Dead of Night

Criminal Inspector Schenke #2

by Simon Scarrow

BERLIN. JANUARY 1940.

After Germany's invasion of Poland, the world is holding its breath and hoping for peace. At home, the Nazi Party's hold on power is absolute.

One freezing night, an SS doctor and his wife return from an evening mingling with their fellow Nazis at the concert hall. By the time the sun rises, the doctor will be lying lifeless in a pool of blood.

Was it murder or suicide? Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is told that under no circumstances should he investigate. The doctor's widow, however, is convinced her husband was the target of a hit. But why would anyone murder an apparently obscure doctor? Compelled to dig deeper, Schenke learns of the mysterious death of a child. The cases seem unconnected, but soon chilling links begin to emerge that point to a terrifying secret.

Even in times of war, under a ruthless regime, there are places in hell no man should ever enter. And Schenke fears he may not return alive . . .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery, War, Audiobook

407 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2023

About the author

Simon Scarrow is a UK-based author, born in Nigeria, and now living in Norfolk. He completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia, and, after working at the Inland Revenue, went into teaching as a lecturer at City College, Norwich.

He is best known for his "Eagle" series. This is Roman empire military fiction, starting with the second invasion of Britain, and continuing with subsequent adventures in every corner of the empire. The stories are told through the eyes of two centurions, Macro and Cato. To date there are eighteen books in the series.

Scarrow has also written a series of four novels on the Napoleonic wars, focusing on the lives of Wellington and Napoleon.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon Scarrow's follows Blackout, his latest series, WW2 historical fiction with this sequel, set in the bitterly cold, freezing snow ridden winter in Berlin 1941, featuring Kripo Criminal Inspector, Horst Schenke, head of Pankow station, from an aristocratic background, a former racing driver who suffered a terrible accident that left him with a permanent limp. He and his team of Sergeant Hauser, and the Gestapo transferred Liebwitz, are urgently trying to get to the bottom of a forged ration coupons scam, facing pressure to get it resolved as soon as possible. To Schenke's dismay, the Jewish Ruth Frankel, who had helped them on their last murder inquiry, wants him to look into the suspicious suicide of a SS Dr Manfred Schmesle, his wife, Brigitte, is convinced it is murder.

Ruth, who is in real danger, is hiding from the Nazis, and despite Schenke's misgivings, he feels he owes it to her to look into the suicide, going to visit Brigitte's home, where it becomes clear that suicide does not fit the evidence. However, the dangers of looking into it soon become apparent when he is abducted by thugs, and when he gets a phone call from none other than Reinhard Heydrich warning him off, the suicide verdict will stand. Schenke's relationship with the beautiful Karin has progressed to a level that he asks her to marry her. She agrees, but he becomes aware that there is much he doesn't know about her when Karin asks for a favour, for him to meet an American journalist that will bring nothing but trouble. Unhappy, feeling coerced, he acquiesces, which is how he finds himself meeting a grieving mother, Johanna Scholz, whose daughter, Greta, supposedly died of pneumonia at the Schiller Clinic in Potsdam.

To Schenke's surprise, as the horrors of what is happening at the clinic emerge, there are connections to Dr Manfred Schmesle. Scarrow evokes the darkness and atmosphere of the period with skill, a Berlin and Germany illustrating the Nazis nightmare abuse of power, implementing the below the radar murders of those viewed as polluting the Aryan race, including those designated as physically and mentally deficient. Schenke is having to make pragmatic decisions when it comes to accommodating his conscience and unpalatable realities, something that disappoints Karin, his relationship facing further difficulties when he becomes aware of his feelings for another woman. Whilst it is all too easy to condemn the Nazis, it's worth noting that much of the thinking and practice behind eugenics and forced sterilisation came from other countries. This is harrowing and hard hitting WW2 fiction that makes for a tense, suspenseful and gripping read. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[Mike Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fast read and another great story from Simon Scarrow. Upto now I have only read his Roman novels, although I have a Napoleon and Wellington book in my stash.

As usual I have read the second book in the series. Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke investigates an apparent case of child murder at the same time as one on coupon forgery.

Scarrow has a nice writing style. Characters you can associate with. Good banter between them. A fast pace and action when required.

As Scarrow’s Macro and Cato are the ones I have been brought up with. I could not help but notice the Cato like quality of Schenke and the Macro like quality of his sergeant - Hauser. But the exchanges between Hauser and the seconded ex Gestapo man Liebwitz were my favourite. With Hauser even calling him ‘lad.’ As Macro did to Cato.

