Rating: 
Summary: A Dark, Enduring Mystery
Review: I read this trilogy almost three years ago, yet it regularly comes to mind as one of the most enjoyable books I've read. As someone who reads primarily non-fiction or fiction by "great" writers, I ventured to read something different with Berlin Noir. Three years later, I am still searching for a comparable novel in this genre. Kerr's presentation matures throughout these novels. The hackneyed detective that he presents in March Violets, transforms slowly into a fuller, more entertaining character. Bernie Gunther loses his overuse of trite, detective-style similes by the end of the first story. By then, the reader is enveloped in a dark world of mystery and political barbarity. Kerr's portrait of Berlin is enticingly eerie. His characters are cut from typical molds, but are presented with enough freshness to keep the reader very interested. And using the different backdrops of pre-war, war-time, and post-war Germany, Kerr was able to modify the setting but maintain the same dark intensity. I was sorry to finish this trilogy. It is fantastic escapist literature. I have read a couple of the J. Robert Janes novels, although neither the plots, nor the characters compare favorably to Berlin Noir.
Rating:
Summary: Evocative thrillers set in WWII Germany
Review: I was loaned this trilogy as a vacation read, I started reading in Dubai airport and barely raised my head until I had finished. The first three days of my vacation were wasted in terms of enjoying Spanish culture, but I don't regret it. The three novels span WW2 from the nasty beginning of anti-semitism, through the hostilities to the final sad ruin of reconstruction Germany. Kerr's wonderfully cynical private eye understands the compromises necessary to survive in all of these Germanys but remains human throughout the horrors. These are highly intelligent detective stories beautifully written with sympathy for ordinary Germans doing what they could to get by, but the insight into wartime Germany is the real treat. Philip Kerr is a great writer and I consider this to be him at his very best.
Rating: 
Summary: This mystery sags under the weight of its pretentions
Review: I was thoroughly prepared for the exciting possibilities that surround the setting for this mystery. I even purchased the book, which is something I rarely do, as I would much rather visit my library. I have lived in Berlin so naturally I was all set for a great if not good read. Unfortunately, though I must cast a dissenting opinion and go against the grain in what seems to be a party line vote in favor of this overrated mystery novel. I got through one-hundred pages of 'March Violets' and then set it aside. I wanted so much to like it I began to read 'Pale Criminal,' but soon realized it was more of the same. My main complaint is that Bernie the PI is uninteresting in the extreme. Bernie's internal observations are meant to be unconventional and cute, as are his asides to others, but they grow tiresome. I was expecting the reading experience to sail along, much in the same way that Alan Furst's "World at Night," did. The chapters plod along and the reading experience is just plain dreary, dour. The Berlin setting was a disappointment as well, I was expecting some insights about the city and the period, which were more than only the mundane, rudimentary observations here. I'm truly amazed at the superlatives in the reviews. These superlatives should be reserved for a much better writer, Alan Furst, and a much better series, 'The World at Night.'
Rating: 
Summary: TRANSCENDS GENRES
Review: I was tipped off to this trilogy by an author who mentioned how great it was, "even though it is a detective trilogy." He said that part with some derision for the genre. As someone who enjoys a good detective story, I took his method of complimenting the book with a grain of salt and nearly did not pick up this trilogy, but I valued the man's judgement and eventually gave this book a try. I am glad I did! These three books transcend genre classification. Sure, there is no denying that these are detective/mystery tales, but I think nearly every reader could find something here to enjoy. There is the historical aspect (Kerr obviously did some painstaking research) of the series for readers who fancy that. There is some serious social commentary and philosophical reasoning for those who enjoy that sort of discourse. Bernie Gunther is not a character I will soon forget. He is almost like an old friend, as much so as the creations of Hammett, Chandler, or Mosley. Another plus for this series are the various subplots and recurring characters which further engross the reader. Fine effort from Mr. Kerr. Kerr's more recent offerings don't seem like my cup of tea, but the three novels collected in this volume are excellent. If the Berlin trilogy is an indication of his later novels, maybe I will give them a try after all.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocre violets
Review: I'm sorry to be going against the grain of popular opinion but after reading March Violets I felt that my opinion was neccesary. And in my opinion March Violets posesses the wit and charm of a cereal packet. How it recieved such high accolades is beyond me. Marlow meets Hitler, come on, Die Hard meets propaganda more like! This problem with this book is that it is littered with too much hindsight and bias and never succedes in engaging me with empathy. A metaphor told with the charm of a bad Bruce Willis film (Admit it, he's the obvious choice to play Gunther in the movie!) This book tries to shock the reader by holding up a mirror of the nazi society through which we are supposed to feel engaged with the characters. Well, good ridance to a bad lot is how I honestly felt! I felt as emotionally attached to these characters as I am to, say, a toilet seat, yes it's there and it does its job, but no, I don't think about it once I have finished. The annoying thing is that Kerr is a damn good writer - read A Philosophical Investigation if you don't believe me. (read my review of that as well! ) So I know he can do a lot better. As for me, I'm going to ignore the reviews and read some more Iain Banks! Sorry Philip.
