FICTION

The Sweetness of Life

by Paulus Hochgatterer
MacLehose: Quercus. Dec. 2014. 240p. tr. from German by Jamie Bulloch. ISBN 9781623658533. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781623653064. F
COPY ISBN
It's Christmastime in Furth am See, a sleepy village high in the Austrian Alps, but the picturesque landscape becomes an unsettling backdrop to murder when an old man is mutilated outside his home only a few minutes after finishing a game of Parcheesi with his granddaughter. The child might know what happened, but she's been completely mute since finding her grandfather's body in the snow. Sensitive child psychiatrist Raffael Horn tries to get the girl to open up, while seasoned police detective Ludwig Kovacs searches for answers of his own. Their parallel investigations delve under the town's placid surface to reveal an underbelly of depression, delusion, and dysfunction. Horn and Kovacs's perspectives alternate with those of the town's most disturbed individuals. But which one of these dark minds is the killer?
VERDICT The American debut of Viennese crime writer/child psychologist Hochgatterer adds another stop on the Euro-noir itinerary of quaint vacation spots sullied by disquieting psychological crime. Give this winner of the European Literature Prize to fans of Anne Holt and Karin Fossum's moody, character-driven page-turners.
Reviewed by Annabelle Mortensen, Skokie P.L., IL , Dec 05, 2014
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Secret Fling with the Billionaire
by Douglas, Michelle
FICTION

Holiday Under Wraps
by Mettner, Katie
FICTION

Tracking Down the Lawman’s Son
by Fossen, Delores
FICTION

Cold Case Protection
by Helm, Nicole
FICTION

One Waltz with the Viscount
by Martin, Laura
FICTION

When Cinderella Met the Duke
by Williams, Sophia
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?