The Inconvenient German

It’s 1944 and former Munich police detective Willi Geismeier is determined to disrupt, dismantle and destroy Nazi plans in any way he can - to be a real thorn in their side, though they don’t actually know his identity. He’s leader of the Flower Gang - a large network of underground operators, known only by their code names, each being given the name of a flower. They’re responsible for helping people flee Germany. However, things are starting to change, the Nazis are beginning to become very nervous as a planned invasion by the allies is expected. They’re forcing people (under threat) to spy for them, to find out anything they can about the planned invasion, and also about any traitors to the cause.

The SS are also launching a massive manhunt for American airman Captain Charlie Herder. Herder’s plane had been shot down, and a week later he was still at large. It goes without saying that his knowledge of the forthcoming invasion would be invaluable to the enemy, and this is another area where they hope their recently ‘employed’ spies will come in useful. It’s also where Geismeier and his agents come into play, trying to get Herder to safety, so could Geismeier and his network of agents be in danger? Oh they certainly could!

Divided into two parts, firstly 1944, and then post war Germany. Post war, Geismeier is once again working as a police detective. There are higher ranking officers in the police department (ex Nazi’s) who had wanted him dead during the war, and as much as he doesn’t like it, he has to work alongside them, but he’s still a thorn in their sides, and he still doesn’t trust them! He’s also determined to find out who was responsible for the deaths of some of his secret agents when a rescue operation in 1944 went wrong - and right now he doesn’t know what action he will take when he finds out the answer to that question.

In addition, Geismeier has to undertake investigations into the distressing subject of child trafficking, and his determination to pursue and prosecute the vile individuals running this sex crime ring knows no bounds.

Unusually, Detective Willi Geismeier isn’t your archetypal flawed detective, he’s passionate about achieving justice though, and this means he regularly butts heads with his commanding officers, much to their disdain.

Splendidly told, with an interesting protagonist, and an immersive, authentic storyline, ‘The Inconvenient German’ was very enjoyable.

This moves between 1944 and post WWII Germany as Willi Geismeier, who was determined to undermine the Nazis, still sees remnants of them in the Munich police. He spent the war working with the Rose Network, helping to nettle the Nazis as well as to effect the escapes of Allied pilots like Charlie. Someone though betrayed the network and now WIlli is close to finding the identity of the traitor. No spoiler. While this is the second book, it makes a fine standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

When Charlie Herder was shot down near Munich in 1944 his goal was to get to France and contact the Resistance. After a week on the run and being hunted by the SS he is saved by a member of the German underground and hidden in a mountain hut. This group is led by Willi Geismeier, a former policeman who is also wanted by the Gestapo. Willi arranges an agent to guide Charlie to Switzerland, but their plans and organization are betrayed. Willi has a strong sense of justice. Even though he is forced into hiding, he is determined to find who was responsible.

After the war is lost Willi once again joins the police. A murder and the discovery of a syndicate of illegal activities puts him on the trail of the black marketeer who betrayed his group. Now he has to contend with the Americans who have protected former enemies that may be useful against the Russians. Willi has never played by the rules before and he is willing to sacrifice his career and more to find justice.

An Inconvenient German is an atmospheric novel whose characters embody the best and worst of Germany in WWII. Willi’s organization was in place to assist the Jews fleeing Germany as well as downed pilots. Their betrayal is heartbreaking. Steiner takes you from the beaches of Normandy on D-Day to the rubble strewn streets of Berlin after the war. It is an excellent story that is highly recommended for fans of WWII historical fiction.

