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The Pale Criminal

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description The Pale Criminal Overview

The Pale Criminal is a 1990 historical detective novel by British author Philip Kerr. It is the second book in the Bernie Gunther series, which follows a German private investigator operating before and during World War II. Set in Berlin in 1938, the plot centers on Gunther's forced return to the homicide police force to investigate a series of murders of teenage girls. The narrative intertwines the murder investigation with the political backdrop of the Third Reich, featuring figures like Reinhard Heydrich.

help The Pale Criminal FAQ

What year is The Pale Criminal set in?

The Pale Criminal is set in 1938 Berlin, in the months leading up to Kristallnacht and the escalation toward World War II. Philip Kerr uses this specific historical moment to heighten the tension of Bernie Gunther's investigation within the terrifying machinery of the Nazi state.

What is the murder case in The Pale Criminal?

Gunther is pressed into investigating a series of murders of teenage girls in Berlin, a case the Nazi regime wants solved quietly to avoid public panic. The investigation leads him into the world of occult practices, SS corruption, and the internal power struggles of the Third Reich.

Where does The Pale Criminal fall in the Bernie Gunther series?

The Pale Criminal (1990) is the second novel in the Bernie Gunther series, following March Violets (1989) and preceding A German Requiem (1991). Together these three form the original Berlin Noir trilogy that established Kerr's reputation in historical crime fiction.

What does the title The Pale Criminal refer to?

The title is drawn from Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, where the 'pale criminal' is someone whose crime stems from a deeper psychological and spiritual sickness rather than simple wickedness. The reference underscores Kerr's thematic exploration of systemic evil within Nazi Germany and the moral rot it spread through individuals.

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