The Night of the Generals

I recently read The Night of the Generals by Hans Hellmut Kirst. The book, originally written in German, was published in 1962.

The story centers on the hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are first discovered in Poland, 1942. The Germans are in control of the city and a German general is suspected of the crime. The investigation is blocked and the investigators are shipped elsewhere.

The major players reunite two years later in Paris. Another brutal murder is committed and the investigators who originally handled the case are back on the trail. Unfortunately, the attempted overthrow of Hitler is launched and everything spins out of control. One of the investigators is killed before he can discover the truth.

After the war, a heinous crime is discovered in East Germany. The remaining investigator with the help of a French detective devises a plan to finally catch the killer.

This book knocked my socks off. It will go into my collection and definitely be reread again.

I’m not much of a history fiction fan, but this story hooked me from the outset and wouldn’t let go. The images it presented were so vivid I could easily imagine war-torn Poland and the characters inhabiting the story.

I know it’s been made into a movie and I look forward to seeing it some day. I’m sure it will have a tough time living up to the book, though.