want to learn how people survived the worst atrocities against other people than read this book.
It's too bad that this was book 6, it certainly could have been book one. Then we would have understood Adam's life a little better.
All I can say is thank you for enlightening me on the plight of a people that have been abused for thousands of years.

[john alder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Genius - 5 Stars

I have read all of the Adam Lapid books. I do not mind admitting that this book brought me to the brink of tears on several occasions. I cannot spoil the read for others but I genuinely think the book is a masterpiece for so many reasons. This is a must read, if not only to reflect on how evil mankind can be. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank Jonathan for his research and by writing this book. If I could give it a rating of 6 stars I would. This is one of most powerful and thought provoking books I have ever read, thank you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[George P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Auschwitz Detective is Jonathan Dunsky’s sixth murder mystery featuring Adam Lapid. (I reviewed the previous novels here, here, here, here, and here; along with a Lapid short story here.) Whereas those mysteries were set in Tel Aviv in the years immediately following Israel’s independence, for which Lapid fought, The Auschwitz Detective is set in July 1944 at Auschwitz-Birkenau, where Lapid, a Hungarian Jew, is a prisoner. It is, in my opinion, Dunsky’s best story so far.

Auschwitz was the chief murder factory of the Nazi regime, and it operated at peak killing efficiency from May–July 1944. Lapid arrived weeks before novel’s weeklong action begins, and his wife and two daughters were ripped from his arms upon arrival, then immediately gassed and cremated. Imminent death threatens Lapid and the other prisoners on every page, casting a pall of hopelessness and futility over the entire novel.

When Lapid learns that another inmate has been killed—not by the Nazis but by a fellow prisoner—his detective insights kick in, and he begins to work the case. (Before the Nazis overran Hungary, Lapid had served as a police officer.) It is the search for a murderous needle in the midst of a field of murderous haystacks, but Lapid’s sense of justice demands the mystery be solved.

It is in this quest that we find the humanity amidst Auschwitz’s bestial horrors. There are, in addition, friendship, love, and occasional moments of mercy in the story, They present glimmers of hope beyond the doom that we know is coming for the prisoners, though not, we know, for Adam Lapid. The Auschwitz Detective thus serves as a prequel to Dunsky’s previous stories, providing pathos and texture to Lapid’s personality and motivation.

I ask two basic questions when I evaluate murder mysteries: Did the story keep me turning pages to find out what happens next? And did the story push too hard against my willing suspension of disbelief? A yes and no answer, respectively, makes for a successful mystery. By that standard, The Auschwitz Detective succeeds wildly. I read it in one sitting, and its grim portrayal of life in that horrible concentration had the ring of authenticity.

So, five stars from me for Jonathan Dunsky’s latest Adam Lapid story, and I look forward to the next, which I understand is already in the works!

Book Reviewed
Jonathan Dunsky, The Auschwitz Detective (Self-published, 2020).

P.S. If you liked my review, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.

[Max Tomlinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent, harrowing tale of "life" in Auschwitz for a prisoner who has to hide the fact that he was a policeman in his former life is marred by a convoluted mystery that keeps adding improbable events and hard-to-believe orchestrations to the plot, derailing the real story: a visceral, authentic historical account of the Nazi killing machine. It's a shame because the depiction of camp life is powerful.

[Stacey B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping and well told mystery that makes a good use of its horrific setting. It’s a convincing, moving and effective tale of survival, whilst also being a compelling thriller.

[Mr Keung Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Lapid

As much as the stories are at times very harrowing how one human can treat another also moments of humour between the 2 main characters, look forward to reading of your books