All in all a cracker of a read👍

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the last month we had some serious strikes on public transport and I had to come up with another way of getting to work. A colleague of mine offered carpooling which is nice gets me easy to work and quickly home as well, I even have to get up later than before and gives me more of a beauty sleep. BUT it cuts an hour of my reading time every day I get to work.
Anyhow this book suffered readingtime as it was in my backpack to work, and reading while carpooling is considered rude.😇

This is Scarrows 2nd outing with his Berlin policeman Horst Schenke in the early years of what later was considered WW2. This time he is not permitted to investigate the murder of a medical Doctor, a case which was pointed out by his friend Ruth, survivor of the serial killer in the first book. Schenke is clearly told to stay clear of this case and does so but quickly discovers that another case he is looking into has some similar roots as the murder of the doctor.
This book has as subject another horrific Nazi massacre at its heart. The killing of handicapped children and sadly this has happened in an organized way by the very thorough Nazi way, because they were a danger for Aryan purity. Sh&t like this happened and there are still people denying the holocaust and it’s kind, which is amazing and absolutely stupefyingly how there can be such a denial. Then again the killing of Muslim men and systematically raping of Muslim girls was ignored in the civil war of former Yugoslavia.
The book lifts a veil from another less reported Nazi horror and manages also to show a good view on the daily life in Nazi Berlin before they started the second phase of WW2. How not everybody was evil but how everybody was terrified in a country that put less of an effort into a valid legal system. Horst Schenke policeman and not a member of the Nazi party has to find his way into society that becomes les reigned by moral but madness.

A good thriller written around a horrible system with recognizable humans but good and evil. I can only hope that Mr Scarrow will continue with these books in the dark and early days of WW2 in which you clearly see how a society overrun with extremist views can become inhuman and the result a world in ruins. If we learn nothing from the past we are bound to repeat our mistakes. And the world is currently clearly leaning towards the wrong direction in which personal interests are considered over human considerations.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Scarrow's World War II crime novel sees the return of many familiar characters from his previous Berlin set story Blackout. Unfortunatley Dead of Night doesn't live up to its excellent predecessor. This time Criminal Investigator Horst Schenke becomes involved in two cases, one involving an apparent suicide & one concerned with the disappearance of children from a home.
While Scarrow's characters are as fascinating as ever for some reason the plot never really comes alive. There are some good moments & even a bit of humour here & there, but for me it was nowhere near as good as I was expecting.
This audio version is read by Simon Mattacks & I love the fact that he gives the characters different British regional accents instead of German ones. It's a shame that the story wasn't as inspiring as the narration.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berlin, 1940. Germany is gripped by a spell of freezing weather. Food is rationed. The war is underway, but hopes are high it will end soon as the German people mistakenly believe Hitler is a man of peace.

Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke of the Kripo, the criminal investigation department of the police force, is approached by a woman who recently helped him catch a murderer. She asks for his help to investigate the apparent suicide of a friend’s husband, a doctor and member of the Nazi party. His wife believes he was murdered. He feels he owes her this so begins investigating. He finds sufficient evidence that this death points to murder but he is told by his superiors the verdict of suicide will not be changed. Someone high up does not want an investigation. Schenke is warned off investigating further by his superiors and then again after being abducted and threatened with death if he carries on.

He returns to his investigation of forgeries of ration coupons but he is approached by another third party this time asking him to investigate the deaths of a number of disabled children at a clinic. Are these children being ‘removed’ as the Nazi’s aim is to produce a purer and stronger Germany? An Aryan race.

Putting his life in danger to find the truth, Schenker carries out his investigations secretly and it becomes apparent these cases may be linked. Could the mild mannered doctor be involved in the horrendous murders of innocent children?

Can Schenker solve all three cases with his life intact?

Well this is absolutely one of those books which grabbed me right from the beginning. Schenke and his assistant Hauser with the help of ex-Gestapo Liebwitz - a character I particularly liked due to his matter-of-factness even in the worst situations - are the good guys. The police who have not succumbed to the Nazi ideology although of course are unable to speak out which would put their lives at risk.

A non stop action thriller which kept me guessing who was behind the cover up.

I have not read the previous book in this new Berlin Wartime Thrillers series, Blackout, but as Schenke is already one of my favourite detectives I will be getting hold of a copy! This is easily readable as a stand alone and I don’t feel I have missed out by not reading book 1, but it was so good I really need to!

[Ray Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Police Work in 1940 Berlin Is Tricky

In 1940 Berlin, Dr. Manfred Schmesler and his wife attend a concert. When they arrive home, his wife goes upstairs to go to bed. He enters his study, stokes this cast iron stove, and starts to review reports. A loud crack wakes the wife up at 3 am. Her husband is not in bed. She goes downstairs and enters his study. The acrid smell of gun power is in the air. Papers are scattered everywhere. Manfred is sprawled on the floor with a gun near his hand. The police ruled it a suicide and closed the case. The wife says that he would not kill himself. From this death, the novel starts.

