This book was everything I look for in a book. It was so exciting. The plot was fantastic. It really had me on the edge of my seat, and my heart racing. It was very well written and flowed well.

'Blackout' by Simon Scarrow is a historical crime thriller set in Germany at a time when Hitler and the Nazi's were in power. Having never read a Simon Scarrow book before I was happy to be invited to the 'Blackout' Blog Tour. I am a huge geek when it comes to history, and the second world war is one I know quite well, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. There is even two maps to show us the way around Central Berlin and one to educate us on the chain of command of the Nazi regime. I like that little detail it does help if you don't know any of it.
Berlin 1939, a few days before Christmas Day and it's freezing cold. Hitler is firmly in place and it did not matter whether they are seen bullies or heroes they are able to do as they wish at any moment, that includes changing the law if they feel like it. This is what the police have to work with on a daily basis.
We meet Criminal Inspector Schenke who has been given a case by the Nazi bosses. It is the murder of a beautiful and famous woman and he knows whichever way he goes he will upset one or another party faction. In fact he stands a good chance he may upset every single one of them. He doesn't even know if identifying the killer will save him from the danger he could be in by failing to identify him. As the investigation gets closer to the Nazi regime, Schenke realises they will stop at nothing.
This is a book in which Simon Scarrow has successfully recreated Berlin in vivid detail and highlighted the corruption of the regime in charge and brought it to life, the bleakness and the darkness of the desperate times is apparent. Schenke is not a favourite due to the fact that he refuses to join the Nazi Party, so, as it was then if you are not with them you are ,oh so obviously, against them and are treated accordingly. This was a time that danger was around every corner and we certainly feel that as the story develops.
The author's story telling is on point. The characters are so richly detailed it almost feels like they jump out the pages. The story itself is an action packed, intriguing mystery. It does keep you on your toes as you see the machinations of the regime that is so cruel as we all know it to have been and that adds to the tension as well. I found this a captivating read and am hoping Simon Scarrow will be writing another Schenke story.
Thanks to Anne Cater, Headline and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

Simon Scarrow’s Blackout is an immersive, engrossing and superb historical thriller from a storyteller at the height of his powers.

Berlin, 1939 and as Germany goes to war, the Nazi party’s grip on the nation tightens and intensifies. As the bleak winter sun sets in, the city is plunged into total darkness every night because of a rigidly enforced blackout that only serves to raise alarm and increase the citizens’ fear and paranoia. Criminal inspector Horst Schenke shares their trepidation. Having refused to join the Nazi party, he is regarded with great suspicion by his superiors and he finds himself constantly walking a very tight line between his conscience, his beliefs and his job. Schenke is fully aware that not toeing the party line is seen as being almost tantamount to treason, however, he refuses to let other people influence his decisions – even if he knows that he could be risking his life.

When a young girl is found murdered, Schenke is under pressure to solve the case as quickly as possible. He cannot afford to draw more attention to himself than he already is. But when a second victim is found, the pressure on him intensifies as he must find the killer because he strikes again and more bodies are found. Yet, this investigation is going to take him straight into the heart of this cruel regime forcing him to keep his eyes open and his ears to the ground because there are dangers everywhere and Schenke is right in the middle of it all.

With a dangerous killer on the loose and the warring factions of the Reich taking over Berlin, can Schenke solve this case and emerge from this investigation unscathed? Or will this case end up being his last?

Simon Scarrow is a talented writer who in Blackout effortlessly plunges the reader into the dark and dangerous machinations of wartime Germany and brings to vivid and shocking life the terror, foreboding and apprehension of 1930s Berlin. His knowledge of the time period is so brilliantly evoked and recreated that the reader feels part of the story and the dread, menace and tension is so exquisitely ramped up that putting the book down is simply not an option.

A chilling historical crime thriller, Simon Scarrow’s Blackout is a terrific tale of dangerous secrets, lethal jeopardy and volatile power struggles readers are sure to enjoy.

My first read from this author and one I really enjoyed. A historical novel set during the early days of WWII in Berlin, December 1939, a bitterly cold winter and one where a total blackout is enforced every evening. Well written and clearly well researched this was a bit of a slow burner but the plot soon thickens utilising a clever mix of characters and the political situation in Nazi Germany.

