Night of the Generals [Paperback]

Hans Hellmut Kirst (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 1984

A Polish prostitute is murdered in Warsaw in 1942. The possible suspects are narrowed down to three German generals, but the investigation eventually comes to nothing. A similar crime happens in Paris in 1944 when all three generals are assembled once more - but again the investigations are halted by the famous 'night of the generals' - the coup against Hitler. Then, in 1956, a third murder occurs in Dresden. This time the killer must be caught...

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

H.H. Kirst is one of the most successful German authors since the end of the last war. He is the author of the famous Gunner Asch series. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 311 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon; 1st Pantheon Paperback Ed edition (July 12, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394727525
• ISBN-13: 978-0394727523
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,017,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why is this Classic Out of Print?, April 1, 2009

By 

T. Berner (New York, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Night of the Generals (Hardcover)

It seems like such a natural marriage - the corrupt and criminal Nazi regime with the classic fictional detective devoted to justice - that's it's surprising that so few writers have merged setting with theme. Among the top rank of mystery writers today, only Phillip Kerr, channelling Raymond Chandler and J. Robert Janes, inspired by Rex Stout, are in print.

But long before Bernie Gunther and St-Cyr and Kohler, there were Hans Helmut Kirst's Lt. Colonel Grau and Inspector Prevert, and great as Kerr and Janes are, there is no competition.

When a horrible murder is committed in Warsaw, Col. Grau, and, later, Inspector Prevert doggedly pursue the guilty party. It is one of three Wehrmacht Generals and long before the guilty party is revealed about half way through the book, anyone paying attention will have figured out who's guilty.

But that isn't the point of the novel. First of all, Kirst has bigger fish to fry. He has something to say about the role of a general in society. This is one of those rare anti-war books for grown up minds, but it is not anti-military. The author, one of whose great stylistic devices is to insert documents into the text to add verisimilitude and to include his own theory of duty and honor without disrupting the flow of the story, has a short excerpt at the end of the book on the special duty of generals in society which should be required reading at the Command and General Staff School.

But Kirst was always a great novelist in addition to a philosopher and the real delight in this novel is to watch Prevert set the trap which captures the guilty party (while acting as Cupid on the side). The last 80 or so pages are like a symphony in prose: so many pieces come together so seamlessly that it is one of the great memorable passages in detective fiction.

Hans Helmut Kirst was a great comic author, whose humor is so dark that he shows up Joseph Heller as the juvenile vaudvillean he was. Night of the Generals combines the genres of dark satire, gripping mystery and thoughtful political philosophy.

Why does one have to buy this great work used? By the way, there is a great movie which was made from the book, but it is only a pale shadow of this fine book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars REVIEW OF A FIRST RATE THRILLER, July 1, 2001

By 

DR. TARLOCHAN SINGH MBBS;MD (BARNALA INDIA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Night of the Generals (Paperback)

AN EXCELLENT CRIME THILLER WHICH FOR A LONG TIME REFUSES TO LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS.A FIRST RATE MOVIE OF THE SAME NAME WAS MADE A FEW DECADES BACK.THE BOOK GRIPS YOU FROM THE BEGINING AND THE READER ASKS FOR MORE OF THE SAME.THE WRITER HAS EXCELLENT UNDERSTANDING OF MILITARY ADMINISTRATION SPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS TO PASS THROUGU THE TURBULANCE AND STRESS & STRAINS OF WAR.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awakening, Vincent in flames, March 31, 2007

By 

ilyushin "fantomas" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night of the Generals (Cassell Military Paperbacks) (Paperback)

Gabler, Kahlenberge, Tanz. A cold blood trail from Warsaw to Paris, and later on back to Fatherland. The inner demons eclipse the surreal nightmare that created them.