A Man Without Breath

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In March 1943, following the defeat at Stalingrad, Germany faces a crisis of morale and discipline. Hitler's claims of victory clash with the reality known by commanders on the ground. News of a massacre of Polish officers in the Katyn Forest reaches Berlin, prompting both the Wehrmacht and Propaganda Minister Goebbels to seek undeniable evidence of this atrocity. For the Wehrmacht, proof could mitigate their own war crimes; for Goebbels, it might fracture the Alliance and sever Russia's supply lines. They agree that a skilled investigator is essential to ensure the integrity of the evidence. Bernie Gunther is sent to Smolensk, where the truth is as elusive as the dead Polish officers. In Smolensk, Gunther finds himself among a class of Prussian aristocrats entrenched in the Wehrmacht, a world far removed from his Berlin roots. However, his primary concern is a cunning killer lurking in the shadows, leaving a trail of victims. This is not a random psychopath; the killer possesses both motive and the expertise to remain undetected. In this war-torn environment, such skills are common, and Gunther must identify this lethal individual before he becomes the next target.