This main storyline has three threads. In the first thread, Ruth, who helped Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke solve a serial murder case in the first novel, is a friend to the Schmeslers. She asks Schenke to investigate the death. Reviewing the case file and the crime scene raises significant red flags. He cannot reopen the case as it was officially recorded as a suicide. If that is not enough to convince him, he is abducted and interrogated by some thugs but is released. Next, Schenke is ordered to see Heydrich, head of the Gestapo, who gives him a direct order to have nothing to do with this closed investigation. Schenke returns to the second thread. He is trying to identify the criminals passing fake ration coupons. The third thread starts when Karin, Schenke’s girlfriend, asks him to talk with a reporter. He learns that children are dying at a clinic for disabled children. These three threads weave a very engaging story. My attention was quickly captured and kept me engaged to the end. It was difficult for me to stop reading this novel. Tension is abundant in this novel as Schenke must walk a thin line with Heydrich. The threat of immediate death is a constant possibility.

For the second novel in this series, the background is more extensive than I expected. The character of Schenke is expanded through his thoughts, actions, and talks with Karin, Ruth, and his colleagues. The characters of Karin and Ruth are also further developed. There is an added gem added with the background of Scharführer Liebwitz. In the first novel, Heydrich implanted him as an acknowledged spy in Schenke’s group. He is an odd duck in that novel. What makes Liebwitz tick is revealed in this novel. The background in this novel is one of the most enjoyable that I have read.

Some aspects that can cause some readers to stop reading are present in this novel. There are not any intimate scenes but only close encounters. Vulgar, rude, and impious language are present at a noticeable level. It was not an issue for me as they were in context and not gratuitous. Most of the violence is presented in the more edgy as it occurs, including a significant shoot-out. On a less critical level, this is the second novel in the Berlin Wartime Thriller. Many of the characters continue, and there is even one ongoing investigation from the first novel. I did not see any aspects requiring reading the previous novel to understand. I believe that most readers will be able to read without any issues.

The only issue I had with this novel was relatively minor. Some British informal words crept in that I do not believe a German would use. There were much more that I really enjoyed. As mentioned above, the development of the Liebwitz character. I liked how Schenke made a breakthrough in the fake ration coupon case. It is not a solution available to modern-day police. The ending was a little bittersweet for me.

I do have some history with this author. In the early 2000s, I read the first seven of his Eagle series. This series has reintroduced me to the author. He quickly earned a place on my Must-Read author list. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and strongly recommend reading it. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Kensington Books. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Kensington Books, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not all protagonists have the immediate ability to draw a reader’s attention, and even fewer find a way to fully capture – and keep it. Inspector Horst Schenke, in the vein of Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, fully embodies the detective we’re all looking for. Intelligent, driven, principled – in short, the detective’s detective. Like us, he faces internal struggles, temptations, and is forced to choose between good and evil. Unlike us, he must face these moral dilemmas from within the oppressive microcosm of the Nazi Party – and this is where Scarrow shines.

Part historical fiction, part detective adventure, part thriller, and part murder mystery, Scarrow brilliantly weaves a narrative that progresses through the freezing German winter like a Reich steam locomotive. Each character we meet exhibits depth of conscience, emotion, and story. Every location into which we follow Schenke seizes our imagination and the pages turn effortlessly as we find ourselves immersed in 1940 Berlin. From behind the swastika-covered walls and propaganda-muddied streets of Nazi Germany, Scarrow forces us to suffer the pains of his characters. Do we challenge the machine, aware of its size and strength? Do we stand up against the great tyrannical Secret, mindful of the countless Reich fists waiting to squeeze our families and friends along with us? Do we dare feel, help, or think?

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, and to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. Thank you to Simon Scarrow for the fast-paced and thrilling week I am grateful to have spent in the freezing cold of 1940 Berlin alongside Inspector Horst Schenke.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being an avid reader of wartime thrillers I’m not quite sure how I managed to miss Blackout, the first book in the series, when it was published in 2020. I shall certainly be snapping up a copy at some point as, although Dead of Night can definitely be read as a standalone, there are lots of things I’d love to know more about, especially the book’s protagonist, Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke. For example, how Schenke’s relationship with Karin Canaris came about and his involvement with Ruth, a young Jewish woman, who seemingly played a pivotal role in events in the previous book.

Most of us, I imagine, are aware of the vile actions of the Nazi regime towards Jewish people but perhaps less so about the atrocities committed against other sections of the population in pursuit of Hitler’s warped and perverted ideology. (As the author notes, sometimes fiction can do a better job of shedding a light on such things than ‘dry tomes of history’.) It’s just such an atrocity that Schenke uncovers in the course of his investigation. But is it an act of personal revenge or something more sinister?

I thought Schenke was a brilliant character. He has a strong sense of justice and isn’t afraid to bend the rules if he believes it is right. It places him in all sorts of risky situations, even threatening the safety of those close to him, something that is never far from his mind. Bringing criminals to justice and forcing them to face the consequences of their actions is what he believes in, it’s what drives him but sometimes, perhaps, even he has to face the possibility he hasn’t the power to do so – at least not yet.  He tries to comfort himself with the thought, ‘There will be a reckoning for the evil that is being done, but I fear that won’t come for some time. Months . . . years . . . who can say? In which case, it is our duty to survive and bear witness.’

