# The Pale Criminal by Philip Kerr (Paperback)

**The second in the late Philip Kerr's iconic 'Berlin Noir' trilogy, _The Pale Criminal_ sees detective Bernie Gunther return to hunt one of the most evil killers in human history.**

It is 1938 and Bernie Gunther is back on the mean streets of Berlin with his new partner, Bruno Stahlecker, another ex-police officer. But on a seemingly straightforward stakeout, Bruno is killed, and Bernie suddenly finds himself tapped for a much bigger job.

A serial sex murderer is killing Aryan teenage girls in Berlin - and what's worse, he's making utter fools of the police. Gunther is forced to accept a temporary post in Obergruppenfuehrer Reinhard Heydrich's state Security Service, with a team of men underneath him tasked purely with hunting the killer.

But can he trust his team any more than he can trust his superiors?

**An unflinching, fast-paced thriller exploring the grisly excesses of Nazi subculture, The Pale Criminal will be loved by fans of Robert Harris and Frederick Forsythe.**

**'For Christmas, I would like all of Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir novels.' Sam Mendes, _Guardian_  
**  
**'Blends high-powered storytelling with a rich piece of historical re-creation' _Independent_**

'Kerr makes his star turns - Heydrich, Himmler, et al - eerily believable' _The Times_

'Powerful period flavour; a gruff, subversive hero; Kerr delivers the good' _Literary Review_

'Echoes of Raymond Chandler . . . vivid and well-researched' _Evening Standard_

## Details

- **Price:** 9.99 GBP
- **Vendor:** Penguin Books, Limited
- **Type:** Philip Kerr
- **Tags:** All, thrillers

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 9.99 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- The Pale Criminal by Philip Kerr book cover

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> Source: [Somiibooks](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-pale-criminal-philip-kerr-9780241976906)
> Updated: 2026-09-10