Sometimes when you hear that a book won a prestigious award, you wonder if it is really that much better than others of its genre. Apparently this sixth book in the Bernie Gunther series won the RBA International Prize for Crime Writing, which gives the author a cash prize of over $125,000, and upon finishing this story, I can see why. It is a thoroughly richly textured tale beginning in 1934 as the Nazis are rushing to get the Olympic Stadium built in time for the summer of '36, while all the while trying to keep hidden the continuing persecution of the German Reich's Jewish minority. Our protagonist, former Berlin police detective Bernie Gunther, is now working as the house detective for the luxurious Adlon Hotel at the Brandenburg Gate in the center of Berlin. Through a series of events he finds himself paired with a brash, attractive, American journalist who is hoping to find a meaty story about the intimidation and segregation of the Jews, but instead is investigating a "John Doe" murder with Bernie. 
 He increasingly finds himself getting deeper and deeper in love with this charming American, but as they get deeper involved, they also find themselves in more and more danger as the corruption and violence of the Nazi state envelopes them. The story twists and turns as the plot thickens, and Bernie is nearly killed as a result of what he discovers. 
 The story seems to end, but we pick up the scent in 1952 Havana, Cuba. Bernie is living there following the events that have taken place in book 5, when he discovers to his astonishment that the American journalist is now living in Havana as well -- in Ernest Hemingway's house no less! The surprises keep coming, and I found it hard to put down this book, each chapter brought additional pleasure to this avid reader of the series. I thought that I had a favorite in the series (book 4, although book 3 was a close 2nd), but this one stands above the others. It really is a giant work of masterful storytelling. What an amazing gift to weave such wonderful characters and plots together into one coherent story. Bravo!