Flétrissure

Bodenstein & Kirchhoff #3

by Nele Neuhaus, Jacqueline Chambon (Translator)

Samuel Goldberg, un vieil homme respecté et influent, est assassiné dans sa riche demeure francfortoise. Fait troublant : l'autopsie révèle que Goldberg, un rescapé de la Shoah, présentait sur le bras des traces du Blutgruppentätowierung, le tatouage du groupe sanguin que portaient les membres de la Waffen SS… Bientôt les meurtres se succèdent. Chargés de l'enquête, le très distingué commissaire Oliver von Bodenstein et la très prosaïque Pia Kirchhoff comprennent que les victimes partageaient un terrible secret. Un polar allemand magistral qui regarde l'Histoire en face.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, German Literature, Audiobook, Germany

351 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

... geboren in Münster / Westfalen und aufgewachsen in Paderborn, lebt seit ihrer Kindheit im Taunus und schreibt bereits ebenso lange. Sie arbeitete in einer Werbeagentur, studierte einige Semester Jura, Geschichte und Germanistik, bis sie nach ihrer Heirat ihren Mann im familieneigenen Betrieb unterstützte.

Ihre im Vordertaunus angesiedelte Krimiserie mit den Ermittlern Oliver von Bodenstein und Pia Kirchhoff, die Nele Neuhaus zunächst im Selbstverlag veröffentlichte bevor der Berliner Ullstein-Verlag sie 2008 entdeckte und unter Vertrag nahm, machte sie zu einer der meistgelesenen Krimiautorinnen im deutschsprachigen Raum. Ihre Taunuskrimis erreichten bisher eine Gesamtauflage von einer Million, die Rechte wurden in 20 Länder verkauft, unter anderem nach Italien, Frankreich, Spanien, Holland, Korea, Russland, Brasilien und in die USA.

Ihr Krimi "Schneewittchen muss sterben" gelangte bereits drei Tage nach Erscheinen im Juni 2010 unter die TOP20 der SPIEGEL-Bestsellerliste und steht seitdem auch bei Internetbuchhändler Amazon auf den vordersten Verkaufsrängen. Seit Anfang 2011 stehen alle vier Krimis von Nele Neuhaus unter den TOP50 der SPIEGEL-Bestsellerliste.

Im Frühjahr 2011 erschien im Thienemann-Verlag der erste Band der Jugendbuchreihe "Elena - Ein Leben für Pferde" mit dem Titel "Gegen alle Hindernisse". Band 2 folgte bereits im Juli 2011.

Der fünfte Fall für ihr Ermittlerduo Oliver von Bodenstein und Pia Kirchhoff mit dem Titel "Wer Wind sät" erschien am 13. Mai 2011 und schoss direkt auf Platz 1 der Spiegel-Bestsellerliste. Im September 2011 stehen alle 5 Krimis unter den 15 meistverkauften Taschenbüchern in der Bestsellerliste von Spiegel Online, "Tiefe Wunden" ist in Frankreich erschienen und "Schneewittchen muss sterben" in Holland.

Die Autorin lebt im Vordertaunus.

(Source: www.neleneuhaus.de)

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 Sterne
Dieser dritte Band der Reihe hat es wirklich in sich. Den Buchtitel finde ich sehr gut gewählt, denn hier geht es wirklich um Wunden, die tief gehen und tief in die Vergangenheit zurückgehen...
Es beginnt mit einem Mord an einem 92-jährigen Holocaust-Überlebenden. Weitere Morde folgen, und dann stellt sich heraus, dass nichts so ist, wie es zu sein scheint...
Der ganze Fall ist sehr komplex; wir haben relativ viele handelnde Personen. Es erfordert ein konzentriertes Lesen, um der Handlung gut folgen zu können bzw. um die Verwicklungen nachvollziehen zu können.
Mir hat das Buch sehr gut gefallen. Ich mochte all diese Verwicklungen und die Wendungen, die es gab.

