Crime and politics in Nazi Germany!

Wedding Station (John Russell WW11 Spy Thriller #7/#0) by David Downing      

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1933 Berlin on the eve of Hitler’s rise to power. Englishman John Russell is a crime reporter with the Morgenspiegel, a daily newspaper. He’s also a disenchanted communist and is separated from his German wife.

The opening event catching one’s attention is the burning down of the Reichstag parliament building, ostensibly by the Communists, in all probability started by SA (Sturmführer / Brown shirts) arsonists, setting the scene.

So much is happening, the rise of the Brown Shirts, death of those who stand against Hitler, including communist sympathizers, persecution of Jews, violence against others like male prostitutes, and all who walked on the wild side, who didn’t adhere to the ideals of the right.

Russell as a registered Resident Foreign National is determined to remain in Berlin for his son Paul’s sake. How to manage that and still stay true to reporting without running a foul of the Nazis is a trial.

As he investigates crimes that seem to meld or at least run parallel, Russell finds himself holding material that would see him killed. He is driven to associate with Communist Party members. He’s dragged off to be questioned by the SA and later the Prussian Political Police. Russell is right in the thick of things and it’s not healthy!

Downing’s given us a look at ordinary and extraordinary people during this time of German History. I found it compelling. To my mind he’s up there with Philip Kerr.

Wedding Station is the prelude to the previous Station stories involving John Russell. Until now I’d never read any but now, I’m itching to start. Wedding is a run down poorer part of Berlin.

This look at the rise of Nazism from a somewhat cynical newspaper hack looking to maintain his position and continue to be part of his son’s life is very personal. He needs to stay in Germany as a foreign correspondent. But how to marry that with the horrors he is already starting to witness?

A compelling read!

A Soho Press ARC via NetGalley