[Patricia (Irishcharmer) Yarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful read! Jonathan does an in-depth research of his subject matter -as I have read many true survivor stories over the years dealing with the Holocaust. In fact, had an active correspondence with a couple of them..there is so much history yet to be told, and read-and lordy they must be told so we never,ever forget. Lest history repeats itself..
I must applaud Jonathan not just for his power and determination in his research, but for his gift in writing just such a profound story! A story that will make you feel as if you were there in the camp. Walking the same path, living in the cramped,smelly, unsanitary conditions and the constant barrage of verbal/physical abuse because you are different. (As a military brat, my father took us to many of these camps-some still have standing buildings - as he felt we needed to learn the history of our host countries and see how things/growth has evolved and changed).
In this story Jonathan makes you understand Adam, Vilmos, Ludwig and feel the loss of Franz, and the survival instincts. If I say anymore, I'll be giving away too much so, I'm going to stop right here!
This is a 5+ star read. Very thought provoking and I enjoyed it immensely!--P/

[Barbara Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by this author!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a change of pace for the series with this book taking place during Adam’s time as a prisoner at Auschwitz. Such a unique mystery. Solving a murder where murder is sanctioned and daily occurs on a genocidal and industrial scale. Danger, violence, cruelty, and unbelievable twists. What a fascinating and disturbing view of evil close up.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've seen and read a lot of WWII historical fiction but this is the most unusual setting for a murder mystery ever! The Auschwitz detective, Adam, is such a compelling character. In a death camp, surrounded by unspeakable terrors, he and his friend Vimos manage to hold on the their humanity and hope. It's difficult and heartbreaking to read about camps, but it's important to remember that the Holocaust happened. The author's notes explained his research and I appreciate the meticulous details that he included. I look forward to reading the next Adam Lapid mystery.

[Jaqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping. Sobering. Thought provoking. Worthwhile.

This wasn't an easy book to read. It absolutely could not have been an easy book to write. "In no other death camp did more people die than in Auschwitz.". Much of the killing was between May - July 1 944 the time this extraordinary book is set. "For who could believe a place like Auschwitz existed?". Adam Lapid has lost everyone ; all his family of birth his mother, his sisters, their families and his wife and daughters and in this book he struggles to survive the horrors of his reality in this barbaric brutal and cruel place and find a reason to hope and to live. " if I could not help them, I could at least bear witness. "

"How could a civilisation as advanced as Germany have descended to such barbarism? " The research giving us facts welded into The narrative are chilling. The book is meticulous in its depth and breadth of research. And the machinery of murder in all its forms well described.A truly terrible thing to write about but so important for all of us that we do read about and never forget.

I have read all the Adam Lapid books up to this one and although the book is hard to read in places that is because of the facts we are presented with, the contents, not the writing, the characters, the dialogue or the story which is compelling. It's a great read, stirring, sad and meaningful, and although I didn't know how it would work or how I would feel about a murder investigation in a death camp, it is also a brilliant detective novel. Almost impossible to do well, I would have thought, but the writer has done so and gives us a prequel to Adam's life which helps in understanding his background, motivation and character. Recommended.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following this series, reading one each month and looking forward to each and every one.

In this sixth book, we go back in time to find Adam incarcerated in Auschwitz, where the murder of a teenage boy would normally be nothing out of the ordinary; but this murder was not at the hands of the Nazis. Struggling just to get through each day - and night - Adam tries to keep as low a profile as possible but realises the moment another prisoner spots him that he may not be able to do so for much longer. His fears come to pass as he is tasked with finding the murderer or befalling a similar fate himself.

This is quite possibly the hardest book I've ever had to read. Had it been the first in series, I'm not sure if I would have continued but I have learned so much from these novels that I persevered. The horrors of the camp are told in such a matter-of-fact way but then, I imagine it was the only way to survive. It took me longer to read than usual as I struggled with details which I was previously unaware of; but it is such a rewarding read. I'm very glad I got through it and it has increased my understanding of those horrific times which I trust we never see the likes of again. A novel I will never forget, and a worthy addition to this series. No question about it - five stars.

[Carole Eshenbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be a 6

Understated. Wonderfully sad. Gripping. Yes this book was and has lived up to its name. You can tell research, real research was done. I do not believe words can ever replace the tire horrors of the death camps but through Adams eyes we get a small glimpse of life there. Hope yes there is Hope. Also strength that this author had to bring this story to light. The agony Jonathan must have gone through to write this story. My hats off to you. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

[Donna Herrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auschwitz. The very name evokes despair, photos can be nauseating, stories of the torture stir outrage. Jonathan Dunsky's heart-pounding novel about a captive echoes those emotions and gives us a glimpse of thoughts of those captives, views of how the Nazi's used brutal criminals to control the captives by setting up a heirarchy of rule. How love and criminality can sprout with in a prison or death camp.