[Ms. Smartarse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in English as The Ice Queen

Several months after the events from Mordsfreunde Pia Kirchoff is happily settled into her relationship with Christoph. I mean... neither of them is particularly thrilled with the Zoo director's upcoming business trip to South Africa, even if it's only for a week. But then, such is "young" love.

Oliver von Bodenstein is busy preparing for his newborn daughter's christening, ready to jump back into parenting mode, as his older children have all but left the nest.

Alas, such an idyllic atmosphere could hardly last, if for no other reason than the series' raison d'être. Enter the late David Goldberg, brutally murdered in his apartment's hallway. Who could possibly want to kill the all-around beloved 92-year-old Holocaust survivor after all these years? Not to mention that the guy wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore?



I was rather curious about this 3rd installment of the series, the first to be translated into English. Would it be controversial? Intriguing? Edge-of-my-seat thrilling? Well... in a manner of speaking. Present-day investigations of Nazi crimes are certainly popular enough in Hollywood movies.

Plus the entire investigation process that leads our two heroes into the deep dark secrets of some incredibly affluent members of the German high society, definitely piqued my interest. Unfortunately at one point the sheer amount of side-characters introduced was so overwhelming, that I started to lose interest in the story. Sure, everything gets explained in the end, but at times I was seriously doubting whether or not I'd manage to keep up with things for long enough to actually get there.



My biggest surprise however, was the romance of two side-characters, with some rather controversial aspects. On the one hand, as an avid fanfiction consumer , there was nothing particularly pearl-clutching in its nature. Yes, I have (and still do) read some very questionable stuff. Heck, I was even grinning like crazy at how daring the author was to mention it.

On the other hand, I suppose that anyone who enjoyed the first two books in the series, would at least raise a shocked eyebrow in reaction... Or maybe not, given the nature of the criminal events uncovered here.

Score: 3.2/5 stars

I quite enjoyed the mystery, and was looking forward to the whole process of finding the culprit as well as their motivation. Kudos for the subject matter: I actually have zero criticism about the author's handling of Nazi crimes. If only her diversion tactics hadn't made things so boring!

Even though the novel didn't impress me too much, I'll probably continue with the series for nostalgia's sake. Bodenstein & Kirchhoff is the first adult German book series I've tried my language skills in, so I kinda want to see how far it gets me.

=====================
Review of book 1: Eine Unbeliebte Frau
Review of book 2: Mordsfreunde
Review of book 4: Schneewittchen muss sterben
Review of book 5: Wer Wind sät
Review of book 6: Böser Wolf

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 out of 5 stars -- This is an excellent German police procedural, and the third book by Neuhaus that I have read. It is also #3 in the series. Unfortunately, because of the order in which the translations have been released in the USA, and also because the release of the series is incomplete, I actually started with Bad Wolf (#6), then read Snow White Must Die (#4), and just now getting this one. REVERSE ORDER. This is quite confusing going backward in time with regard to the growth of the Kirchhoff-Bodenstein partnership and with character development. In addition, the personal lives of the characters, once known from reading out of order, become less important and somewhat annoying as you knew the decisions and choices they were going to make and the outcome. I always enjoy details about the lead detectives and their lives outside of the current major case.

I must credit a friend, Kim M, for the excellent literary detective work she did to identify the titles and order of the series as published in Germany. It's with regret that I realize that I won't likely be able to read them all until translated in whatever order the publisher decrees, and disappointed that I can't read in order as a good series should be read.

