Great mystery but even better football story

Phillip Kerr's Bernie Gunther stories are grat reads,but I like his other novels even better. As an American who knows more then he needs to know about American football, I learned a great deal about English football and the Premier League. The mystery is very interesting and realistic. Kerr doesn't fall into the nonsense endings so many mystery writers rely on now with over the top unbelievable twists. I hope Kerr does a mystery about American Football there is so much money and corruption to explore.

4 people found this helpful

Philip Kerr, the C-word and football

I love Philip Kerr, his cynical humor, the stories, his heroes. This novel is the first I've read that's not set in or around war. Instead, it's deep in the world of football, or soccer for those of us who are American. I'm not into soccer so I don't if the facts are right but it's a veritable assemblage of historical facts and events from soccer in the 90' and early 2000'. It's fun.
Kerr's main characters have always had, to put it mildly, a deep appreciation of women, especially those who can selfishly and creatively gratify their men. There's so little give back that it's a wonder the hero often finds himself abandoned.
I have a problem with Kerr's liberal use of the C-word to insult women and men alike. It's an ugly, sexist word, perhaps the most degrading insult a man can use. To delete that word, used hundreds of times, would be the one thing I would gladly change to improve the book.

1 person found this helpful

I don't follow soccer but I liked it a lot

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A good mystery. The author did not get so caught up with creating a "who done it" that the ending was impossible to believe.

1 person found this helpful

Being a football lover not enough

Would you try another book from Philip Kerr and/or Andrew Wincott?

Narrator was not good--doesn't give you a chance to like the lead character

Any additional comments?

A very simple minded mystery tagged on to an obsession with Premier League football. I'm a fan of the latter, but lots of that couldn't save the weak story. Regret my credit. But other reviewers seem to like it....

1 person found this helpful

For Soccer Lovers

Like all Philip Kerr books this is deeply researched and well written. A finely woven story with lots of soccer ( football) action for those who appreciate this sport. a finely crafted Detective mystery

Next best thing to Bernie Gunther

if you can't have more Bernie Gunther this will have to do. Curious on how this will continue.

lots of football

good musteru but also a lot of football. helps if you are a fan. keep reading.

This was an awesome and unexpected thriller

As a lover of Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series and the Premier League, I approached this book with little idea as to how it would work. The answer was a gripping story, against a wonderfully painted tapestry of football, and narrated perfectly.

Onto the next in this series with excitement.

Great 'window' into football

What made the experience of listening to January Window the most enjoyable?

I just love the way Kerr weaves the story and the inside into the world of the current football. As a football fan I was very intrigued by the story and hope for more to come with the Scott Manson character - the Bernie Gunther of football.
Great narration by Andrew Wincott.

A Well Constructed, Enjoyable Whodunit

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Recommended to fans of the Bernie Gunther series and those who just enjoy Mr Kerr's ability to immerse the reader in a setting.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist, Scott is quite likable, but I think the main character might have been the game of football (soccer).

Have you listened to any of Andrew Wincott’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't think I have, and so can't say whether the accents presented, which sounded spot on to my American ears, we're for this performance only or his natural speaking voice. The reading definitely added to the ambience in this book where ambience is central.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did go "Hah!" at a point when a female character made what I found a strange and lewd statement. There's certainly passion and feeling on display, but this book was not designed to wring the listener dry.

Any additional comments?

I would draw an analogy to Nightwing by Martin Cruz Smith. In January Window we have a stand alone novel by an author with a popular series primarily about a detective in an iconic setting. Renko and Gunther are among my favorite characters in fiction. Kerr brings us here into Premier League soccer's world as thoroughly as Smith transported us to a Hopi reservation. There are nits one could pick about the plot, but I don't feel that serves any purpose in this forum. Overall I was very pleased to experience anorher Philip Kerr novel and look forward to his next effort, whether or not any Nazis are amok among the pages.