A Wolf in Hindelheim

by Jenny Mayhew

A remote German village, 1926.

Something is happening in this place where nothing happens.

A baby has gone missing.
A police constable has been called.

A doctor suspects a storekeeper.
A son wants to prove himself a man.

A love affair unfolds.
Then the rumours begin to spread.

Once suspicion has taken hold, is anything beyond belief?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Germany, Mystery, Crime, Fantasy

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2013

Reviews

[Maciek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up Jenny Mayhew's debut novel because of its gorgeous cover - very picturesque and intriguing, evocative of fairy tales and fables which I read in my youth. I remain a firm believer in book covers - covers make books more memorable, and we remember the best ones even years after we read them and can recall very little from the actual text itself.

A Wolf in Hindelheim is set in a remote German village in the interbellum period, in the year 1926. Hindelheim is a small, isolated settlement, where nothing ever happens, and everyone knows one another - but one day the peace is irrevocably broken when a baby goes missing.

Although local constable Theodore Hildebrant suffers from various disabilities - a result of injuries that he sustained in the first World War - is nonetheless able to apply cold heades skepticism to the few cases that he has to solve, which is probably why he also has a unique knack for irritating those around him. Hilderbrant operates with his son Klaus, who serves as his deputy, and together they're called to the house of Heinrich and Johanna Muller, parents of the missing baby. The couple lives with Johanna's brother Peter Koening and his wife, Ute - who is the only person willing to be interviewed about the missing infant. Despite trying to remain professional, Theodore finds himself more intrigued by the married woman than the missing child.

Although Hildebrant dismisses the case as insignificant, it rocks the small village to the core: suspicions begin to surface and mistrust intensifies. There are reports that a wolf has been sighted, and slowly hysteria begins to spread - and focus on a young Jewish storekeeper, Elias Frankel, who is said to have visited the family shortly before the baby disappeared. Whispers of a mystical wolf-man begin to circulate, and the missing baby is soon turned into an excuse for the villagers's own dislikes and prejudices.

Jenny Mayhew has written a slow but elegantly paced debut novel, concerned with change - set in a country which has just lost one war, but is already preparing for another. Although the village is very remote and settled in its folk beliefs and mythology, modernity inevitably begins to pour in - and not entirely of the good kind: although a new road is being constructed, it is one of the autobahns which are being built all over the country, and will ultimately help in rearming it; the Nazi party is slowly creeping to power, and along with it increases antisemitism and belief in eugenics as a way to improve and purify the German race. It is a novel in the vein of Stephen Dobyns's great The Church Of Dead Girls, which is on of my favorites. Even thought the novel is not without its flaws - it occasionally lacks direction as to where it wants to go - I enjoyed my short stay at Hindelheim and among its people, and will look for Jenny's other novels in the future.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm stingy on this rating. For most of the book I felt at least 4 star connection and enjoyment. It was enjoyment in a creepy and mood driven sense too. Imbedded in the mindset and narration eyes of Constable Theodore Hildebrandt, assisted by his adult son, Klaus. The first 3/4ths of the book was 4 star and the twisted complications of two sister-in-laws', especially those, and their respective marriages, intriguing. It's 1926 in Southwest Germany within small village district multi-generational neighbor and workmate complexity. Secrets upon secrets! The last war has left Theodore a wraith with twisted body, he is not a well man. There are fore-warnings in heavy foreboding mood for both practical and superstitious inclinations. Over all this hovers continually an immense lack of honesty, IMHO. Nearly every character has bad memories or increasingly worse future prospects, or combinations of both.

But the characters became real. This author can write. I loved the book while reading it, despite it going slow. The mood and locale maintained were excellent. We know why the baby void, but do we know the who?

And then the end. The last quarter was an aberration. As opposed to so many other post WWI European, especially English, this veteran of war policeman has not the resiliency to "buck up". There was too much redundancy in the wolf or wolf man aspect within the district. And of long displaying outlooks and behaviors associated with cursing others or witchcraft. And the German bias toward the Gypsies or the Jewish family- the gossip repeated. But then again, it repeatedly stabbed you with this type of stubborn belief bias that is all too real.

