Books On Board
series Reading Order

Bernard Gunther Books in Order

14 Books
1989 – 2019 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start Reading Bernard Gunther

For the optimal reading experience, you should start with the original Berlin Noir trilogy: March Violets, The Pale Criminal, and A German Requiem. Written between 1989 and 1991, this trilogy serves as the foundational core of Bernie's world, introducing his trademark cynical wit, his career in the Berlin police (Kripo), and the dark moral compromises of living under a totalitarian regime.

The Recommended Path: Publication Order

While Philip Kerr's novels jump back and forth chronologically across Bernie's life, readers are strongly advised to follow the publication order. Kerr wrote the later books with the assumption that readers were already familiar with Bernie’s older, war-weary persona. Experiencing the series in the order it was written preserves the emotional impact of Bernie's development, his memories, and the natural evolution of Kerr's writing style.

  • March Violets (1989)
  • The Pale Criminal (1990)
  • A German Requiem (1991)
  • The One from the Other (2006)
  • A Quiet Flame (2008)
  • If the Dead Rise Not (2009)
  • Field Gray (2010)
  • Prague Fatale (2011)
  • A Man Without Breath (2013)
  • The Lady from Zagreb (2015)
  • The Other Side of Silence (2016)
  • Prussian Blue (2017)
  • Greeks Bearing Gifts (2018)
  • Metropolis (2019)

The Chronological Timeline & Caveats

If you are planning a re-read and want to follow Bernie's life in chronological sequence, be aware that many novels employ dual timelines, framing narratives, and extensive flashbacks. For instance, books like Field Gray span the mid-1950s but contain flashbacks reaching back to 1934. With that caveat in mind, here is how the novels fit into Bernie's life timeline:

  • Metropolis: Set in 1928, showing a young Bernie in the Weimar Republic's twilight years.
  • March Violets: Set in 1936, during the Berlin Olympic Games.
  • The Pale Criminal: Set in 1938, leading up to the events of Kristallnacht.
  • Prague Fatale: Set in 1941, during Bernie's forced service under Reinhard Heydrich.
  • The Lady from Zagreb: Set in 1942–1943, taking Bernie to Croatia and Switzerland.
  • A Man Without Breath: Set in 1943, centering on the investigation of the Katyn Forest massacre.
  • A German Requiem: Set in 1947, in post-war Vienna amidst espionage and ruins.
  • The One from the Other: Set in 1949, dealing with the aftermath of war crimes in Munich.
  • A Quiet Flame: Set in 1950, tracking Bernie's flight to Argentina.
  • If the Dead Rise Not: Dual timeline, split between 1934 Berlin and 1954 Havana.
  • Field Gray: Frame story in 1954, with flashbacks spanning 1934 to 1945.
  • The Other Side of Silence: Frame story in 1956 French Riviera, with flashbacks to 1938 and 1945.
  • Prussian Blue: Set in 1956, with flashbacks to 1939.
  • Greeks Bearing Gifts: Set in 1957, following Bernie to Munich and Athens.

Spin-Offs and Screen Adaptations

Philip Kerr sole-authored all 14 novels before his death in 2018; there are no co-authored books, spin-off novels, or authorized sequels by other writers. However, the series has inspired a television adaptation titled Berlin Noir in development for Apple TV+, adapted by Peter Straughan and starring Jack Lowden as Bernie Gunther along with Colin Firth.

Frequently Asked

QWhat is the best order to read the Bernie Gunther series?

It is best to read the series in publication order, starting with the Berlin Noir trilogy (March Violets, The Pale Criminal, and A German Requiem). This maintains the character's development and avoids spoiling retrospective reveals in the later novels.

QIs Metropolis a prequel to the Bernie Gunther series?

Yes. Metropolis, published posthumously in 2019, is set in 1928 and serves as a prequel, detailing Bernie's early days as a detective in the Weimar Republic before the rise of the Nazi regime.

QWhy is a strict chronological reading of the series difficult?

Many of the novels, such as Field Gray, If the Dead Rise Not, and The Other Side of Silence, feature dual timelines or framing stories where an older Bernie reflects on events from earlier decades, making a clean chronological split impossible.

QAre there any books in the series written by other authors?

No. Philip Kerr wrote all 14 novels himself. Following his passing in 2018, the estate has not authorized any other writers to continue the series or write spin-offs.

QWhich Bernie Gunther book won a major crime fiction award?

If the Dead Rise Not won the prestigious RBA International Prize for Crime Writing in 2009, as well as the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award.

QIs there a television show based on Bernie Gunther?

Yes, a television series adaptation titled Berlin Noir is in development for Apple TV+, produced by Bad Wolf and Tom Hanks's Playtone, starring Jack Lowden as Bernie Gunther.