Briefly, Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke, a former race car driver and aristocrat, has refused to join the Nazi Party and is under suspicion for his loyalty. When a former film star is found raped and murdered Schenke is forced by SS Oberfuhrer Muller, head of the Gestapo, to investigate the case.
With more bodies discovered alongside railway lines it appears there is a serial killer using the nightly blackout to hunt women.

The author has portrayed the era so clearly, the underground clubs, surveillance everywhere, no one trusting anyone else and party members all looking to further themselves at whatever cost. Big twists towards the end left me with the need for more, hopefully this is the start of a series. Very enjoyable read and highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the first novel I've read by Simon Scarrow. I was tempted by its setting - Nazi Germany - and the detective mystery it described.

It was very readable and I'll be looking out for follow-on novels about the main character Criminal Inspektor Schenke. The novel very effectively evokes the atmosphere in Germany at the beginning of the Hitler regime and the fascism being imposed by the Nazi party. Schenke is the kind of hero who is successful at existing within a regime whilst resisting its ideas. He is very well drawn - I knew him - and the novel's mystery is skilfully and realistically depicted. Schenke is successful in his quest and forced by the end to be complicit in suppression of some of the truth of what he discovered. However he resists some of the regime's pressure to belong. Ill be interested to see how he manages to continue as a principled man working in a despotic, controlling regime. I'll also enjoy seeing how the character, Liebwitz, a highly capable, intelligent, possibly autistic, character develops.

Read this if you like a novel that immerses you in pre-war Germany and if you liked the wonderful series of novels by Jane Thynne starting with Black Roses.

Berlin, winter 1939 and, as the country goes to war, the nights are long and dark. When the wife of a prominent Nazi lawyer is found dead, the Kripo are called to investigate but the Gestapo want to keep a close eye on the case. It soon becomes clear that the woman is just one victim of a serial killer stalking the railways of Berlin but it takes a renegade detective and a Jewish woman to ensure some kind of justice.
This book made a great change from Scarrow's 'sword and sandals' epics and I really liked the wartime detective perspective from the viewpoint of normal Germans living through the Nazi regime. There are lots of political points made in the narrative and in the characters but they were not too overplayed and the plot was twisty and clever. As a quick read this was very enjoyable

A well crafted book depicting life in Berlin early in WW2. Schemer is selected to solve the murder of the wife of a high ranking officer. He faces difficulties within the police service and the officers within the German hierarchy. A second murder mimics the first. Life and investigation are made difficult
A tense thriller

1939, Berlin. War has broken out and the Nazi party tightens its grip on power.
With everything rationed and blackouts every night, it’s going to be a very bleak winter.
Even more so for Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke, who has been given the task of solving the murder of a woman who’s husband is a high ranking member of the Nazi party. This is complicated even more as Schenke is not a member of the party and every move he makes is under scrutiny. Things goes from bad to worse when a second woman’s body is discovered. The inspector must move quickly to stop a killer who is out of control. He may need to look inside the party to find the answers he’s looking for.
A novel that is brilliantly written, with an authentic atmosphere and the most gripping of plots, and an outstanding main character.
This is a chilling look into the rise of the Third Reich and its hold it had on everyone.
Simon Scarrow has produced something very special with book. I highly recommend it.

Blackout is an atmospheric and richly-detailed piece of historical fiction set against the backdrop of World War II Berlin. The prologue begins on 19 December 1939 and the alluring Gerda Korzeny, a well-known former actress married to senior Nazi party lawyer, Gustav Korzeny, who has close connections to Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda for the Nazi party, and her escort and secret lover, Oberst Karl Dorner, have just arrived at a Christmas party. It's frigid outside so she is dressed head to toe in fur to keep out the chilly evening air. Anyone worth their salt is at the gathering. Gerda scans the room and notices film stars, producers, artists and writers and those from the ranks of the navy, army and air force as well as recognisable Nazis. After an argument, Gerda leaves early and is followed out by Dorner into the cold, snowy night. The quarrel continues and eventually, Gerda disappears alone into the darkness. Heading towards Pape-Strasse station a man begins to follow her. She manages to board the train heading towards Anhalter. Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is a prominent figure in the Kriminalpolizei, or Kripo, who is now in charge of Pankow precinct and the ten men that work under his command.

