The One From The Other, Philip Kerr - 2006

Germany breaths the defeated air after the World War II, and four years are not many enough for brushing out the consequences nor curing the injuries. Philip Kerr describes the atmosphere of these years on a Germany painfully divided by the occupying forces.

As many others, Bernie Gunther wants to hide – because it is not possible to forget – his years at SS soldier. Although he wasn’t a camp murderer, he’s not proud of his past nor his actions at the Russian front.

With his life falling apart, the surprising death of his wife and the closure of the family business, he decides to look for a new beginning as a private detective, taking avantage of his knowlegde and contacts. As the business goes well with a three succesfull cases streak, Gunther will face a very interesting and challenging job to do that will lead him to find some information that many others are not willing to reveal.

Keep an eye on: the amazing descriptions of places, institutions, characters (phisically and mentally) but over all, the phrases which describe the way of mind of a very depresed country that is walking through conscience division, territory shattering and ideology renewal.

I would say that Philip Kerr, along with Frederick Forsyth, have known how to board and write with crystalline language one of the most popular, difficult and wide topics in the human history: the post-war civilization.

A must read.