[Annie Castaneda · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! Even though this book was about solving a murder it also gave you plenty of insight of the harshness of the concentration camps. I like how the author fit both in. I didn't give it 5 stars cause it was a little slow from the beginning but I am glad I stuck with it! Will definitely be reading the rest of the series!

[Chris Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always avoided the fiction with Auschwitz in the title, but I checked this one out when I saw a deal on the Kindle copy. This is number 6 but really a prequel in the Auschwitz Detective series. It is a hard book to read, but it is so well-written and compelling. I will check out other titles by Jonathan Dunsky.

[Beth Stromberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although part of a series this book can stand alone. It is the story of Adam in Auschwitz. In my opinion, it is Dunsky's best work so far, and I have loved all his books.

[Hermien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes back to Adam Lapid's time in Auschwitz where he has to find a murderer of a young boy. Gripping story.

[Soozee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam is a former detective, a Hungarian Jew, who was scooped up in the pogram with his family and finds himself in Auschwitz. He fears his wife, daughters, mother and sisters have died, but he doesn’t yet know. With his friend Vilmos, he tries to survive in incredibly harsh conditions. Men are killed for being slow, for being ill, for no reason at all.

He then falls into the orbit of the Lageraelteste, an incredible bully charged with keeping order amongst the prisoners. Someone has told him Adam was a policeman, which would be a death sentence in itself in the camp, but he gives him the chance of life, if he finds out who killed his young ‘servant’. Adam accepts and starts the most difficult case of his career – if he fails, he will die.

The book shows the conditions in Auschwitz perhaps with more clarity than any book I have read. And when the two men talk to the ‘Mumbler’ to try to find if he has seen anything, it is a scene of such pathos I wept. Starving themselves, they sit with a man with a broken mind as he relives all the glorious meals he used to enjoy with his mother. Incredibly moving and so, so sad.

The ‘whodunnit’ element is vital to the story, as layers are uncovered revealing the depths men may sink to, and the heights they will achieve to retain their humanity.

[Leah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CONTENT WARNING: grief, genocide, graphic Holocaust imagery, violence, blood, murder, suicide, antisemitism, homophobia, mention of rape, mention of molestation

Holocaust stories are exceptionally difficult for me to read. I almost exclusively stick to non-fiction in this area, and it’s often a struggle for me even to read those, especially since my father, a Holocaust survivor, has passed away. However, I make the effort to push through in his honor, because it is an important area to remember and bear witness to. I knew this book was going to be difficult, but after reading 5 books portraying Adam’s post-war struggles, I had a strong level of trust in the author and believed he would do his absolute best to write this book as accurately and sensitively as possible.

This was by no means an easy or enjoyable book, but I chose to give it five stars not only because I got caught up in the mystery, but also because of his incredible portrayal of the setting. He had an amazing ability to capture the absolute horror of Auschwitz in a way that I have never been able to see anywhere else. Reading this book allowed me to not only visualize the camp, but also envision the smells, sounds, and even tastes that surrounded the people imprisoned there.

While trapped in Auschwitz, people found different reasons to survive. Removed from their home, witness to their families and entire communities being killed and burned, forced to work while starving to death, and beaten and subjected to cruel and brutal punishments for no reason other than forcing them to suffer, they struggled to find a reason to live. In Adam’s case, he wanted vengeance, but his relationship with Vilmos, his only friend in the camp, offered him the only speck of hope in his dismal existence. It was beautiful to see how the relied upon each other so heavily in different ways—Vilmos provided hope and encouragement, while Adam provided protection.