Writing about the inspiration for Dead of Night, Simon Scarrow describes it as being the story of how ‘an extreme ideology prepares the ground for unthinkable and unconscionable actions’. I expect we can all think of contemporary parallels. Navigating such a situation while keeping his integrity intact is the dilemma Schenke faces. He’s a patriot but one who has become ashamed of what his country is doing. It’s these difficult choices that make the book so powerful, exposing as it does some of the darkest deeds of the 20th century. 

Dead of Night is a skilfully crafted, completely engrossing historical thriller that will delight fans of the genre. I really hope there will be more books in the series.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead of Night is a thrilling and exciting read that gripped me from the very beginning. Fast-paced and intriguing, I loved getting to know Schenke and his team and enjoyed seeing how they worked through the evidence in front of them whilst trying to stay one step ahead of the perpetrators. Twists and surprising links in the case kept the story moving along as more of the case unfolded.
The horrors of the crimes perpetrated by the Nazi party make for a tense read and I found the historical note from the author fascinating.

[Grant S · Rating 3 out of 5]

A second outing for Berlin detective Horst Schenke.
I enjoyed the first 'Schenke' novel so I was looking forward to this book. It lived up to my expectations and I enjoyed it.
I've read a lot of world war two fiction, often set in Germany and whilst this isn't as good as Philip Kerr's 'Bernie Gunther' series or anything by Robert Harris it's no dud.
The author Simon Scarrow is mostly known for his Roman Empire novels and I'd probably give one of those a try now having enjoyed this.
This time around Schenke goes on a personal crusade to help a Jewish woman he's friendly with investigate the suicide of a family friend. This leads to him becoming embroiled in the premature deaths of disabled children in a hospital.
Essentially the book is about the Nazi regimens policies on eugenics and the sick and disabled. Obviously a very dark subject.
I hope we see another story or two in this series in the future.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horst Schenke is back in Dead of Night another great historical mystery by Simon Scarrow. It can't be easy trying to solve crime in Berlin in the 1940s? Espesially since some in the government don't see everything as a crime. It is a balancing act not to get in trouble even for a police detective. I found the first book very good and couldn't stop myself from reading this the second as well, there is a lot of material to choose from and this story could go on for longer than the war did. I actually read this parallel to Mark Pryors serie about a french detective in Paris during the same era, very interesting. I haven't read much by Scarrow but I will rectify this when I find some time. He has written a few books. I can really recommend this series if you like murder mysteries, historical fiction or just a good book. I must thank Kensington Books and Netgalley for giving me this copy.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting war thriller based in the Berlin area at the early part of ww2 children dying in mysterious circumstances

[Jackiesreadingcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in two sittings, the second sitting I was determined to read it until the end because I was so engrossed in the story, a story that represents people who had to live through 1940 Berlin, believing Hitler to be a peaceful man, hoping the war wouldn’t last for long. It’s hard to comprehend how those that lived through those years survived.

The story begins 28th January 1940 as Dr Manfred Schmesler and his wife Brigitte along with friends Hans Eberman and his wife Eva have just attended a concert. They had arranged to go again the following Friday. Unfortunately that night whilst doing some paperwork Dr Schmesler committed suicide, or did he? His wife believes he was murdered.

Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke along with colleagues Sergeant Hauser, and the newest recruit who had been recruited by the Gestapo, Scharfuhrer Liebwitz, are working on a fraud case involving fake ration coupons, but they are waiting for some forensic results before they will know if it is one criminal gang, but the pressure is being put on Schenke to solve the case.

Schenke goes out for lunch in a local place as he sits down a woman sits opposite him, Schenke is shocked to see Ruth Frankel, she had helped him on a previous case. Schenke never expected to see her again because she is a Jew, so is putting herself and Schenke at risk. Ruth is desperate to speak to Schenke about her friend Brigitte’s husband Dr Manfred Schmesler the wife is convinced he was murdered and that he would never commit suicide, Ruth is asking if Schenke will look into the case. He says he will look into it but if he believes it to be suicide that will be it. Back at the station he gets the file with the report and suicide note, he calls in Hauser and Liebwitz and the three read everything, they venture to the house to see the widow and to examine the room where it supposedly happened. All three believe it is more like murder than suicide. But when Schenke tries to take it further he is ordered to stand down and accept it was suicide. Along with a beating from unknown people just to make sure Schenke stops looking into the case.

