Jonathan Rabb’s latest novel Rosa (Peter Halban, £10.99) is set in
Berlin in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, and the
attempted socialist Spartakus revolution of 1919. The story concerns a
serial killer, who has left a string of mutilated victims around the city.
All the victims are women — with identical incisions on their backs.
The plot takes an extraordinary twist when the Jewish revolutionary leader
Rosa Luxemburg becomes the fifth victim. Seriously flawed detective
Nikolai Hoffner is in charge of the investigation. Hoffner’s mother is
Jewish which, he is told, harmed his father’s career.
It soon becomes clear that Hoffner’s investigation is getting into much
murkier waters than those of the canal from which they retrieve the body
of Luxemburg — whom some newspapers called the “Devil’s Jewess”.
The real Rosa Luxemburg disappeared in January of 1919, and her body was
found months later. Rabb suggests that “speculation about Rosa’s fate
continues to this day” but though his storyline “is one
possibility”, it is perhaps the most unconvincing part of his novel.
Nevertheless, Rabb makes up for shaky historical licence with his vivid
descriptions, which bring a powerful visual quality to the work.
Einstein also makes a cameo appearance. “I’ve always been fascinated
by criminal cases,” he tells Hoffner. “They’re like puzzles. Quite a
lot like what we spend our time on.”
“Except,” Hoffner replies, “no one ends up dead, Herr Direktor.”
Jonathan Rabb will be discussing “The Interpretation of History” with
Jed Rubenfeld and Marcel Berlins at Jewish Book Week on Sunday March 2