No spoilers. It's a heavy mood piece and an incredible window into what is coming in the 1930's, that's for sure. But I think it needed an ending that popped. This one fizzled and moaned. It was a deep moan.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a deeply claustrophobic novel, set wonderfully in a bleak and backward 1920s rural Germany that feels far more as though it belongs to a medieval rather than twentieth century world. Hindelheim is a typical remote village, where outsiders are viewed with suspicion and where unhappy marriages and petty squabbles abound. Set against this backdrop of small minded rivalries a baby disappears. Suspicions rest upon the Jewish shopkeeper, a young man who moves through life with easy grace, and who has never made any real attempts to fit into his community. Constable Theodore Hildebrandt, as usual refuses to accept the pervading view of the situation, at least not without any evidence. His suspicions about what actually happened at the house of Dr Koenig are clouded by his feelings towards the Dr's young wife. This is a taut and well written novel that pulls together threads related to the dangers of rural small-mindedness, an underlying anti-Semitism, the rise of the 'science' of eugenics, and the growth of proto-Nazi groups within Weimar Germany. The concluding chapter leaves us in little doubt about the potential fate that awaits one central character while leaving the fate of the other characters to the reader's imaginations. The author conjures up the village and it's villagers with some finely drawn portraits of characters who breathe life into the story, all while they are spreading their poison. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Hannah Kent's Burial Rites.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel is set in a remote German village in 1926. Constable Theodore Hildebrandt is called to the house of Heinrich Muller and his wife, Joanna. The couple live with Joanna's elderly mother, her doctor brother, Peter Koenig, and his young wife, Ute. Heinrich and Joanna have a young son and recently had a new baby daughter, who is missing. The suspected abduction of a baby is considered by Theodore and his deputy, (and son) Klaus as, frankly, a minor incident. When asked by Joanna about what he can do, the Constable has few suggestions and, in any case, he is more interested in his attraction to Ute Koenig than anything else. Ute herself feels, "as if someone or something wicked is playing a game on everyone here." Indeed, the small village is oppressive, isolated and there have been rumours that a wolf has been sighted...

When a young Jewish shopkeeper is said to have visited the Muller's house on the day the baby went missing, he seems a possible suspect. Constable Hildebrandt is not convinced, but then, as Klaus complains, he has, "the luxury of being an outsider." Klaus himself is married and his disgruntled wife is expecting a baby. Theodore is a man who has returned damaged from the trenches to find that things have changed and that modernity is beginning to intrude on the quiet corner of the world he previously called his own; there is a new road being built and a canning factory is being planned. When the ambitous Officer Zelinsky asks Klaus to accompany him on a visit to the Muller's, to pay a courteous visit and smooth feathers that Theodore has ruffled, he asks whether Klaus is for the new world or the old. In many ways, this is what this atmospheric book is about - a time of change, when dangerous ideas - such as the new theory of eugenics and improving the race - are in the air.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, then you will certainly like this novel. It has a real sense of place, an unusual setting and great characters. Theodore Hildebrandt is a man who has returned injured from the war, to find himself distanced from his son, unwanted by his daughter in law and at odds with the changing times. Ute Koenig was a young woman who enjoyed teaching, but is now under attack for wanting to take the jobs of men who fought for their country. The book straddles a time of huge changing attitudes and it is these emerging events which are of as much importance as the crime that Theodore is called to investigate. I thought this a really enjoyable read, recommend it highly and hope we hear much more from this very talented author.

[Dash · Rating 3 out of 5]

The social setting and historical foreshadowing were eerie and effective, the actual plot and crime not so much. Still an interesting read.

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wolf in Hindelheim is Jenny Mayhew's very first novel. I give Jenny full praise as this story must of took a long time to write. It is one those novels that find hard to put down. What I liked about the story is how it has so many twist and turns with wonderfull characters. This is with no question one of the most enjoyable thrilling Historical crime fictions novels that I have read. I found the story built with full tension. The story is set in South-West Germany,October, 1926. In a small German village a baby girl has gone missing from the home of the village doctor.The local police constable Theodore Hildbrandt has to investigate the mystery The baby is found dead and tension rises amongst the villagers and a witch hunt begins for the young man that people are keen to believe he is responsible for the baby girl's murder. A Wolf in Hindelheim is full of tension and is also a unusal love story. I do recommend readers to read A Wolf in Hindelheim if you like reading Historical crime fiction novels. I hope that many readers will enjoy reading this novel as much as I have.

[Janette Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

South-West Germany, 1926. The disappearance of a baby girl calls for Constable Theodore Hildebrandt and his son Klaus to visit the remote village of Hindelheim, a place where nothing ever happens. But the news of the missing baby has brought darkness to the community. It is as if someone or something wicked is playing a game. As the wind blows and the mist thickens, tensions rise amongst the villagers as everyone falls under suspicion. And when the rumours begin and secrets start to unravel, the quiet village of Hindelheim is set to change for ever.

Excellent, atmospheric novel that deals more than competently with a number of complex issues, entwining folklore with modern history.

