Meet the Characters
Max's and his Berlin Kriminalpolizei colleagues
Maximilian Siegfried BECKER (Max) Kriminalhauptkommisar - (Det Chf Insp)
Born 5 June 1918 the only child of Wilhelm and Elsa Becker. In 1936, aged 18 he joined, with his best friend Matty (learn his fate in the first novel - Angel Avenger) - The 3rd Panzer Regiment. He fought throughout the war as a tank commander, ending as a company commander of a heavy Panzer unit, with the rank of Hauptman (Capt.) A tank ace, with more than 100 credited kills, he was wounded five times and highly decorated.
After the war, he was taken prisoner by the Americans, but was transferred to the British where he assited in hunting down a key Nazi war criminal (stories explored in future Becker books). Soon after he was freed and immediately sought out a nurse, Anna Fischer, he had met and fallen in love with back in 1941. They got married; he joined the police, and they settled in Hannover. In 1952 he , and his family moved to Berlin after he was head-hunted by former friend and Panzer comrade, August Dehler, head of the Berlin Kripos Murder Squad (KD1). His twins - Heike and Markus were born 3 Oct 1947.
Max is a family man, a team player and loves his kids. A good leader and detective. He suffers from the trauma he experienced during the war and the guilt of having fought for a criminal regime (topics that are explored further in the Becker stories).
He loves motorbikes, favourite colour is pink (panzer colour), a good sense of humour, apolitical and not religious, non-smoker, likes beer.
Tobias Wolfgang KLEIN (Tobi) - Kriminaloberkommisar - (Det Insp)
Born 1922, Tobi to his friends and colleagues. At the outbreak of war, he joined 216th Infantry Division - initially, a machine gunner, his courage and tactical prowess soon got him noticed, and he rose through the ranks. He trained as a marksman (the Wehrmacht did not like the term 'Sniper') and played an important role for his regiment on the Eastern Front. He was very successful but his war was very hard, and he witnessed some terrible atrocities carried out by the advancing Russian army. He was wounded several times and awarded the Knights Cross. At the end of the war, he was stuck in Hungary, but managed to walk back to Austria, finally surrendering to the Americans. By this time he had hidden all trace of his role as a sniper, and after a brief period of incarceration was released. He met Max at police college where they became firm friends. When Max went to Berlin in 1952, he asked Tobi to join him.
He is married to Else, and they have two children, Charlotte (Lotte) born 1950 and Martin born 1952. Tobi loves music, motorbikes and is a keen carpenter.
author
Tim Wickenden
Angel Avenger
A German historical crime thriller
novel
September 1960, In the Spandauer forest Detectives Max Becker and Bastian Döhl, from the Berlin Kriminalpolizei, find a naked, tortured man tied to a tree. A cryptic message hangs from his neck. When another body appears, Max is sure it won’t be the last. The press dub the killer, Der Waldscharfrichter (The Forest Executioner) and graphic tattoos on the bodies suggest that the victims are Russians with a criminal past.
As more bodies and messages appear, they lead Max and his team to a horrific past event, wounds that run deep in the Berlin psyche, plunging Max into a conflict between his sense of duty and justice.
‘Angel Avenger: A Max Becker Thriller is hypnotic, a well-crafted story with great characters… A pure delight for fans of crime thrillers.’
Divine Zape – Readers’ Favorite – 5 stars
'Wickenden writes with a lightness of touch, and the telling little details of time and place add hugely to the atmosphere and originality of this book. Highly recommended.'
Sara MacDonald - author of Another Life and A Kingdom by the Sea
'I found this book to be really gripping and moving on many levels.'
Lovereading.co.uk - An Indie Book We love award
Wow! That covers my reaction to this book, on just about every different front, definitely making it my best read of 2019, which is when I opened this Pandora’s box of emotions.
Yvonne - Fiction Books
'In creating a killer who you feel for, the dark and atmospheric events are superbly crafted in a taut and tense book with an emotional and brooding plot.'
AlexJ Books
More reviews on Goodreads
Girl Hunter
A German historical crime thriller
novelette
9 girls are dead: 6 in Munich and 3 in Berlin. The only clue is an old police badge, and a mysterious parkkeeper seen abducting the now missing Magrit Rippner...
Late Summer, 1960. Max Becker of the Berlin Kripo murder squad is under intense pressure to stop an evil and elusive serial killer the press has dubbed, Girl Hunter. After reviewing the Munich files, Detective Otti Jäger recognizes a pattern enabling the team to predict when and where the killer may strike next.
They set a trap and one police decoy, Cadet Lindi Grenzfelder, spots the killer, but the surveillance team lose him. However, Lindi is able to give Max a good description, but by the time they have a artist's impression, another girl, Wendi Myer, has been abducted, and the killer seemingly disappears.
With precious little to go on, and just as Max is despairing of ever catching the Girl Hunter, the killer phones him. He taunts Max, telling him where to find Wendi's body, and that he plans one more Berlin abduction, this time he intends to keep his special victim, and vanish.
Max and his teamwork round the clock and when the killer makes an uncharacteristic blunder, it enables Max to set a risky trap, which...
If it fails the cost will be the life of Max's own daughter!
Buy now to join the hunt and dive into the thrilling world of Max Becker!
'This is such an exciting novel that I don’t know what Tim Wickenden may do as a sequel, but I’m going to be there to read it. So should you.' Dan Santos—author of Letters from Blitz, and Insurrection: Appalachian Command
'Girl Hunter is an atmospheric thriller filled with suspense. The story will keep the reader at his/her toes and every detail inside is essential to the story.' Christine Vasou - Publisher
'A short but terrifying story that gives you a chilling glimpse into the twisted mind of a deranged serial killer.' Helen—Amazon, UK review
'If you are looking for a novelette that will grip your attention, Girl Hunter: A Max Becker Thriller is it!' Obi—Amazon, UK review
'This author is one of the best that I have had the privilege of checking out in a long time. I loved the ending, the way it made you want to find out what happened to the last victim in the end. I can't wait to read more from this author.' Deborah—Amazon, US review
More reviews on Goodreads