Rating:
Summary: Greatest of All Hard-Boiled Detective Novels
Review: I've been teaching detective fiction for a decade, and I have a book on the topic coming out from Macmillan this year. For my money (as I say in my book, "The Post-Colonial Detective"), the "Berlin Noir" trilogy is the finest work of hard-boiled detection ever published (based on distinguished writing, terrific plot, and fascinating characters and setting.) I've taught all three of these novels, and the students are crazy about them. I loaned them to a friend who teaches Nazi history, and he thought they were extremely accurate. If you can get hold of a map of pre-war Berlin (the Britannica has one that is adequate), you can follow along from street to street and building to building. Kerr's novel "A Philosophical Investigation" is future detection with the philosopher Wittgenstein as an important plot element, and virtual reality murders and serial killings and a woman detective. I thought my students would hate it, but they were crazy about it, too. Read Kerr, and spread the news.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular
Review: I've never come across anyting quite like this one. The author's research continues to amaze me years later. As the time machine has not yet been invented, this book is close enough for now...if you wanted to visit Nazi Germany. Aptly titled Noir, as it is indeed very, very dark. Truly a masterpiece. Can't we get more Bernie Gunther, Mr.Kerr?
Rating:
Summary: Phillip Marlow meets Herman Goering
Review: It's been awhile since I've read a mystery series that has grabbed me with the intensity of Phillip Kerr's Berlin trilogy. Right from the start, his writing reminds you of Raymond Chandler, though more vivid and descriptive. But Phillip Marlowe never had to worry about ending up in a concentration camp and that threat gives the first two novels in this series even more of an edge. Kerr creates a dead on accurate feel for what it was like to live in Nazi Germany before the outbreak of the war. Like all good historical fiction, famous names grace the pages as minor characters, including Goering and Renhard Heydrich. Their appearances give the books weight, but Kerr is careful not to overdo it. Fans of Caleb Carr's superb novel "The Alienist" in particular should love this series as well as anyone with an interest in Nazi Germany.
Rating:
Summary: The Best of Noir
Review: Kerr writes noir like it should be written, with a dark mood and an excellent eye for detail. If I ever had aspirations of being a writer, I'd want to write like this. As an added bonus to German speakers, the 3rd book is modelled on "The Third Man" and contains a number of clever puns based on that movie....
Rating:
Summary: Hardboiled horrors of history
Review: Kerr's Berlin Noir Trilogy combines the history of three stages of the "Third Reich'" with the format of a hardboiled mystery novel. Kerr's protagonist Bernie Gunther is the main character of each of the three stories. He's tough, sharp-shooting, wise-cracking, and has a pre-Beauvoir/Greer vision of the female gender. The three stories share a well-researched background, an awful lot of metaphors, but otherwise very clear and skilful prose. The "mystery level", however, greatly varies between the three. I would rate "March Violets" as so, so, when it comes to plot level. The second book, the "Pale Criminal", is much better in this respect, whereas "A German Requiem" ranks at the same level as the best works of Le Carre. All three novels are very successful in immersing the reader in the darkness that was the "Third Reich". While I can not blame previous reviewers for mentioning Gunther's reverse engineered political correctness, it goes without saying that many a German was not too enamoured with Hitler, even in his heydays. While the period surrounding the second worldwar has been the subject of deeper works of literature -take Grass's Danziger Trilogie, for example- Kerr's approach gives an accurate impression of life in Germany surrounding worldwar 2, combined with some excellent mystery writing.
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