The claustrophobic village; microcosm of the larger nation and the horror that was to come, put me in mind of the film The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in a small German village in the 1920s, this novel begins with the mysterious death of a baby, and the ensuing investigation. It gets in to the rise of eugenics, and other negative aspects of the early 20th century West. However, I found the storyline hard to follow, and I didn't think the author did a good job developing either the characters or the setting, so it dragged somewhat, and didn't have a clear purpose.

[Xylia Woodward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, atmospheric, and with believable characters. Very revealing about Germany between the two World wars, the modernisation in the form of the new road being built in the old small town communities; and the attitudes and beliefs of the characters is very interesting, leaving you to ponder about who is the real wolf in the title of the book. I don't want to say anymore or reveal too much, it is a great read.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good debut novel - atmospheric, set during an interesting time and hinting at what 1930s Germany was about to become. Less a traditional crime novel than an analysis of a particular time and place. Some of the characters/motivations could have been better developed, but on the whole it was something a bit different and I enjoyed it.

[salelbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler alert


A slow but pleasant read. Leaves rather a lot unsaid at the end, but it doesn't seem to matter. I liked the main protagonist very much.
I would have liked more to have been made of the union between Theodore and Ute, seeing as that was building throughout the story.

[Lynn Steinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evocative descriptions. Left wondering what had inspired the writer to create this story. Worth reading. Engrossing.

[Bigbear Woolliscroft · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange book...a crime story, that isn't a crime story, lots of wrong leads and twists and turns, this should be interesting, and it is captivating, but not in a 'good' way. Throughout reading this book, I was left with a sour taste in my mouth, like milk, that is not yet quite sour. and the problem is why? The story is well written, the pace is good, there is at least one well developed character and from a historical point of view, the research has been done well and the facts are straight, but...it is as if somebody combining all the ingredients and then still gets it wrong. The athmosphere of the book is strange: somewhere between a 1940s Black and White movie about Germany and something that seems more like out of Grimms fairy tales, mixed in a very uncomfortable fashion.
I am in two minds, whether this is intentional by the author or not. One characteristic is the use of plenty of 'stereotyped' characters/back ground figures, is she actually intentionally exaggerating these characteristics or inadvertedly creating a feeling of the bizarre, by combining too many of these into a small story?
Handle with care, I think. People will either think this is brilliant or bizarre, and probably for the same reasons.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised this book had such a low rating Good Reads.
It is such an innovative approach to historical mysteries that it deserves great praise.
Although the story starts with Constable Theo Hildebrandt investigating a missing infant, this is merely the starting point of the saga. The story is very much like peeling the layers of an onion. As you progress in the book, you learn more with each layer and are introduced to a steady stream of new characters.
Set in between the two World Wars, the germs of future Nazi principles such as anti-semitism and eugenics are part of the plot. The author demonstrates how post WWI rural Germans were led to the path towards National Socialism.
I thought all of the characters were so intriguing, especially Theo Hildebrandt, that I hope Mayhew will publish another novel involving many of them.

[R.M.F. Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

1920s Germany. A nation tottering on the verge of bankruptcy, humiliated by defeat in a great war, a divided nation almost torn asunder by the deep political divisions within. Within this background, this setting, people cling to normal life: eating, sleeping, drinking, but old wounds are there, and crime, crime never changes.

Strange incidents bring a police investigation. Old secrets lay buried beneath the surface, and not everything is as it appears. So far so cliche. But this is an honest, old fashioned, by the numbers crime read. And there's nothing wrong with that - a pleasant way to pass a few hours. Has it been done before? Oh yes. Has it been done better? For sure. But it's solid, and does exactly what it says on the tin, and sometimes, that's all you need from a book.

[Lucy]

After many days of trying to read this book, I can't. I stopped at page 143. I picked this book up think it was going to be 'The Book Thief' or 'The disappearance of Katherina Linden' esque. I really did like it up to around chapter six. Then the mystery of the baby was left behind and then the story was more focused on Ute and the Constable's emerging relationship. I got really bored with this book, and I do hope it's just me being in a weird mood. (I payed full price for a hardbacked copy!)

[Wendy Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

1926. A baby is reported missing to the two-man police station at a remote German village. Suspicion is cast on a local storekeeper, a Jewish man who is "different". He is arrested and then escapes, and a manhunt ensues. Then the baby is found dead in a shed at its family's home, but that only raises more suspicion.

This is a story about fear and how rumours develop and spread. It was an interesting read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this - I listened to it as an audio book and enjoyed it enough that I now want to read it as well. the characters are beautifully drawn, the menace and foreboding of Germany in the 1920's is captured exquisitely.

The various threads come together and there is constant tension as the plot builds. woudl certainly recommend it!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Review to come.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, and at points it was wonderful. But overall it was too long and not engaging enough. I'll still read Mayhew's next book though.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing, a bit dull.