Operation Berlin by Michael Ridpath

Author : Michael Ridpath

Book : Operation Berlin

/ Historical Fiction , Mystery & Thrillers/

/The Foreign Correspondent Book 1/

Publication date : April 12, 2026

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Blurb:

Berlin, 1930.

Historian Archie Laverick, scarred mentally and physically by the Great War, travels to Berlin to research a famed Prussian general. His quiet study is shattered when he crosses paths with Esme Carmichael, a spirited young American intent on making her name as a foreign correspondent. When a shooting at a Saxon castle leaves a young Jewish woman accused of murder, Archie and Esme are drawn into a perilous hunt for the truth.

Their investigation cuts through the glittering façades and lingering scars of a nation still reeling from war – where resentment simmers, political alliances shift, and the first shadows of a new conflict fall across Europe. Amid whispers of blackmail and betrayal, the pair must navigate intrigue and danger to unmask a killer hiding in plain sight.

A tense, atmospheric mystery set in a world between wars – perfect for fans of Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy, Robert Harris’s Fatherland, and Alan Furst's spy novels.

My thoughts:

Every now and then, I venture out of my fantasy fan hole to immerse myself in a story from a different genre, and Michael Ridpath is a name I can't overlook. It’s a cosy yet intriguing crime-solving tale set in the tense atmosphere of Berlin, delivered to the reader in a perfect way. Sir Archie Laverick, a WWI veteran and historian, is seeking to research and write about a long-departed Prussian General. After an annoying hiccup in his plans, he finds himself in need of a new research assistant, and that's when the young and promising Esme Carmichael steps in with her ambitious plans to make a name as a foreign correspondent. I love the circumstances and the hilarious way they meet because it’s the perfect blend of humour and foreshadowing, hinting at the twist that awaits in their plans. The duo makes for a truly intriguing crime-solving team, with his low-key grumpy (yet endearing) character, dealing with past trauma, and her as an inexperienced newcomer full of energetic ambition but sharp-minded. The pace is slow, but it's worth every twist and turn as they are quickly drawn into a complex puzzle they must solve while navigating an even more complex pre-war Germany. I loved it, and I am delighted that there is already a sequel in the pipeline.