Rating: 2.4/5

Set between the two world wars, Munich Wolf is essentially a police procedural featuring Detective Sebastian Wolff, a veteran of the Great War, who is now a police inspector in the department roughly equivalent to the CID.

Having been a student of the German language and culture, the social history of the country is always of interest to me and I have a particular fascination with those dark and disturbing times that saw the rise of the National Socialists (Nazis). The action in this novel takes place in 1935, Hitler has risen to power, but although there has already been plenty of unpleasantness, he and his supporters are yet to commit the worst of the atrocities associated with that regime. Germany at this time is riddled with internal tensions and domestic conflicts. It is a period when supporters of Hitler are in the ascendancy and being placed in the positions of greatest influence. Consequently, any Nazi sympathisers - or even those who were simply prepared to tolerate the National Socialists for the sake of personal gain and advancement - could see the potential for great rewards and the realisation of their ambitions. Equally, anybody not seen to be wholeheartedly in support of the Führer could expect to be persecuted and, in all likelihood, permanently removed from the scene. Internationally, there is also uncertainty about how to deal with the leader of the Third Reich and there are those amongst the more privileged echelons of British society who feel a deep sense of empathy with Hitler.

As ever, Rory Clements displays sound levels of background knowledge and research as he weaves factual and fictional elements together in this story and it was that aspect of this novel that held my attention and kept me reading until the end. Unfortunately, there were other elements which impressed me far less and, as a result, "Munich Wolf" doesn't quite deliver on its potential. While I wouldn't say that the pace of the novel is slow, it is disjointed and at times felt more like the basis of a screenplay rather than a novel, cutting abruptly to the next action scene rather than flowing naturally. The investigation itself benefits from some very convenient developments, which aren't always entirely convincing. However, I think the most disappointing trait is the characterisation. There are far too many occasions when it is simplistically superficial and stereotypical. In my opinion, this has the adverse effect of diluting the impact of some of the socio-political themes.

Munich Wolff is described in the accompanying marketing blurb as being a standalone novel, though there is clear potential for this to be developed into a series, if the writer so chooses. If that were to be the case, then my fascination with this period of history may draw me back for more, although based on this book, it does not have the same appeal as Philip Kerr's "Bernie Gunther" series, nor Volker Kutscher's "Gereon Rath" which was developed into the "Babylon Berlin tv series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Farewell Tom Wilde - at least for now - welcome to Sebastian Wolff. This was well researched and pulsating police procedural set in pre-war Munich - a hotbed of Naziism. Our new hero has to navigate his way through the moral maze and keep his true feelings about the regime to himself.

No Bernie Gunter he but Sebastian is a worthy addition to the "good German" canon.

I look forward eagerly to the next in what will hopefully turn into a series rather than just being a standalone.

I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve ever read by this author, and this book doesnt disappoint either. It is set in 1930s Munich, with Detective Sebastian Wolff being ordered to investigate the murder of a young English woman. Things get tricky from the start as there is the unwanted attention from the German ruling class, especially Adolph Hitler.

Wolff is no Nazi, but he has to watch his back at all times, despite having an uncle who is highly placed and well thought of in certain circles. I knew that there was a lot of prejudice in the country in this era, but hadn’t realised how many British and Americans were drawn to Germany, using it as a hedonistic playground. I liked the way the author has woven the story around the real people and his characters. I knew Unity Mitford had been a supporter of the Nazi regime but not how close she had been to its leader. I also hadn’t realised that Dachau was used during this time, or that so many people had been sent there, some just having been denounced by their families, friends or neighbours, or for just saying what they really thought of the regime. It’s a really good read, winding history nicely in with a very good plot, with the authors signature thorough research shining through. Recommended.

Rory Clements fans won't be disappointed with this latest thriller.

Fans of Rory Clements "Tom Wilde" books are used to fast-moving and well researched wartime spy thrillers. And although this is a stand-alone book, it's every bit as good as the series.

The story opens in Munich, in 1935 - capital of the German state of Bavaria, spiritual home of Hitler and the Nazi movement. both of which are growing in power and popularity. Munich is also a magnet for young, aristocratic Britons who come to learn German, swim in the lakes and drink beer. When one of them is murdered, Sebastian Wolff, a detective who hates the Nazis but is surrounded by them, is assigned the case, on Hitler's instructions. The reader soon learns that life in Munich is as hard as it is in Berlin. Followed by the secret police, when Wolff begins to suspect that the killer might be linked to the highest reaches of the Nazi hierarchy, he knows life is about to get harder.

Before long, we are drawn into a Munich unlike anything we might have imagined. On the surface, full of life and frivolity, but beneath, a city dark, dangerous and full of fear. The reader is reminded that the first world war and the stock market crash were still fresh in the minds of the German people and resentment was rife. We meet a large cast of troubled characters, from the upper-class young men and women from Britain and other countries, to their hosts, the impoverished aristocrats and to those who looked upon Hitlers Reich as a means to further themselves. Many of the characters are drawn from real life, and the author's zeal for research and authenticity makes this an enthralling read. A particular thread involving Unity Mitford is fascinating.

We also learn a little about the origins of the Gestapo and the machinations within the Nazi party were conducted. However, the author reminds us that most Germans were not Nazis and did not vote for Hitler, and the fate of Detective Wolff is one shared by many people.

Rory Clements fans will love this, as will those of Simon Scarrow, Luke McCallin and Ben Creed. Thoroughly recommended.