Gritty 40’s novel. Germany 1944 and after …

I loved this! I thought I heard some echoes of Phillip Kerr and Bernie Gunther.
Here we meet a sacked investigating police officer completely fed up with the Nazi regime. Willi Geismeier “had been a troublesome policeman, even before Hitler had come to power, and had been kicked off the force.” He’s now the leader of the Flower Gang. All the agents have a flower name.
The Gang provided “false papers for Jews, resistance operatives, Allied pilots, anyone who needed their help, hiding them, escorting them to the border. No one knew how many they were, but they were all over Bavaria. Even Willi had no idea who they all might be.”
Captain Charlie Herder’s mustang is shot down behind enemy lines. His theft of various items as he tries to escape is like a line on a map for his pursuers. The Flower Gang are to help him to get out of Germany. However the organisation is compromised. Things do not play out well!
Willi’s nemesis is SS Lieutenant Peter Laumann, a dogged individual who pursues the Flower Gang with an almost religious fervor. His methods of intimidation have him coming close to Willi.
Post the war, the police force is reorganised by the Allies. Willi is reinstated as a detective. That’s when he comes across some familiar names and more disturbing uncovers the trafficking in children. Despite complaints from the hierarchy he continues his investigation.
Set before and after the war the thread of various characters and their actions carry throughout, linking betrayal and criminal activities, the glue holding the tale together is Willi Geismier.
Intriguing and present, a noir novel of the times. I am definitely now on a mission to read the previous novels in the series!

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

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The Inconvenient German by Peter Steiner is a historical fiction which takes place in Nazi Germany during World War II. This is the third book in the Willi Geismeier thriller series.

Willi Geismeier, an ex-cop wanted by the Gestapo, is part of the Flower Gang whose mission is to help people escape from the Reich. However, the Flower Gang has gotten on the Gestapo’s radar, and the members must be extra careful.

An American pilot, Captain Charlie Herder, is shot down near Munich. He has managed to evade capture by the SS, but needs help to make it to safety. A huge manhunt ensues and Herder is aided by the Flower Gang in his attempt to make it to the French border.

I didn’t realize this was the third in a series until I started reading The Inconvenient German by Peter Steiner. I usually don’t like to start a series from any other book except the first, but it was a short novel, so I figured I’d give it a shot.

What I discovered, right at the beginning, an atmospheric novel with engaging characters. I did not feel, even for one page, that I have missed anything by not reading the first two books, which I certainly intend on doing.

Mr. Steiner manages, in a short time, to show the best and worst of Germany. Those who help humanity, and others who betray their friends, countrymen, or civilization itself.

Only half the story takes place during the war, the other half finds Willi being reinstated as a detective. The novel takes a turn into a disturbing investigation of trafficked children, which the top brass is willing to turn a blind eye to.

This noir novel kept my interest throughout. The glue that holds the book together, Willi Geismeier is an intriguing, nuanced character, acting as only I could wish I would under similar circumstances.

Even though this novel has hints which could put it in the same category as the Bernie Gunther books, I didn’t see any similarities between Gunther and Geismeier. Bernie Gunther is a flawed individual, a gray man living in gray times making gray choices. Geismeier, on the other hand, is passionate about justice, even for perceived enemies. He always attempts to make the right choice, and is not afraid to put his job on the line to do so.

It's 1944 and while Hitler's regime is starting to fall apart at the seams, Willie Geismeier, the disgraced police officer in Peter Steiner's new addition to his masterful series, is still on the run from the SS who are determined to get him dead or alive.

As the head of the Flower Gang, an underground organization dedicated to bringing people who are fleeing the Nazis safely across the border into Switzerland, Willie tries to help an American pilot whose plan was shot near Munich, to make it across. The task is fraught with lots of dangers and unexpected setbacks until something goes terribly awry...

Steiner grips your emotions and throws you from the get-go into the hellish atmosphere of Germany at the tail-end of the War. With stunning historical details and an adrenaline-fueled plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end, the author takes you into an unforgettable journey into fear and the need to survive at all costs.

The last part of the novel is my favorite. It takes place after the collapse of the Third Reich during the early hours of the Allies Occupation. Willie has been reintegrated into the Munich police but he is determined to track down the man who betrayed him while trying to bring the American pilot to safety. But by now too many ex-nazis have become respectable members of the newly created Federal Republic of Germany and hunting down the traitor may become a dangerous game of cat and mouse....

The magnificent ending was definitely reminiscent of Grahame Greene's The third man and now I'm left wondering if the next episode will take us into the darkness and murkiness of postwar Germany....I'm dying to know....

Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this fabulous ARC

I absolutely adored the previous book in this series. I didn't love this one as much, but it's still leagues above most other books in its genre. Steiner's prose is more artfully expressed, for one thing. I also like the ambiguity of the title, at least to me. Who exactly is the inconvenient German? 'Cause it seems like there was a lot of that going around at the time, especially during, to quote The Twilight Zone, "the plaintive litany of the master race, as it lay dying."