Babylon Berlin

Gereon Rath, Book 1

By: Volker Kutscher

Narrated by: Mark Meadows

Berlin, 1929. Detective Inspector Rath was a successful career officer in the Cologne Homicide Division before a shooting incident in which he inadvertently killed a man. He has been transferred to the vice squad in Berlin, a job he detests even though he finds a new friend in his boss, Chief Inspector Wolter.

There is seething unrest in the city, and the Commissioner of Police has ordered the vice squad to ruthlessly enforce the ban on May Day demonstrations. The result is catastrophic, with many dead and injured, and a state of emergency is declared in the Communist strongholds of the city.

When a car is hauled out of Berlin's Landwehr Canal with a mutilated corpse inside, the Commissioner decides to use this mystery to divert the attention of press and public from the casualties of the demonstrations. The biggest problem is that the corpse cannot be identified.

Volker Kutscher was born in 1962 in Lindlar, West Germany. He is the author of the enormously successful Gereon Rath crime series which, in addition to compelling narrative, is notable for its scrupulous accuracy about Germany in the years between its beginning in 1927 and the approach to the Second World War.

©2016 Volker Kutscher (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

if you are a fan of German detective novels?...

Loved the narrator! Loved the setting and story! on par with Phillip Kerr Bernie Gunther series!

Not as good as the TV series

The story is similar and the writing is OK, but it has nothing of the pizazz of the TV series.

Ok plot, weak writing, decent reader

The plot is ok. Period details are interesting, romance is poorly written. Reader starts off seeming too slow and stilted, but has a good range of accents and voices (and good balance between German vs Anglicized pronunciation for names)

One case in which a film is better than the book

Having watched the serialized version of this book on Netflix, I will say this is one case in which the film is better than the book. Although the book is good, the film changes elements of the story, adding tension and more layers to the backstory and character of the protagonist, Gareon Rath, As well as the stenographer with dreams of being a detective, Charlotte Ritter. I don’t want to give any spoilers for the film version on Netflix but I highly recommend it. The Countess Sorokina plays a more major role in the film, and are some fantastic musical numbers and dance numbers in the film as well. Additionally, the Weimar era political situation and the liberalized mores of the time, encompassing drug use, homosexuality, and other elements, are woven into the fabric of the film masterfully. However the book was good on its own, and for viewers of the film, it provides an interesting counterpoint. The performance of the narrator is very strong. I have purchased the second book in the series by the same author and I’m looking forward to listening to it as well.

Suspense, historie, well told.

Really love Volker Kutchers books. Alway a great story. Places described historiecally accurate. Humorous and intelligent. Warmly recommend.

Tough book to listen to.

I adored Babylon Berlin on Netflix & was sad to get to the end of the final episode; so the story is definitely there. I just couldn't get in to the Audible book. Maybe the story is just too complicated for me to listen to; I certainly think the material itself is BRILLIANT but I'd find my mind wandering to things I need to do, people I need to talk to, etc., & then realize I was out of the book & totally lost. This happened over & over again. Ultimately couldn't get through it but because I love the story & characters so much, I'll likely try it again someday.

Hope More Titles Come to Audible

When I read the previous reviews for this novel, I was hesitant to download the book. I am a big Bernie Gunther fan, so that is a high bar for inter-war Berlin mysteries to clear.

However, I am happy I did choose to listen. The plot was good, although a bit slow at times. I also enjoyed Mark Meadows' narration. Overall, the novel probably could be a bit shorter, however, I chalk that up to character development.

I have already loaded the second Gereon Rath novel to my wish list. It will have to wait, there is a new Bernie novel to enjoy

Weimar-Noir

I've been a noir addict since I was a child. Yet after decades of indulging my habit it's not always easy to maintain the high and thrill I get from a really great noir story. After awhile it becomes easy to predict the twists and turns of the story, spot the villains and femme-fatale's, and get ten steps ahead of the protagonist you're reading about. Very few authors are able to take noir and do something fresh, interesting, and engaging with the genre. After reading "Babylon Berlin" I would add Volker Kutscher to names like Ellroy, Hammet, and Chandler as masters of the genre.
"Babylon Berlin" features competent yet compromised vice-squad detective Gereon Rath as he navigates Weimar era Berlin. While Rath is a stellar and compelling main character it is the city of Berlin itself that makes the story as engrossing as it is. Berlin in 1929 is a city of illicit porn, gold smugglers, and Russian gangsters. Most perilously however, it is a city that is distracted by communism and blind to the ever present threat of creeping fascism. Rath's own partner aptly describes 1929 Berlin as "the most exciting city in the world, which is also the most disreputable", and it proves to be an absolutely fascinating stage for a genuinely compelling story. While the story is a bit circuitous and has a few too many dead end's and red herring's it is undoubtedly focused and cohesive as a whole. The mystery is enticing, the characters deep and superbly written, and the setting is utterly addictive. If you enjoy noir and detective stories as much as I do and are looking for something slightly more diverting and original, definitely give "Babylon Berlin" a listen.

If you enjoyed "Babylon Berlin" as much as I did and are looking for similar titles please check out the other books in the Gereon Rath series by Volker Kutscher. You might also enjoy the Bernie Gunther books by Philip Kerr, "Some Danger Involved" by Will Thomas, "The Man From Berlin" by Luke McCallin, or "The Man From St. Petersburg by Ken Follett.

Great story

loved it. Berlin, Crooked cops, Decadence, proto-Nazis. Noir. Schwarze. Negro. Liked the characters, plot, excema!

Great story and narration!

I watched the TV series and it was excellent. But I love the books! It’s hard to find good old fashioned detective stories; the Gereon Rath series fits the bill! I highly recommend these books by Volker Kutscher.