David Young's A Darker State was published in paperback on February 8th 2018 and is the third in his series featuring Karin Müller, an officer in the People's Police. Set in East Germany in the mid 1970's before the days of Reunification, it bristles with suspicion and subterfuge.
I also have 2 copies of A Darker State up for grabs as a great Giveaway- details on how to enter are at the foot of this post. (UK only).
For the Stasi, it's not just the truth that gets buried . . .
The body of a teenage boy is found weighted down in a lake.
Karin Müller, newly appointed Major of the People's Police, is called to investigate. But her power will only stretch so far, when every move she makes is under the watchful eye of the Stasi. Then, when the son of Müller's team member goes missing, it quickly becomes clear that there is a terrifying conspiracy at the heart of this case, one that could fast lead Müller and her young family into real danger.
Can she navigate this complex political web and find the missing boy, before it's too late?
My Thoughts
A Darker Place may be the third in the Karin Müller series but it stands on its own feet and can be read on its own. It is crammed full of intrigue and deception and is so densely plotted that you wonder how David Young has kept such a tight hold on the narrative. It is great story telling, with the environment and characters all woven together. I loved how you could feel Karin's apprehension as she pulled her coat closer against the cold. You can almost taste the chill.
Karin is a great character with lots of layers. A recent mother, she shows us all her guilt about choosing to return to work and I am sure there is more to find out about her in future books. You see her relative to the other people in her life as she works her way through the investigation so she feels like a fully rounded individual.
You also get a sense of what it must have been like to live through the 1970's in East Germany. Not knowing who could be trusted, there seems to be constant, covert surveillance which is taken as normal. It was great to try to decipher who I thought could be living a double life and what their motives might be. There are a few shocks at the end, one in particular that I did not see coming and which sets up the next in the series, nicely.
In short: historical fiction full of character, tension and atmosphere.
About the Author
David Young was a journalist for more than 25 years with BBC
World radio and TV. Now a full-time author, his debut novel Stasi Child,
reached the Top 20 of the Bookseller’s Fiction chart and was a top five e-book
bestseller. The novel won the 2016 CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger and was
longlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award.
Thanks to David Young and Emily Burns of Bonnier Zaffre for a copy of the book and the great Giveaway prizes.
Giveaway
To win a copy of A Darker State, Follow and Retweet the pinned tweet at @bookslifethings or leave a comment below and good luck!
Closing Date is 23rd February 2018 UK only and there are 2 winners.
Sounds like a great read
ReplyDeleteYes it is great. Good luck!
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