Since a crash on the Nürburgring circuit six years ago that brought an end to his glittering motor-racing career, Schenke has found some comfort in bringing justice to Berlin despite suffering from pain, mobility issues and a slight limp. His political cynicism – notably, his refusal to join the party – has, however, not gone unnoticed. Schenke receives a call from the head of the SS Oberführer Heinrich "Gestapo” Müller, a former policeman, requesting him to make his way to the Reich Main Security Office on Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse. He enlists him to investigate the rape and murder of Korzeny whose body was found by the tracks outside Anhalter station. She appeared to have been killed by a blow to the head, which crushed her skull. Her clothes were torn and there was evidence of assault. The orders must be carried out without question. The Nazi party believe that the investigation will be perceived as more unbiased if carried out by a detective that is not a party member. But Schenke is warned to tread carefully so as not to upset the warring factions inside the party and is left with a highly dangerous politicised case that must be handled sensitively. The investigation is to be held at Schöneberg precinct and Schenke is feeling the pressure from Müller’s office to resolve the issue rapidly and to their approval.

And to make it an even more stressful situation, Scharführer Otto Liebwitz, a pedantic intelligence analyst, has been allocated to Schenke’s division as a Gestapo spy, to report back on the murder investigation. When another women’s body is found Schenke realises he has a serial killer on his hands. But what is the value of being a criminal investigator in a state run by criminals? This is a riveting and exceptionally compelling historical mystery that evokes the time and place beautifully and authentically. Berlin at this time was living under a nightly blackout which led to a rise in crime as criminals felt bolder under the cover of darkness. The research carried out by Scarrow on Germany at the time, the Nazi party and how the police force operated under such oppression and pressure to conform to the party line is extensive and illustrates just how torn those who were seekers of truth and justice, like Schenke, were. Scarrow captures the captivating internal struggle and crisis of conscience Schenke feels between obeying the desires of the party and delivering justice for those who perished. This is a scintillating, absorbing and chilling read with plenty of surprises and palpable tension that runs throughout. It really brings the history of the Third Reich alive. Highly recommended.

A murder mystery set in early war Berlin from the master of historical tales. A conscientious policeman is tasked with the investigation by an SS superior who requires an immediate result that doesn’t reflect badly on the state. Actual figures from the time are skilfully used as more apparent cases appear and a young Jewish girl escapes the protagonist whose information is only accepted by our hero naturally. It all builds beautifully and atmospherically to its climax and maybe enough is left unsaid to warrant further adventures from this cast of intriguing characters.

My thanks to the Author publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Simon Scarrow is probably best known for the Eagles of the Empire series featuring Macro and Cato and so far there are nineteen brilliant books, of which I am up to book twelve. This is a more modern day story set during the second World War with Berlin under Blackout hence the title. Our hero Horst Schenke a former racing driver now Policeman, and not a party member investigating the death of an actress, he quickly discovers he is searching for a serial killer. A few pages in and I found a welcome resemblance to the late great Philip Kerr's quality Bernie Gunther series, the same atmosphere and feel for time and place, terrific characters and a mix of fictional and actual characters and actual historical events. All that was lacking was the humour. Enter Liebwitz of the Gestapo assigned to our heroes team, a man who makes Mister Spock sound illogical, and suddenly I am laughing out loud. This is a terrific read plenty of detail and mystery, throw in action too, and it's a winning combination. More please SOON, Schenke and Liebwitz must ride again, and add the brave feisty Jewess to the mix if possible.
Totally utterly recommended.

Simon Scarrow is an author that has been on my reading radar forever, but I never seem to have got around to. However, when I came across this, it seemed time to change that. I have long loved crime novels set during WWII and with no more Bernie Gunther novels forthcoming (with the ending of one of my all-time favourite series, due to the untimely death of Phillip Kerr), I thought I would give this a try.

‘Blackout,’ is set in Berlin, in 1939, so at the very start of the war. Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is an honest man in a city where politics has, suddenly, become central to everything and people need to change sides. It is December, the city snowy and dark, as the blackout comes down every evening. At a Christmas party, ex-film star, Gerda Korceny, has a row and storms out. When her body is found the next morning, Schenke finds himself dragged in to investigate, by the head of the Gestapo. A reliable and discreet man is required and Schenke does not yet have a party badge, so is ordered to solve the murder quickly. This is most important as Gerda was once linked to Goebbels and this is information which can be used – either to save embarrassment, or for other means…

Schenke is an interesting character. A man who is linked, through his girlfriend, Karin, to Rear Admiral Canaris. A previous motor car driver, who missed the call up through an injury he sustained while racing. A Berliner, like many others, who is unsure who he can trust and has to watch his mouth at every turn. This was a good start to what will, hopefully, become a series. I liked many of the other characters, including the intriguing Scharfuhrer Otto Liebwitz and look forward to getting to know them better. I think Scarrow has won me over and I look forward to exploring his other series. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