So, for interested readers, this is the information needed
Taunus (Oliver von Bodenstein and Pia Kirchhoff) Series

#1 - An Unpopular Woman (pub 2006 as Eine unbeliebte Frau)
#2 - Friends Till Death (pub 2007 as Mordsfreunde)
#3 - The Ice Queen aka Skin Deep (pub 2009 as Tiefe Wunden)
#4 - Snow White Must Die (pub 2010 as Schneewittchen muss sterben)
#5 - Those Who Sow (pub 2011 as Wer Wind sät)
#6 - Bad Wolf (pub 2012 as Böser Wolf)
#7 - The Living & the Dead (pub 2014 as Die Lebenden und die Toten)

With that now clear, I must say that each story is a well-developed and complex investigative novel that could probably stand on its own IF you hadn't already read another, and more importantly, read them at least in order of them being written instead of backwards. From the synopsis provided and without giving away spoilers, this one involves a series of gruesome murders that lead back to the Third Reich and SS officers taking on the identity of dead Jews, greed, and incredible family secrets. There are many characters, lots of red herrings, and a solid conclusion. I did enjoy it. Happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the e-book ARC to review.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This mystery/police procedural starts off with a bang and a very interesting plot; a handful of elderly German aristocrats are being executed with a mysterious number left at each crime scene. Our two heroes, German police detective Pia Kirchoff and her boss, Oliver von Bodenstein, begin investigating and this potentially engaging story – unfortunately – quickly bogs down.

First there are too many characters introduced too quickly with too many back stories. There are unnecessary twists, red herrings and unnecessarily cryptic POV narratives – inside characters' heads – that become frustrating to read. At times it seemed the author was simply and deliberately trying to confuse the reader.

The story also becomes clichéd. The main suspects are portrayed very heavy handedly. Our heroes work for not just one, but two opportunistic, political, adversarial bosses. And just when I thought “well at least no wonky cell phones” on page 304 Detective Kirchoff finds herself in a precarious situation with no coverage/reception. This leads to an over the top finale.

All unfortunate, I liked the two protagonists and the initial premise of the plot – but this is unnecessarily complicated – think Jo Nesbo on steroids. Sometimes simpler is better.

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

İlk iki kitapta olduğu gibi bu kitapta da katil olabilecek çok karakter vardı. Yazarın tarzı bu sanırım. Kurgudaki fazla sayıda karakter, grift olaylar sayesinde heyecan düşmüyor ama bu şekilde de olayların takibi baya zor oldu.
Bu arada kutgu açısından önemli değildi ama komiser Behnke'nin derdi neymiş ögrenemedik. Belki 4.kitapta vardır cevabı 🤔

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nachdem ich im letzten Jahr bereits den achten Band der Nele Neuhaus Krimis um Bodenstein und Kirchhoff gelesen habe, wollte ich mir auch die vorhergehenden Bände anschauen. Zufälligerweise entdeckte ich den dritten Teil auf meinem SuB. Ich hätte zwar lieber ganz von vorne angefangen, aber letztlich sind die Krimis ja doch immer abgeschlossene Bände und nur die persönlichen Beziehungen entwickeln sich weiter.

Im dritten Teil wird der Holocaust Überlebende Goldberg tot in seinem Haus gefunden. Schnell ist klar, dass es sich hierbei um Mord handelt. Doch bei der Obduktion wird festgestellt, dass der Ermordete Tätowierungen aufweist, die eigentlich mehr nach SS als nach Holocaust Opfer aussehen. Wer war Goldberg wirklich? Hat er vielleicht seine gesamte Identität vorgetäuscht? Kurz danach passieren zwei weitere Morde, die dem ersten sehr ähneln. Was also haben die Opfer gemeinsam? Bodenstein und Kirchhoff wühlen weit in der Vergangenheit der Ermordeten und stoßen auf ein großes Geheimnis…

Der Erzählstil von Nele Neuhaus ist wie gewohnt sehr ruhig und wenig temporeich. Die Geschichte wird langsam aufgebaut und wir lernen die Charaktere in Ruhe kennen. In diesem Buch ging dies ein wenig schnell voran als im Band ‚Im Wald‘. Dadurch kam ich den Personen jedoch emotional nicht ganz so nah. Lediglich bei einzelnen Personen war ich letztlich sehr ergriffen über ihr Schicksal.