I really like Schenke he is an honest man and tries to abide by the rules, which is getting harder with the SS and things getting tighter, he has a partner Karin who is rather more vocal then he is about the politics, Schenke doesn’t mind discussing things when they are at home but urges her to be more cautious what she says in public. It’s Karin who asks him for the next favour, she wants him to meet someone who wants to talk to him a reporter she won’t give Schenke his name but asks him to just meet and listen to what he has to say. The reporter tells Schenke he had been contacted by a couple whose young son had died, he had been born with a spinal deformity despite this he was an intelligent and popular boy, but he had a mild chest infection October the previous year, he was taken into hospital where he was for a month, then the parents were told he should go to a specialist unit, they agreed and he was transferred believing the fresh air would aid his recovery, they were given regular updates but then just after Christmas they were told he had died of pneumonia, his body had been cremated and his belongings had been give to other patients. A day later an urn with his ashes in was delivered. As the reporter dug deeper it turned out that the boy wasn’t the only child to have died in the same clinic. It was the same dr committing the children to the clinic. As Schenke looks into the case he realises the death toll is higher than normal. What is going on in the Schiller Clinic?

Schenkes private life is also getting more complicated he has asked Karin to marry him, but then he knows he has some sort of feelings for Ruth. But with Ruth being Jewish that would be a dangerous relationship to be in.

This was a gripping fast paced read, there was a lot of action and s few twists that come as a real surprise. Schenke is like a dog with a bone once he starts an investigation. He ends up in a few scrapes. If you like a fast paced read then look no further. You also have to remember that some of the practices mentioned did happen during this time. Which really makes you think how lucky we are.

Imagine if your child was taken away from you because they had a mild disability and you were told you couldn’t have anymore children because the next one may not be perfect. Who determines what is perfect. Should all children have blonde hair and blue eyes? The story of the children really makes you think.

[Peter Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berlin. 1940. On a freezing January morning an SS doctor’s body is discovered by his wife after an apparent suicide. However she thinks it’s murder and persuades Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke to look into it, even though he has been told not to investigate the matter.
At the same time he and his two fellow officers start to look into the deaths of young children dying at a special school, with the most unexpected results. It seems both cases could be linked.
As the cases start to merge Schenke is warned off them, but he can’t let go. He is determined to find justice even at the risk of losing his life.
Simon Scarrow captures the taut atmosphere and paranoia of Nazi Germany perfectly. The novel has a brilliant plot and a great character in Horst Schenke and this is a thoroughly enjoyable book by one of the finest historical writers I’ve ever read.
A superb wartime thriller and a great follow up to the first book in the series. I Highly recommend.

[Andrea Oliverio · Rating 5 out of 5]

L’autore denuncia una vicenda poco nota del regime nazista, che è stata il preludio e l’affinamento delle armi usate nell’olocausto.
Nonostante il tema molto spigoloso trattato, il romanzo è ben costruito, i personaggi sono davvero vivi (sembrano veri e questo è il talento migliore di Scarrow) e nessun dettaglio è lasciato al caso. Nel corso della narrazione tutto torna.
Credo che sentiremo parlare molto in futuro dell’ispettore Schenke

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guess what? I only went and did it again, started a series out of sequence. I only skipped one book though, so all is not lost. And as this one was so unbelievably good, it won't be long until I circle back to the first one in the series.

So, back to Dead of Night. This folks, is historical crime fiction at its very best, blending as it does, fact and fiction.
Berlin is the location. 1940 is the year. War rages on. It is winter. Food is rationed. Fuel for fires is scarce. Life is hard for some, harder still if you are Jewish.
It is against this backdrop that we meet Inspector Horst Schenke, who finds himself being warned off when he investigates the death of a doctor, a case that has already been written up as a suicide. A parallel investigation into the deaths of children at a clinic, lead to links to the deceased doctor, further warnings, and unsavoury discoveries. Does he heed the warnings, or does he keep digging? 🤐
Dead of Night is a fast paced, action packed, emotive thriller that will excite you and tug at your heartstrings in equal measure. I look forward to continuing this series.

[Björn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judarna i årtusende har och har haft det fördjävligt. Så även i denna bok men här åker även barn med som inte passar in i profilen. Det är Horst som måste lösa detta i sitt polisområde. Det är ingen avundsvärd uppgift. Den kräver smidighet och list.

[Justin Sarginson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally try and read most of Simon Scarrow's books, but found the predecessor to this book to be almost clumsy and inarticulate. So I was fortunate to be shared this book by the publisher and NetGalley, as I was intrigued to discover how this very new series has evolved and am appreciative to both.

For me, there is a clear improvement. The author has always superb stories in mind and this novel doesn't disappoint in any way. The characters are more formed now and the reader can relate to their respective evolution more. For me, I really enjoyed reading how the characters developed and grew, especially with how their own relationships with other characters within the story and universe developed.

