A Quiet Flame

De: Philip Kerr

Narrado por: Paul Hecht

Philip Kerr’s intricate novels featuring former Berlin homicide detective Bernie Gunther have earned ahallowed place in the hearts of mystery fans. It’s 1950, and Bernie has arrived in Argentina seeking asylum after being falsely identified as a Nazi war criminal. There he investigates the murder of a wealthy banker’s daughter ina case reminiscent of one he worked in Germany 18 years before.

©2009 Philip Kerr (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Cinematic Noir

Was fun to get back to the B. Gunther series. Fun may not be the right word as there are many horrible events on display here, but having visited Argentina in recent years, I found the locations and descriptions very cinematic. The earlier era Germany flashback chapters were also a good anchoring for the character's past. One of the best in the series for me, once I got used to the rhythm of hardboiled similes (maybe overdone in this one) from the opening pages. I wonder if at some point someone will get the rights to make a film series of some of the novels. This particular one would make a great noir thriller.

Philip Kerr Catches World of Germany in the 30's

Would you listen to A Quiet Flame again? Why?

Yes, excellent story well narrated.

What did you like best about this story?

The continued saga of Bernie Guenther.

Which character – as performed by Paul Hecht – was your favorite?

Excellent diction and German pronuncation

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Nothing

Any additional comments?

Kerr is the master of pre-war and war time Germany. His knowldege of Berlin is phenomonal.

Another good one!

What did you love best about A Quiet Flame?

Philip Kerr just knows how to tell a story. Interesting characters, interesting plot, interesting ending.

Long story.

This is a long one. Interesting because of the post war Argentine / German nazi angle but very labyrinthine and complex. Requires one to stick with it.

Not His Best but Still Worth It

The writing here is okay but not as good as usual. Hecht is still fine as the narrator. Even Kerr's not-so-good stories are still worth reading/listening to. In this episode it just seems that Bernie is making too many mistakes for the convenience of Kerr so he can make rather obvious political statements. It is more fun when Kerr is simply telling a story and letting Bernie smart-off and get into feasible trouble. In A Quiet Flame Bernie's arrests are far too contrived to enable the listener to feel a smooth flow of the plot. The wise-cracks are still there and the story is passable, even given the several bumps along the road.