Typisch für einen Kriminalroman begleiten wir vor allem die Ermittler. Ansatzweise kommen wir den Taten des Mörders etwas näher, jedoch haben wir keine Gelegenheit ihn wirklich bei seinen Taten zu begleiten. Ich muss ja sagen, dass ich Thriller immer ein wenig spannender finde, da hier mehr mit den Perspektiven gespielt wird.

„Tiefe Wunden“ konnte mich letztlich nicht ganz überzeugen. Wer jedoch gerne Krimis liest, die langsam aufgebaut werden und eine interessante, verstrickte Hintergrundstory hat, der könnte mit diesem Buch glücklich werden.

[Deb Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ice Queen is the author's third in her Bodenstein and Kirchoff series, but the first of that series that has been translated from its original German into English. What a stellar introduction to this series for the reader.

Set in contemporary Germany, Bodenstein and Kirchoff are detectives in the Kripo, the criminal division of the police. An elderly man is killed assassination-style in the foyer of his home with a cryptic five-digit numeral left written in his blood on the mirror there. The autopsy of the man reveals a surprising fact -- and from this point forward, Bodenstein and his team are lead a twisted and disastrous path in their investigations.

A magnificently told story with a plot so twisted I wonder how the author kept it all straight in her own head as she wrote it. Character-driven with increasing tension and suspense right to the last pages.

I'll be reading the other titles translated into English in the near future.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very,very good.

[Krysia o książkach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trup ściele się gęsto, intryga sięga czasów II wojny światowej.
Pierwsza część mocno trzyma w napięciu, jest niesamowicie ciekawa i intrygująca. W momencie kiedy okazuje się, jakie jest rozwiązanie straciłam lekko zapał, bo nie lubię tego typu zabiegów.

Intryga jest niezwykle zagmatwana i wielowątkowa, akcja rozgrywa się Prusach Wschodnich (przeszłość), obecnie w okolicach Frankfurtu, a nawet jest obecny wątek polski, inspektorzy jadą na Mazury by odkryć pewne tajemnice.

Serie uważam za bardzo udaną, autorka bawi się czytelnikiem podsuwając mu fałszywe tropy, pozwala by przewidywał różne scenariusze, a potem całkowicie odwraca układ kart. To jest bardzo ciekawy i inteligentny zabieg.

P.S. Sytuacja z Bodensteinem jest absurdalna - i jego żona wybaczyła mu tak łatwo???

[Donaam · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5/5⭐️

Za dużo bohaterów, za dużo wątków, za dużo skakania od jednego do drugiego tematu. Mozolna akcja. Dla mnie to powieść obyczajowa z wątkiem kryminalnym w tle. Myślę, że póki co dam sobie spokój z tą serią.

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third translated novel from this writer which I have read. It is complex and intricately plotted. It begins with the murder of an elderly jewish man known as David Goldberg. Just as the case is shut after political interference, Pia and Oliver learn from an autopsy that the man was a Nazi and member of the SS.

So begins an investigation that leads to the second world war and Germany’s dark past of Nazism. Two other elderly victims, with nazi history, are killed in a similar way. The Kaltensee family loom large with connections to the deaths. Other bodies turn up and have connections to the case. Thomas Ritter’s attempts to write a biography of Vera Kaltensee arouse ruthless forces that will stop at nothing to prevent this. Hardly anyone is who they seem as the investigation progresses and both Pia and Oliver face danger as they endeavour to get to a witness who holds the key to the truth. In the finale it becomes clear exactly who is the ice queen and just how brutal and ruthless she is. With a gripping, suspense driven narrative, this book is a compelling read.

