A WW2 thriller set in 1957 Athens!

30th April 2018

Greeks Bearing Gifts by Philip Kerr – a WW2 thriller set in 1957 Athens.

Greeks Bearing Gifts is the thirteenth Bernie Gunther thriller by Philip Kerr. Philip died of cancer on 23rd March this year.

Greeks Bearing Gifts has itself just been published post Philip’s death, and is a fitting tribute. Bernie Gunther is a former Berlin detective, now an insurance loss adjustor based in Munich. Many of the early Bernie Gunther books were set in Berlin, but Greeks Bearing Gifts is firmly set in Athens. The Germans were not in 1957 popular in Greece after the carnage they had caused in WW2. Bernie is sent to adjust the claim for a small vessel owned by a German that was sunk off the Peloponnese but he and his superiors are suspicious as to the cause of the sinking. When someone connected to the boat is found murdered, Bernie is obliged to help the Greek police solve the mystery. His investigations lead him back to the plight of the thousands of Jews deported from Thessaloniki (Salonika as it then was) in WW2. Ex-Nazi war criminals are still active in Greece – as are representatives of Mossad, the Israeli secret service. Bernie is aided by a beautiful lawyer, Elli – but he is not entirely sure of her motivation and why she seems to have fallen for a middle aged and sardonic German.

The story is fast moving and builds to an exciting climax. Two things, for me, made Greeks Bearing Gifts a really good read. The first is the anti-hero character of Bernie himself – a much flawed and troubled man. The second is the contrast between the culture and character of the German and Greek actors. Our preconceived ideas of the two countries are reinforced – but always in a style that is both witty and highly observant. Philip is well known for his fascination with, and knowledge of Berlin, but this is now expanded to include Athens – and all things Greek.

I confess I picked the book up because I was heading for a few days in Berlin, and imagined it would be a Berlin-based book as other Bernie Gunther books had been. I was surprised, but not in the least bit disappointed. It is an excellent read.

Philip left behind a manuscript of a fourteenth Bernie Gunther book, Metropolis, when he died. It is due to be published later this year and I look forward to it.

Tony for the TripFiction team

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