Rosa: A Novel

In the last days of the First World War, socialist revolution swept across Germany, transforming Berlin into a battleground. But for Detective Inspector Nikolai Hoffner and his young assistant, Hans Fichte, the revolution is a mere inconvenience. They are trying to catch a killer who has left a trail of women dead in the slums of Berlin, all with identical markings etched into their backs. When Rosa Luxemburg, one of the leaders of the socialist uprising, is found murdered with the same carvings in her skin, things get even more complicated for Hoffner. The political police begin to interfere, hinting at an expected angle in the case, and Hoffner is met at every turn by men who will stop at nothing to keep him from finding out the truth about Rosa.

Rosa’s death is a real historical mystery, one that has never been solved. In his remarkable new thriller, Jonathan Rabb presents one strikingly real solution, all the while painting a vivid, unforgettable picture of a dark city in chaos at a time of great political uncertainty.

Jonathan Rabb is the author of The Overseer and The Book of Q. He lives in New York City.