[Judith van Wijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goed verhaal weer. Vrij complexe familierelaties. Fijne stem, maar soms wel wat slordig voorgelezen. Of slecht vertaald dat kan natuurlijk ook. Op naar het volgende deel.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was my third or fourth book by this German author. I love this series. Its not as fast paced as some of the stuff I read but if you like a slow burn mystery and a story driven by a complex plot and characters you can really get to know these books could be for you. This story happens in the present but has its roots in Nazi Germany. It was really, really good.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I know what you are going to say... "But Martina, why in the world are you torturing yourself like this?". And after the previous experience with a Neuhaus book, you would be totally entitled to ask that. But the answer is simple: I'm an uncontrollable optimist. I hoped that Neuhaus' debut was a fluke, and that she had developed as an author in the interim, so my generosity decided to give her another shot. Yes, I am optimistic like that.

So, you all may ask, "Has your optimism been rewarded? Has your gamble paid off?"

Partially, mes enfants, partially. While Deep wounds has more strong points than An unloved woman, in retrospect, I still wasn't as overwhelmed as I am after finishing novels by certain other authors. But let's talk about the positives first. The novel has an interesting idea behind it - unfortunate events linked to WW2 always tend to have an allure about them, as horrible that may sound. The mystery - or mysteries - are well-thought about, and I appreciate the effort Neuhaus has put into crafting them. The book is quite fast paced, with bodies coming in thick and fast. It was also nice that the book actually kept me interested in reading and getting to the bottom of the abovementioned mysteries. Another pleasant surprise are the main characters, our detective duo Oliver von Bodenstein and Pia Kirchoff.
They are not quite the cardboard cutouts they were in the first book - they were actually permitted to have some personality! Since there is noticeably less telling going on, they felt more believable than they did in the volume I had previously read. The personal lives of the protagonists didn't hog too much screentime, which is an added bonus. Although I found the twist in Oliver's family life funny - I didn't expect him to become a father for the third time.

Despite all those positives, there still are some things I didn't quite enjoy. Even though there was considerably less telling, that problem was not completely eradicated. It was masked by the plot to a degree; i.e, I, as the fast reader that I am, went through the pages like a hurricane just to get to the resolution, so the telling sequences didn't grate as much. But they were still there. Also, although I liked the story on the whole, some things were just... eh, resemblant of a Mexican soap opera. Illegitimate brothers turning out to be biological children, grandmothers turning out to be aunts, that kind of stuff. I was just waiting for a proclamation similar to a "letter" that was floating around ages ago to occur. For those who don't know, I'm talking about that "I'm my own grandfather" stunt, link here. For those who don't know Croatian, Ray explains it eloquently in this song. Although I got something even better than that: an incestuous, homosexual relationship! That's really the cherry on the cake, and a totally unexpected one, to boot. I can't recall a single book I've read that had a relationship that was both incestuous and homosexual. It's an either-or, I guess.. I didn't mind that development, unexpected or not, but the fact that one has to make a completely new genogram at the end of a book is a bit... weird.

All in all, I grant this book 3 stars, because of the obvious improvement over the previous book and the fact that it's an overall decent read.

[Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ice Queen by Nele Neuhaus is a prequel to the series following the exploits of the investigative team of Pia Kircshoff and Oliver von Bodenstein of the German Criminal Police. Though translated into English from its original German, Neuhaus delivers big on pace and prose, never skipping a beat as she builds tension and compounds the mystery around the murders of group of old friends.

Jossi Goldberg is a 92 year old Holocaust survivor and American citizen who returned to his native Germany to live out his remaining years. He is found by his maid shot dead, execution style with a five digit number scrawled in his spreading blood. Among his friends he counts a very prominent German family with powerful ties to the Jewish community. When another friend of the family ends up dead, another man in his later years, with the same five digit number written in his blood; the Chief Investigator Oliver von Bodenstein and his second, Pia Kircshoff realize that someone must be hunting the friends of the prominent Jewish family. The Kaltensees, whose matriarch is Vera Kaltensee. What is even more disturbing, is during the autopsy, a tatoo is found on the body of Jossi Goldberg. A blood type marker that was once used by Hitler's SS to initiate it's members. The mystery deepens. How could a Jewish Holocaust survivor bare the blood type marker of a member of Hitler's SS? Von Bodenstein and Kircshoff must navigate the past of their country, it's darkest period, and the politics of the current Government that would keep this past as buried as possible. Then the secrets of a prominent family and it's associates. If Jossi Goldberg was not Jewish? Then who was he? And who is the other dead man? And even more, who are the Kaltensees? And who is murdering them?

