Zaffre | 18 January 2024 | 400p | Buy the book
Munich in 1935 is a magnet to young British aristocrats. It is also the heartland of fascism. To some, especially Unity Mitford, who is always to be seen at Herr Hitler’s side, this presents no conflict, but, to others, these are dangerous times and Germany is no longer the welcoming country it once was. Likewise, the local elite grow increasingly unhappy with the loose morals of their glamorous visitors. When a young British woman is murdered, Hitler himself takes a close interest. He doesn’t want to alienate Britain. Not yet. And so the investigation must be seen to be above board. Detective Sebastian Wolff is called in to lead the case. But Wolff is no friend to Nazism and so first he must be warned – a night in Dachau will do the trick.
I am such a fan of Rory Clements thrillers, both those set in Tudor England and, in recent years, the Tom Wilde spy series covering the 1930s and 1940s. That series seems to have reached a natural end with World War II over and it was good to see a new novel, a standalone, which goes back to a time and place I’m especially interested in, Germany in the mid 1930s. Instead of American Tom Wilde we have German Sebastian Wolff but there are similarities between the two, not least that both are outsiders in their homeland and have a mighty enemy to oppose. Munich Wolf is also just as clever and exciting as anything that’s gone before.
I loved the picture of Munich society that the author unveils, with its underlying tension of aggression and terror, if you don’t fit. Parts of this novel are genuinely terrifying and harrowing, as the blinkers are pulled down over the eyes of Munich’s elite. Usually, by themselves. Wolff has seen the horror at first hand. He also has a son, a young Nazi, who hates him and an assistant who couldn’t be more Nazi if he tried and is a dangerous imbecile to cross. But these relationships develop through the novel as Wolff must seek a serial killer, from whom nobody is safe.
I thoroughly enjoyed Munich Wolf. Rory Clements is one of my favourite authors, a writer whose books I read as soon as I can. This is a particularly strong period for him and I can’t help but hope there is more to come from these dark and fascinating years.
Other reviews
Holy Spy
Corpus
Nucleus
Nemesis
Hitler’s Secret
A Prince and a Spy
The Man in the Bunker
The English Führer
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