I also think the author worked respectfully with the subject manner, observing some restraint and respective, whilst truthfully accounting for the horror of the war and the German regime. This is already another series to read and appreciate, as the author's skill and productivity just exponentially increases.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead of night by Simon Scarrow.
BERLIN. JANUARY 1941. Evil cannot bring about good . . .
After Germany's invasion of Poland, the world is holding its breath and hoping for peace. At home, the Nazi Party's hold on power is absolute.
One freezing night, an SS doctor and his wife return from an evening mingling with their fellow Nazis at the concert hall. By the time the sun rises, the doctor will be lying lifeless in a pool of blood.
Was it murder or suicide? Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is told that under no circumstances should he investigate. The doctor's widow, however, is convinced her husband was the target of a hit. But why would anyone murder an apparently obscure doctor? Compelled to dig deeper, Schenke learns of the mysterious death of a child. The cases seem unconnected, but soon chilling links begin to emerge that point to a terrifying secret.
Really enjoyable read just didn't know how I felt about the characters. 4*.

[Greville Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is turning into an excellent series and this book is even better than its predecessor. Horst Schenke is an intriguing character. A man of honour and breeding who walks a tightrope between his conscience and the Nazi zealots he is forced to serve.

A complex and convoluted plot ensues but the historical detail is accurate and the story intriguing.

He is still no Bernie Gunther but this is a series well worth reading.

Highly recommended.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berlin, 1940. After Germany's invasion of Poland, many still hope that a peace can be agreed before the mayhem of all out war begins in earnest. The shortages are already being felt, as resources are diverted to the war effort, and the brutal, endless winter is starting to hit hard.

The apparent suicide of an SS doctor gives Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke something to distract him from the freezing temperatures, and his personal troubles. The doctor's wife is determined that her husband would never have killed himself, and asks Schenke for his help in proving that he was murdered. Schenke and his associates, Sergeant Hauser and Gestapo transfer Scharfuher Liebwitz, are inclined to agree with her view after examining the evidence. However, when they are ordered by the powers that be not to interfere with the official verdict of suicide, they must comply.

Instead, Schenke and his team turn their attention to the mysterious death of a young child, and what they uncover both chills them to the bone, and appears to be connected to the murder of the Berlin doctor in some way. They have stumbled across a huge secret which reaches far into the highest echelons of the Nazi Party, and in doing so, have put themselves in grave danger.

Dead of Night is a cracking thriller that cleverly uses a police procedural, and mix of fact and fiction, to explore some very disturbing wartime history. It is all too easy to be overwhelmed with the horror of the atrocities meted out by the Nazis in pursuit of their racial hygiene policies, but this story superbly distils down some of the horrors by bringing in a human element that not only makes this easier to shockingly get your head around in a small way, but also flays you to the emotional bone.

In this tale, we are still in the early days of WWII, in the strange period before all out conflict got underway, despite the declaration of war on Germany in September 1939. Hitler's plan to 'purify' the German nation, by disposing of 'defective' humans through secret programmes of euthanasia, lies at the heart of the story.

Intriguingly, this is a mystery set within the police department in Berlin in 1940, which I do not think I have read about before, and the concept is simply brilliant. Among the all the compelling police investigative elements you would expect, Scarrow brings in so much about the complexities of the political situation in Berlin at this time, and the twisted ideology of the Nazi Party. The picture he paints is flooded with menacing themes of suspicion, propaganda, persecution, in-fighting, and control, and these work deliciously against the atmosphere created by the freezing winter temperatures. The fear of spoilers prevents me from giving away too much, but the way he explores the conflicting feelings of apparently 'good' people coerced into heinous acts alongside those who fanatically adhere to them is done with such skill, delving into twisting threads around silence and struggles of conscience. Scarrow chooses his characters well too. The dynamic between Schenke and his team is really interesting, especially with young Liebwitz, who no one seems to trust given his Gestapo background. There is lovely character development across the story, that also bodes well for the next book in the series.

This is powerful stuff, that will deeply unsettle you, and an enthralling departure for Scarrow from the ancient times that are the subjects of his usual historical fiction novels. It is filled with black, white and shades of grey that leave you asking thought provoking questions about the motives and behaviour of humankind, and also how you would have behave yourself in the same circumstances - just what the very best kind of historical fiction should do. I have not read the first book in this series, Blackout, which is an error I will be putting right in short order, and I cannot wait for book three.

[Maine Colonial · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second in Scarrow’s Berlin Wartime Thriller series opens in January 1940, immediately following the resolution of the serial killer case in the first book, Blackout. Inspector Schenke and his team are back to trying to crack a counterfeit ration card ring, when he is approached by an acquaintance introduced in the first book, Ruth Frankl, a young Jewish woman, who asks that he investigate the supposed suicide of Dr. Schmesle, an old friend of her family, who tried to help them when the Nazis’ anti-Jewish policies came into effect. Schmesle’s wife is adamant that he would not have killed himself, but the authorities have brushed her off.

