Eastern Bloc Crime Fiction

[Travis Stewart]

I am not too terribly well versed in crime fiction, being fairly new to the genre, so I was hoping some people that know more might be able to help me find some interesting books. I have long been interested in the history of Eastern Bloc countries, especially the GDR, and I was wondering if anyone knows of crime fiction set in these countries. I have read a number of James Church's novels dealing with police work in the DPRK and found them to be very interesting, so I would love to discover some more novels like these.

[Travis Stewart]

I read "Stasiland" a few years ago, but not the other books, so I will have to look them up. Sadly I do not see myself in Germany any time soon but there are a few locations I would like to see. Right now I am reading a few PhD theses dealing with the Stasi and interrogation methods as I am developing a game idea based on the psychology of interrogation, both of the interrogators and the subject, focusing on the experiences of those who were in Hohenschönhausen prison. We'll see how it pans out.

[I. J. Parker]

Yes. They tend to be fairly political.

[Karen Long]

Ooh I recall reading 'Monstrum' by Donald James and 'Stalin's Ghost' by Martin Cruz Smith and of course 'Gorky Park' my all round favourite book and film.

[L. A. Starks]

I like the Martin Cruz Smith books, most recently, Tatiana. I also liked The Historian and The 13th Tale. Finally, The Tiger's Wife by Tea Ohrent may also be of interest.

[Suzanne]

Olen Steinhauser
"Bridge of Sighs" is the first book is a series located in a non-specified Eastern European country from the end of WWII on. The characters are police detectives; each book focuses on one person from this group.

[Roger Mosedale]

I would recommend Josef Skvorecky's 'Lieutenant Boruvka' series if you can find them. Set in Prague in the '60s.