This book combined two of my favourite genres, thriller and Second World War and it was a compelling read from the very first page.
Set in Berlin at the beginning of World War Two, Blackout is an incredibly atmospheric book and captures the dark, cold winter of the city combined with the metaphorical iciness of the Third Reich. Horst Schenke, an inspector in the Kripo department, is charged with investigating the rape and murder of Gerda Korzeny, the wife of a Nazi official. As he delves into the case, other victims are discovered and he realises that he has a serial killer on his hands. Schenke must also deal with his Nazi bosses in the Gestapo who have different priorities from his own. Finding the murderer might not be enough for his superiors in the Party.
Schenke is portrayed as an excellent and dedicated policeman who has tried to not involve himself in politics or at least that is his excuse to his superiors. He has not joined the Nazi Party, nor the SS which makes them suspicious and he is repeatedly asked why and encouraged to join.
As the investigation progresses we learn that Schenke is trying to bring justice to the victims of crime. He is portrayed as a good man who sees the irony of trying to uphold the law despite the fact that his country is being run by a bunch of thugs. His difficulty is finally revealed when he says “What is the value of being a criminal investigator in a state run by criminals?”
He tries hard to hide his views as in the claustrophobic Berlin of this period, it is not clear who can be trusted. He realises that at some point he may have to choose and he hopes that his inherent sense of morality will be enough
His girlfriend is Karin, niece of Admiral Canaris of the Abwehr- she too seems to have doubts about the regime although she is not shy about making her feelings known to Horst.
I liked the character of Schenke, in fact by the end of the book I was hoping that this might be the first in a series and that I would get to meet him and his team again. I even liked Liebowitz, assigned to keep an eye on Schenke by the powers that be in the Gestapo. Once Schenke gets to know him he realises he has many attributes despite his strange manner and is able to use him in the investigation.
The author has obviously done a lot of research about Germany at the time and how the police force functioned with the regime. This was an excellent thriller and definitely gripped me throughout- I raced through it in a couple of days
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was really interested in reading this as I've read some other books by the author and the premise of a murder investigation in the Third Reich really intrigued me.
The first third of the book races on and hooks you straight away, but the pace and momentum slows and the inevitable conclusion is entirely predictable and forthcoming.
It almost feels like the author is creating characters and a timeline for more sequels, which is positive, but I just hope the author takes more risks and tries some different things in any future works, side stepping the obvious outcomes and moral definitions. The moral conflicts and the inner struggles were only going to go one way in this book.

Cynicism and criticism aside, it's a really fast paced and largely enjoyable read and I'm grateful for the early opportunity via NetGalley to read this.

Blackout is a change of direction from Simon Scarrow, and a much needed one at that. Im a long time fan of Scarrow, but his most recent roman novels have become a bit bland and formulated. However this new Nazi era crime thriller is a hugely pleasant surprise.

The writing is very good, it doesn’t feel as forced as some of his more recent novels. I love the dialogue between the characters (all of whom, both historical and made up), which feels natural and engrossing.

I feel like Scarrow nails the tone of the book perfectly. The dark, icy, wartime era Berlin he paints feels real and vivid, and he really does generate a feeling of uncertainty and dread with any scene that involves the Nazi party.

I really do hope this is the start of a new series, as I feel theres so much scope to explore, and Shenke is an extremely interesting main character. All in all a cracking read.

When the wife of a senior party official is found murdered in wartime Berlin, Kripo Inspector Schenke is allocated to the case.

He must navigate the inner workings and rivalries of the Nazi Party in order to solve the crime.

However, justice may not be as important as appearances in solving the murder..

Is it enough for Schenke to be an honest man and is there a point of capturing criminals when you work for a regime ruled by criminals?

A new departure for Simon Scarrow from his standard historical fiction.

Simon Scarrow ventures into WW2 historical fiction with his latest novel set in the bitterly cold, freezing snow ridden winter that is claiming many lives, featuring Kripo Criminal Inspector, Horst Schenke, head of Pankow station, from an aristocratic background, a former racing driver who suffered a terrible accident that left him with a permanent limp. Approaching Christmas, the city has dark, unsafe streets with its enforced blackout, feeding paranoia and fear, as it provides cover for the rising criminality, morale further lowered by the tense and anxious wartime worries for serving soldiers, rationing. Amidst the background of ambitious warring factions in the Nazi party, the powerful and ruthless SS Oberfuhrer Muller, head of the Gestapo, forces Schenke to lead the sensitive and perilous investigation of the rape and murder of the glamorous former film star, Gerda Korzeny, married to a senior party official, a woman with connections to Goebbels.

