Blood Roses

Jan Kalisz is working as a chief investigator in the Warsaw police but when the Nazis occupy the city he is faced with a stark choice, work with the new regime or hope to survive alone. Kalisz is recruited by the underground and so begins a dangerous double life. Across the city the Jewish population is being ruthlessly dealt with, assets stripped and residents placed into the beginnings of a ghetto, even the ethnic Poles are treated badly, subject to summary justice. In the midst of this a serial killer is at large, mutilating young girls, and Kalisz's investigations are leading him towards a high-ranking member of the SS.
There are several book series which set police procedurals in the time of the Third Reich so this is not a new show more market. However, what sets this separate from others is that it is also set in occupied Poland and the main protagonist is not german. This makes the story so much richer as there is the opportunity to explore different aspects related to the setting eg. life under occupation, the polish resistance, the treatment of the jewish people. show less

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is an excellent start to this series, I have seen blurb likening this to the late great Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series, and yes the same quality writing and research, but lacks the humour. This however is a superb mystery plenty of surprises and at times grim and gruesome. Descriptive tense with a real feel for time and place and superb characters throughout.
Completely and utterly recommended.

Initial thoughts:
* well written
* evocative
* engaging
* great read
* start of a series

There is a cadre of writers who set their protagonist in these same times - Furst, Kerr, Gardner - Jackson slots in nicely.

Suffice to say, this does not disappoint. Highly Recommended.

See fuller review here @ Melisende's Library