For Christmas, I wish for all the Berlin Noir novels by Philip Kerr. "March Violets" is the first part of the Bernie Gunther series by thriller master Philip Kerr and a must-read for any discerning crime fiction fan. The Times describes it as wonderfully sharp and satirical, while The Guardian calls it an impressive debut. The Evening Standard refers to it as fast-paced, laconic, unpredictable, and witty. Bernhard Gunther is a private detective specializing in missing persons, and in Hitler's Berlin, he never lacks for work.

In the winter of 1936, a man and his wife are shot in their bed. The woman's father, a millionaire industrialist, demands justice and the priceless diamonds that have vanished along with his daughter's life. As Bernie follows the trail into the heart of Nazi Germany, he is forced to confront a terrifying conspiracy that leads straight to the hell of Dachau.