Schenke has few illusions, he has refused to join the SS and the party, arousing suspicions of his loyalty, he has been selected for his dispensability, and he is aware of the consequent dangers this brings to his trusted police team as they move to the Schoneberg precinct station to conduct the inquiry. Schenke is feeling the heat as Muller demands quick results, becoming ever more aware that he is being played, as he is drip fed specific information and has to have a member of the Gestapo observing him and the team. Schenke's girlfriend is the beautiful, if difficult, Karin, which brings her powerful uncle, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the head of Abwehr, the German military intelligence, into his sphere. As another woman's body is discovered with the same MO as Gerda, Schenke hunts for a serial killer within a deadly political environment where justice and truth is whatever the Nazis want it to be.

Scarrow evokes the darkness and atmosphere of the period beautifully, a Berlin with its illicit Jazz clubs, the heavy surveillance, the need for Berliners to be extremely careful about what they say, many being denounced by their own children, where perceived disloyalty and opposition to the ruling party is a death sentence. There is the conflict between the leading members of the party as they closely watch each other in an effort to gain any advantage. Schenke makes a fascinating protagonist, having to accommodate unpalatable realities whilst undergoing various internal philosophical debates as to how far he will go to defend his duty to truth and justice, whilst all too aware truth and justice have already been lost. This will appeal to those who love their historical fiction, particularly that set in WW2. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, my first of Simon Scarrow’s and definitely not my last! I was gripped from the prologue, drawn into the underworld of 1939 Berlin. Atmospheric and pacy, the author weaves a gripping tale of murder and deception with graphic detail. A five star read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

I was looking forward to reading thus book given Simon Scarrow's skill as an author and I am delighted to say it met all my expectations.

A standalone but hopefully the first of a new series, it features Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke of the Kripo and how he solves a murder enquiry which threatens to embarrass many high ranking Nazis.

The description of wartime Berlin is atmospheric and spot on as are his characterisations of major real life characters such as Muller and Heydrich. The inspector is evidently a good man who naively thinks he can concentrate on his job as a policeman without entangling himself with party affairs - something in which he is sadly mistaken.

He is a simple policeman with an aristocratic background just trying to do his best amongst all the chaos, anarchy and madness around him and I will be interested in how he develops in future books. He lacks the cynicism and droll humour of Bernie Gunther but this is an encouraging start.

Highly recommended.

A exciting crime thriller set in 1939 Berlin. Shortly before Christmas a woman is found raped and murdered next to a city railway line. The victim is a former film star with connections to Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda for the Nazi party.
Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke is ordered to take over the case by Heinrich Müller, head of the Gestapo, who tells him the matter must be resolved quickly.
But as the investigation begins, another woman's body is found and the Schenke and his colleagues in the Kripo (criminal investigation department) discover that similar murders have occurred. Now they are hunting a serial killer who uses the Berlin blackout as cover for his attacks on women.
Although Schenke is not a member of the Nazi party, many of his Kripo colleagues are and Müller takes the opportunity to place one of his Gestapo agents alongside Schenke's squad. It enforces the belief that the Kripo officers are "ultimately the servants of the (Nazi) party, rather than the guardians of law & justice." Schenke realises that the law "had become whatever the party said it was and justice was irrelevant".
So it is that he and his team have to tread carefully so as not to upset any of the factions within the Nazi party as they seek the killer.
Throughout the story we find what Schenke thinks of the Nazis and their methods and how he must walk a fine line as a professional police detective striving to stay out of the politics which elevate many to positions of power.
From start to finish his investigation is hampered by interference from high-ranking officials and he is constantly reminded of his failure to join the Nazi party. At one point he is reminded of the reality of life in Nazi Germany when told by Reinhard Heydrich: "You don't own the truth any more. We do."
The author, Simon Scarrow, is best know for his series of novels of the Roman Empire, but he manages to depict life in wartime Berlin with ease and Horst Schenke is a sympathetic character who one reviewer has compared to the late Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther. Blackout is a must read for fans of WWII historical fiction.
My thanks to the publisher Headline and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.