Schenke sees almost immediately that Dr. Schmesle’s death was murder, but he is quickly told by the scary Reinhard Heydrich to drop his investigation. Schenke’s girlfriend, Karin, asks him to have a secret meeting with her friend, American journalist William Shirer. Schenke reluctantly agrees and is roped into another investigation, this time by the Scholzes, parents of a child who they insist was one of several they know of who were all killed at a home for disabled children, with the administrators claiming the children died of pneumonia and the like. As Schenke investigates, he learns that there is a horror behind the Schmesle and Scholz cases, and it is one that endangers anyone who knows about it.

In this book, Scarrow seems to be trying to personalize some of the appalling Nazi policies and their implementation. The Ruth Frankl character illustrates the plight of Jewish residents of Berlin, who were trapped into a life of harshly limited conditions, but not yet subject to mass roundups and transportation to the eastern death camps. The Schmesle and Scholz cases are emblematic of aspects of the Nazi T4 program, which began in 1939 and was an effort, led by physicians, to identify and exterminate children and adults whose physical and/or mental limitations made them unworthy of life in the Aryan ideal society. Publicity of the program in 1941 led to unusual public protest and, while the program was ostensibly then shut down, it continued more covertly until the end of the war, in Germany and occupied countries.

Scarrow is a good, but not a great writer. My favorite novelist of war-era Berlin crime, Philip Kerr, had a real talent for folding historical facts seamlessly into the story. Scarrow is less smooth, with much of those facts and reactions to them playing out in Schenke’s internal monologue. Still, his plot moves along and retains interest, and I am interested to learn what happens next with Schenke, his team, and the women in his life.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading Simon Scarrow for a number of years and a good number of books. His Cato and Macro series is very enjoyable and well respected for being an original take on army life and adventures during the Roman era. Cato and Macro are believable characters whose adventures have entertained me for many an hour.
Although Scarrow has written about other historical periods, I haven't followed them until this series set in Berlin in WW2. Scarrow's hero is Inspector Horst Schenke, a detective who is called away from investigating forged ration tokens to consider the suicide - or murder - of an apparently respectable SS doctor. His widow is sure he was murdered though the evidence points to suicide. Schenke is also asked to investigate the apparently unrelated death of a child. What emerges is complex and the investigation is not made easy by Schenke's essential honesty and desire for justice set against the Nazi regime and the SS to whom he ultimately reports and who take a very different view of what is worthy of investigation and indeed how it should be investigated. The constant sub-text to this book and its predecessor "Blackout' is an honest police officer operating within a corrupt, criminal and very dangerous regime. It makes very good reading.
Highly recommended, but start with 'Blackout'.

[RMazin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke of the Berlin Kripo returns in this second Scarrow novel. The time and place is Hitler’s Berlin. Gestapo and party dignitaries are becoming more powerful and more controlling. When a woman’s prominent husband, a doctor, commits “suicide” the widow has compelling doubts. Although Horst is involved in a major forgery case, when he is confronted with inconsistencies in the doctor’s death and what appears to be a shoddy investigation, he feels he must pursue the truth. The problem is there are higher ups and unknown others who do not want him to meddle – and they will go to lethal ends to stop him.
Scarrow’s Horst Schenke is always conflicted: with his need to do his job; to try to appease those party leaders that may do him harm or end his career; and his own conscience. How long can he keep compartmentalizing his inner life with the world that is crashing around him? That is what makes this mystery a good historical thriller. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

[Robert Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent crime novel set in the chilling environment of Berlin in January 1940. I will not reveal any of the plot but this novel explores some very dark themes including the evil philosophies being covertly pursued by the Nazi regime. Most interestingly, it traces the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the principle characters as they try to uphold the law in a society controlled by such an evil and ultimately lawless regime. The historical setting is very carefully observed reflecting, for example, the view of the ordinary German public who, fed a constant diet of state propaganda, believe that following the defeat of a Poland, the British and French will see sense and sue for peace. Simultaneously, it also conveys a small but growing sense of resistance to the slowly emerging horrors of the regime. Recommended

