In a city rebuilding from war, truth can be the most dangerous weapon of all.

Berlin, 1930.

Historian Archie Laverick, scarred mentally and physically by the Great War, travels to Berlin to research a famed Prussian general. His quiet study is shattered when he crosses paths with Esme Carmichael, a spirited young American intent on making her name as a foreign correspondent. When a shooting at a Saxon castle leaves a young Jewish woman accused of murder, Archie and Esme are drawn into a perilous hunt for the truth.

Their investigation cuts through the glittering façades and lingering scars of a nation still reeling from war – where resentment simmers, political alliances shift, and the first shadows of a new conflict fall across Europe. Amid whispers of blackmail and betrayal, the pair must navigate intrigue and danger to unmask a killer hiding in plain sight.

A tense, atmospheric mystery set in a world between wars – perfect for fans of Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy, Robert Harris’s Fatherland, and Alan Furst's spy novels.

Praise for Operation Berlin:

‘A thrilling cocktail of historical fiction and whodunit noir set in the dark days of the Weimar Republic. Outstanding.’ Alex Shaw

'The perfect marriage of thriller and whodunit. The edgy atmosphere of Berlin at that time is brilliantly captured and Ridpath marshals a large cast of characters with great skill. A great read' Simon Brett

'Thrilling, pacey, witty, richly atmospheric and filled with intrigue, Operation Berlin takes us deep into a fascinating chapter of German history. I especially loved the emotionally complex - and yet, often funny and surprising - relationship between Archie and Esme, and look forward to their next adventure!' Sophie Hardach

'An intriguing mystery capturing perfectly the atmosphere of 1930s Berlin.' Kate Ellis

'A compelling and atmospheric historical thriller, set in the louche, febrile Berlin of the dying years of the Weimar Republic, and introducing the intriguing partnership of amateur detectives Sir Archibald Laverick, war-damaged veteran, and Emma Carmichael, a sparky American would-be journalist.' Aline Templeton

Further praise for Michael Ridpath:

'Ridpath has that read-on factor that sets bestsellers apart' The Guardian

'It is the author's insight that gives his novel so much life. And he can write... Yes, he has a winner here' The New York Times

'For sheer entertainment, there's nothing in the mystery genre to beat a well-constructed thriller… The new book of Michael Ridpath provides a master-class in how it's done. I read it in one gulp' The Observer

'As slick and compulsive a piece of storytelling as can be found in the best of blockbuster fiction' Sunday Express