The Sleepwalkers

De: Paul Grossman

Narrado por: Christian Contreras

During the final weeks of the Weimar Republic, a young woman washes up in the Havel River in picture-perfect Old Spandau. Bodies in rivers are hardly news in the chaos of 1932 Berlin, maddened by years of war, defeat, revolution, inflation, depravity, and now the Great Depression. But this one is different. Her dark hair is too short. Her wisdom teeth have been removed, something few German girls could afford. And her legs, dotted with suture marks, are bizarrely deformed, as if someone had taken giant pliers and turned them around inside her skin.

>Willi Kraus is a decorated soldier and Germany's most celebrated Jewish detective, thanks to his recent success at nabbing a monstrous child killer. Sent to investigate the floater, his search leads him into a German underworld he hardly recognizes. A princess goes missing, a hypnotist has dark secrets to hide, and a new power is ushering in the tides of change: the Third Reich.

©2010 Paul Grossman (P)2010 HighBridge Company

Excellent narration by Mr. Contreras.

I thoroughly enjoyed Christian Contreras' narration for this novel.
The story was well done, especially given that it is the author's debut. The beginning of the book, a very lavish introduction, is set in pre-world war II Germany... I loved this part of the book, brought alive by Contreras' gripping reading and authentic German accentuation.
The middle of the book might be rated 'R' if it were in theaters (for language, sexuality, and nudity). I thought much of this content was unnecessary, and overly indulgent, but the story steadied itself after a few chapters.
All in all I would recommend this to adults who are not easily disturbed by some explicit content. In my opinion, it is an entertaining mystery thriller.

Chillingly realistic

The narration is flawless. For once Audible’s reader can pronounce German words properly. Story reminiscent of Bernie Gunther series in pre-war Berlin at the end of Weimar and the beginning of the Nazi’s rule, but with more vivid personal experience. Marred by a few anachronisms that are evident only to those familiar with the history of the time, but in general an exciting suspenseful story.

Revisiting a great novel

I read this back in high school when I did not read for fun. Probably the only book I read that wasn’t for school. Willi Krauss is a character I still love!
The narration was pretty good with a few voices sounding a bit hokey, but solid all around.