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berlin 1941. An SS Doctor is murdered in his home but put down to suicide.
Inspector Horst Schenke is asked to investigate further as she doesn’t believe the suicide verdict.
What follows is a chilling sequence of events as The Inspector and his Sargent and Gestapo officer follow a trail leading to an unimaginable program or murdering helpless children who the NAZI regime deme not worthy of life.
This was a very traumatic subject to write about and I think Simon Scarrow has been masterful in telling a story that must be told. He has created interesting characters with occasional bantering humour mixed with terrified discoveries of a brutal regime.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the first book in what is turning out to be an excellent series I was excited to receive a review copy of the latest outing of Detective Inspector Horst Schenke of the Berlin Pankow Kripo.
It is the middle of a bitterly cold Winter in the Berlin of 1941 and Horst and his team are investigating a plot to print forged ration coupons.
However when Horst is contacted by Ruth, a Jewish woman who has helped on his previous case he feels compelled to listen.
Ruth wants him to look into Dr Manfred Schmesle’s suicide- Ruth is friendly with the family and Brigitte, his wife does not believe the verdict suspecting murder. Meanwhile young children are dying in a local children's home and the parents want answers.
This is an interesting and dark read set at a bleak time in the history of humankind. Horst Schenke appears to be an honourable man and a dedicated policeman but he is working for a regime which is not honourable and which bases it’s very existence on crimes against humanity.
Schenke sees the paradox of his position but can do little about it- “if ideology became a licence to murder then how could there be any moral justification of such an ideology”
He is investigating murders but who has sanctioned these murders and does he really want to find out as this might put his own life in danger.
There is more background on Liebwitz, the Gestapo man who is working for Schenke. Liebwitz only sees things in black and white and it is difficult to know, how he will react to certain situations . However an experience from his past makes him seem more human despite his allegiance to the Party.
This is an interesting and well researched read. Despite their service to an evil regime, Schenke and Sergeant Hauser come across as people with an innate sense of decency, trying to do their best in a difficult situation. They are pursuing justice which is impossible in a dictatorship which is in itself unjust.
Schenke’s feelings for Ruth become more apparent in this book and it is a difficult situation and a danger for both of them.
I think the main thing I noticed whilst reading “Dead Of Night”is that ordinary people are prepared to turn a blind eye to what is happening around them as long as it does not affect one of their close family members or friends. Even the parents of the dead children are shown as being loyal to the regime and they cannot believe orders may have come from the very top.
This is a chilling story made all the more awful by the fact that is based on actual events- it is hard to believe that both medical professionals and ordinary citizens could lose their basic humanity in the pursuit of a goal which is inherently evil.
The fact that the reader feels sympathy for the characters is a credit to the author who has managed to imbue them with humanity. Even Liebwitz has redeeming features!
I particularly liked Schenke who is aware of the situation but helpless to do anything about it, He realises , however, that some at least need to survive to tell future generations what has happened and secure justice for those who have been murdered in the name of the regime “ ….it is our duty to survive and bear witness. We can’t do that if we’re dead. It’s a hard truth to live with”
I highly recommend this excellent series and avidly await the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc.

[Clive Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second novel by Mr Scarrow set in this grimly desperate period of relatively recent German history, and once more it is a four star event.
The dark, dark inhumanity at the core of the story (fictional characters set among real life events) left me shaking my head at it's close, unable to fathom how people undertook to participate in such monstrous actions. Ultimately a lesson to us all to look back on past gross evils perpetuated in the name of some twisted greater societal good, and resolve fervently never to participate in, or repeat them.
Recommended.

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS - 🏥🏥🏥🏥 Book #2

Scary topic in a cruel time - Berlin 1940, and so much worse would in be in the word and in the German Third Reich. What we sometimes maybe forget is the effects for ordinary working (non political) citizens and people. As for our main character (and hero), a criminal investigator, a cop who just wants to catch bad guys, do justice and follow the law.

Read June 22, 2025

[HornFan2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I owe my new found interest into WW2 to my mom. She grew up during the War in Germany, has passed onto heaven, miss her stories and every WW2 book I read is a tribute to her.

The author Simon Scarrow's, Berlin Wartime Police Mystery thriller series are a blend of fiction and real life history. Dead of Night is set in the bitter cold winter of 1940, set in Berlin, during the War and quite entertaining. It's masterfully crafted by the author, well researched, who respectively brings to life, the harsh reality of the Nazi regime and gives you insight as to how the German people lived during the War.

I won't call it a true standalone, due to the book picks back up one of the storylines to continue it and for the best reading experience read Blackout first.

What makes Dead of Night for me, is the character of Horst Schenke, he's likable, former Silver Star race driver, whose retired due to leg injury, leaving him unable to serve in the German Military, and is a Criminal Inspector for Sri-Pro Berlin. Then mix in Sergeant Hauser, then Gestapo transfer Liebwitz, both work on his team, believe in justice or bend the rules to make it right.

The romance life of Horst adds an element to the story, don't like Karin, but like Ruth Frankel, she adds to the storyline, almost wish that Horst had away to hide her, protect her and help with his investigations.

You have a multi-layered storyline that's intertwined, they're working on a ration coupon fraud case, then mix in a suicide, that could be murder, and a journalist with concerns over children mysteriously dying at a home. It's like the three investigators are walking through a minefield, due to the Nazi regime. They get used by Reinhard Heyrich, Chief of the Reich Main Office, first warned off of one case and to hunt down the criminals in a second case.

This is one that I like, definitely recommend 'Dead of Night', you'll want to read the first book 'Blackout', it's historical, engrossing, and respectful reading.