Nele Neuhaus is a bestselling author in her native country of Germany and has just recently released some of her mystery crime novels in English. Unfortunately they are not coming out in any particular order. The Ice Queen is a prequel to the novel Snow White Must Die even though Snow White was released first. So this may be confusing for some readers who have already read Snow White. By the way, grab that book it was freakin' awesome.

This isn't a problem since the books stand well on their own, it is only the private lives of the Investigators that is out of the timeline.

The Ice Queen is ingenious and intricately crafted. The concept of a vengeance seeking serial killer tearing open the secrets and past of a prominent and powerful industrial family is as frightening in any country. The victims, all over the age of eighty, brutally murdered are hard to feel sorry for as their secrets and past are laid bare. Soon you begin to realize that the true mystery of the Ice Queen is not in the murders but in the past that they conceal. I cannot say too much more without giving too much of the novel away and I don't want to do that.

Alot of the novel also centers around the characters and their lives. Neuhaus has developed these characters so well. You will be as much a part of their lives as they go through their day to day challenges as you will with the murders and crimes.

Nele Neuhaus is not a new author. She is just new to us in the states. Much like Camilla Lackberg. Do yourself a favor. Open your horizon and enjoy these brilliant and awesome authors.

A terrific novel!

[Ray Palen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The latest novel by the best-selling author of SNOW WHITE MUST DIE, German writer Nele Neuhaus, starts off with a bang and an exciting premise. Regrettably, it gets bogged down along the way with too many characters and plot-lines and the tension abates dramatically in place of soap opera-like events.

At the opening of THE ICE QUEEN we are met with an elderly man, recently having moved back to his home country of Germany after decades in the United States, who is soon brutally murdered in his own home. Ninety-two-year-old Jossi Goldberg was a Holocaust survivor. How ironic that he should escape that horror only to meet his end in such terrible fashion.

Detectives Pia Kirchoff and her boss, Oliver Bodenstein, are on the case and they uncover some remarkable things at the crime scene. First off, nothing was taken and there is no evidence of forced entry. There is also the series of numbers scrawled in blood on the floor near the body. When additional bodies turn up, all featuring the same gruesome message written in blood, Pia and Oliver realize the murders are all related.

What their investigation turns up is something decidedly unexpected. When the son of the first victim arrives with a caravan of lawyers to whisk away his father's body there is suspicion that they are seeking to hide something. Imagine that the victims were not all Holocaust survivors but actually members of the Nazi regime --- possibly even members of the SS?!?!

This plot twist is indeed an interesting one and plays into the moral and social conscience of the entire country of Germany still seeking to escape from the atrocities committed during WWII. When it appears that a rich and powerful German socialite may be behind the murders, the so-called Ice Queen of the novel's title, all focus of the investigation shift to her and her family and how they all interconnect with the victims.

It is at this point where the novel runs slightly off the rails as so many new characters and plot-lines are introduced you will need a scorecard to keep everything straight. This diminishes the intensity that the opening of the novel promised and was a disappointment. Thankfully, Neuhaus begins to bring it back around in the latter part of the story and is able to throw a few surprises in as well.

