Operation Berlin

Discover the first in a BRAND-NEW series of post-WW1 mysteries, from international bestselling author Michael Ridpath. An absolute must-read for fans of Robert Harris, Alan Furst and Robert Goddard.

'The perfect marriage of thriller and whodunit' Simon Brett

In a city rebuilding from war, truth can be the most dangerous weapon of all.

Berlin, 1930.

Historian Archie Laverick, scarred mentally and physically by the Great War, travels to Berlin to research a famed Prussian general. His quiet study is shattered when he crosses paths with Esme Carmichael, a spirited young American intent on making her name as a foreign correspondent. When a shooting at a Saxon castle leaves a young Jewish woman accused of murder, Archie and Esme are drawn into a perilous hunt for the truth.

Their investigation cuts through the glittering façades and lingering scars of a nation still reeling from war – where resentment simmers, political alliances shift, and the first shadows of a new conflict fall across Europe. Amid whispers of blackmail and betrayal, the pair must navigate intrigue and danger to unmask a killer hiding in plain sight.

A tense, atmospheric mystery set in a world between wars – perfect for fans of Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy, Robert Harris’s Fatherland, and Alan Furst's spy novels.

Praise for Operation Berlin:

‘A thrilling cocktail of historical fiction and whodunit noir set in the dark days of the Weimar Republic. Outstanding.’ Alex Shaw

'A perfectly crafted mystery set in a perfectly rendered inter-war Germany, riven by emergent dark forces and populated with the lost, the damaged and the haunted. Michael Ridpath has created something very special here.' Craig Russell

'The perfect marriage of thriller and whodunit. The edgy atmosphere of Berlin at that time is brilliantly captured and Ridpath marshals a large cast of characters with great skill. A great read' Simon Brett

'Thrilling, pacey, witty, richly atmospheric and filled with intrigue, Operation Berlin takes us deep into a fascinating chapter of German history. I look forward to their next adventure!' Sophie Hardach

'An intriguing mystery capturing perfectly the atmosphere of 1930s Berlin.' Kate Ellis

'A thoroughly absorbing and informative historical thriller, with two beautifully drawn central characters. The book perfectly captures the essence of the menace and fragility at the time of the Weimar Republic.' Chris Lloyd

'Evocative and engrossing – superb characters in a fascinating setting. Better still, the solution to the mystery makes perfect, satisfying sense – a genuine achievement in modern crime writing.' TE Kinsey

'Brilliant! A vivid murder mystery set in 1930s Germany as Europe recovers from one war while sliding toward another. Intelligent, tense and hauntingly relevant. Michael Ridpath is a substantive, master storyteller.' Humphrew Hawksley

'A compelling and atmospheric historical thriller, set in the louche, febrile Berlin of the dying years of the Weimar Republic, and introducing the intriguing partnership of amateur detectives Sir Archibald Laverick, war-damaged veteran, and Emma Carmichael, a sparky American would-be journalist.' Aline Templeton

'An engaging and entertaining mystery set in a wonderfully atmospheric 1930s Berlin. A compelling and suspenseful murder plot unfolds against the background of tumultuous historical events as Hitler relentlessly pursues power. I look forward to reading further adventures of the book’s likeable main characters, Archie Laverick and Esme Carmichael.' Mark Ellis

'Operation Berlin launches Michael Ridpath's new series in style. The blend of immaculate historical research and strong characters is in the classic Len Deighton tradition, with plenty of distinctive detail and an intriguing and nicely contrasted crime-solving duo.’ Martin Edwards, author of The Golden Age of Murder

Further praise for Michael Ridpath:

'Ridpath has that read-on factor that sets bestsellers apart' The Guardian

'It is the author's insight that gives his novel so much life. And he can write... Yes, he has a winner here' The New York Times

'For sheer entertainment, there's nothing in the mystery genre to beat a well-constructed thriller… The new book of Michael Ridpath provides a master-class in how it's done. I read it in one gulp' The Observer

'As slick and compulsive a piece of storytelling as can be found in the best of blockbuster fiction' Sunday Express