Threats didn’t just come from the Nazis. Inter-prisoner politics came into play. It’s not a jump to see how quickly moral fiber breaks down in the fight for survival, and one meal can mean the difference between seeing another day or not. Values are rapidly set to the side in favor of life, and we get to see Adam’s struggle to reconcile his own change:

“‘This place, this dreadful place. It makes it so hard to remain a human being, doesn’t it?’ I nodded, unsure of where I currently stood on the spectrum of human morals and values. Since my arrival at the camp, I had slipped a ways toward the corrupt end and felt myself straining to keep from slipping further.”

Adam has an additional secret that he’s hiding from the others—he was a detective, and in a camp where criminals have the power over Jews, that’s a fact that could get him killed. When prisoners are starving to death, someone finding out that secret and whispering it into the right ear could mean the difference between life and death. However, just being put in the camp was the end product of a process of dehumanization as a result of the Nazi killing machine, a systematic process of genocide. Adam realizes that he has been reduced to a single thing: a number, like all the other prisoners in Auschwitz.

“That number was me, and I was that number. Sometimes it felt that this was all I ever was. That everything I had once been—father, son, husband, policeman—had been expunged, erased, eradicated so thoroughly that even the memory of those things was suspect, as though my life prior to arriving in the camp had been an illusion or a fevered dream.”

When Adam is tasked to investigate a suspicious death, a murder that occurred that wasn’t the result of Nazi actions, he’s surprised. There aren’t many clues to go on, and he doesn’t have the same freedom as he used to as a detective. But he is given powerful motivation to solve the crime, and gives it everything he has. I quickly got sucked into his investigation, and couldn’t wait to find out who was behind the crime.

As he tracks down clues and questions people who may have information without necessarily even realizing it, he discovers that there are even more horrors in the camp, facing the people he’s imprisoned with. He encounters the dark secrets being held by people close to him and the investigation, including someone who is gay and hiding it because of his fear of even more punishment, as well as his own internalized homophobia as a result of the society he’s been entrenched in. The investigation also leads him down a dark rabbit hole of abuse and coercion, as he gets closer to the crux of the crime, which he is forced to solve to save his own life.

The dark nature of this book and how difficult it was to read forced me to have to take breaks and read another book simultaneously. But even as I was reading the other book, this one took up space in my head, and I found myself going back to it and reading compulsively. Adam manages to maintain an analytical distance from his own situation, maybe because it’s how his mind works, but maybe also as a coping strategy to protect himself from the inhuman situation that he is forced into. I got attached to him and the case, and even to his friend, especially the way they managed to maintain their humanity in a place that was designed to strip all humanity away from them. I found myself crying by the end, but also loved Adam even more for knowing more about his story. This is a powerful story, and Dunsky did an incredible job with treading the fine line of Holocaust fiction. It’s done sensitively and felt as though Dunsky maintained accuracy to the best of his ability, although I’ll definitely be glad to be getting back to Adam’s new home ground of Israel in the next book.

[David Paul Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first J.D. novel - thank you Jonathan.
The awful situation of the death camp is vividly brought to life by J.Ds narrative. I liked the 1st person narrative of Adam.
a clever murder mystery amongst such suffering, humiliation and death.
I look forward to reading more about Adam Lapid's story - especially in old Tel-Aviv.

[Barb Fink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mystery, I had no idea who it was until the end. Most of this novel was a hard read given the subject matter of the prisoners of Auschwitz. It is so hard to fathom how a group of people believed in an outrageous ideology and then became mass murderers.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the prequel to the Adam Lapid series. I wasn’t actually in the mood to read about the holocaust, but it’s a good crime book. I have another book in the series on my TBR shelf and am looking forward to reading it. Recommended for crime lovers.

[Amy Niemeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I started reading it last night and couldn’t put it down!

[Sparkslee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this book was part of a series….grrr! Feels wrong to say how much I enjoyed it, given its setting….totally unexpected fusion of a Holocaust story & murder mystery….

[Sharon Wildfang · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing mystery! Perhaps more importantly an horrific description of the atrocities and inhumanity displayed in Auschwitz! A gripping read!!

[Mike Kettlewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought I'd try something different to read! Glad I did, such a fantastic read and a incredible story with great characters.. yes some of the references are dark and tragic regarding 1945 but don't let that stop you from reading this!