Overall, a unique plot and interesting idea for a thriller that falls just shy of being a great novel. The interaction between Pia and Oliver is believable and well-drawn and this is enough to keep the reader interested even when the mystery elements get a bit muddled.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader

[Olivermagnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ice Queen is the third mystery novel by Nele Neuhaus featuring detectives Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver Bodenstein. As the book opens, an old Jewish man and holocaust survivor, has been found murdered execution style with the number “11645” written in the victim’s blood. During his autopsy they discover that his body has a tattoo marking him as a member of the Nazis SS. Shortly after the first murder, two more elderly people are killed in a similar way. As Pia Kirchoff and Oliver von Bodenstein of the Kripo hunt for the perpetrator of this crime, as well as the true identity of the victim, clues that suggest that each of these victims is not actually a survivor but a perpetrator of Nazi war crimes. The only other connection is their lifelong friendship with Vera Kaltensee, the head of a rich and well-respected local family.

The Ice Queen has some great twists that will keep readers guessing who the murderer is until the very end. Oliver and Pia make a great team and their camaraderie and friendship give them emotional depth that will intrigue the reader. The author does a great job describing the German setting. I felt like there were too many characters and as a result I found myself confused in some places and had to go back and reread a section. The plot was difficult to follow in some cases but I was interested enough in what was happening to keep reading. I definitely plan on continuing the series.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

A pretty good story which is unfortunately rendered almost unreadable by an inept translation into American (I think!) English.

Almost always a bad idea to attempt to translate slang, but with a skilled translator and a solid plot rationale (i.e. place/time) for doing so, it can work - unfortunately neither exist here.

For example, in one scene we have an youngish middle aged, very upper class German guy, who's lived in Germany all his life, referring to going to jail as being in "the joint". No one talks like this in American English anymore, so at first I thought OK, just a guy being ironic here. But apparently not, as this clumsy dissonance and outdated, awkward phrasing continues throughout the book. It doesn't make any sense. Are the characters supposed to sound American? If so, why? They're NOT American, they're German, in Germany, so it only succeeds in ruining the sense of place, and makes the characters unbelievable and annoying at the same time, which eventually makes for such painful reading that I just gave up.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d like to find the first two in this series. It would probably help me understand a little better the character development. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters that weren’t the police. Everyone was a suspect or even just classified in my books as spineless and cowardly or massively subservient. The detectives had a great relationship and were the shining part of this tale.

[Fantastiškų KŽL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Labai nesikabinėjant visai patiko.


https://knyguziurkes.wordpress.com/20...

[Gandalf z Łodzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kurczę, to najsłabsza część z serii, którą bardzo lubię :/

[Klaudia_p · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moje pierwsze spotkanie z kryminałami Nele Neuhaus i od razu wielkie fiasko! Męczyłam się okrutnie. Absurd goni absurd! Niestety, w kryminale bardzo łatwo przeszarżować. Bardzo możliwe, że sięgnę po "Śnieżka musi umrzeć", bo ponoć dobra. Z polecenia, to może rzeczywiście.

[kabelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

moja tretia kniha od tejto autorky a jednoznačne najlepšia! keď si myslíš, že vieš čo sa stane, stane sa presný opak. zakaždým bolo dosť ťažké pustiť ju z rúk a odporúčam všetkými desiatimi pre fanúšikov krimináliek.

[maries.buchwelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne
puhhhhh das war zwischenzeitlich nur noch verwirrend und ich bin am Ende immer noch nicht ganz durchgestiegen wer mit wem verwandt ist und zu tun hatte. Ansonsten muss ich sagen war es durchgehend spannend und ich wäre absolut nicht drauf gekommen, wie sich das ganze entwickelt hat

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listed this as a thriller but that sort of hedges the category.

This is the third book I've read in this series. While I like them in general they have some facets I'm not fond of. For one thing the book is so full of personal angst and emotion.

Do any of you remember the first seasons of the TV show Law and Order? When it started it was a police procedural. A crime is committed and we followed the events from investigation to arrest to trial. (Later the show became nothing more than a political platform and it died). I liked the original series. So here I'd like to have followed the "mystery" without all the heart ache and angst.

Also the story here is a very convoluted one and spins out into many different threads. By the time we get to the denouement you realize that you were never given enough information to actually come up with the complete answer (though you probably got the bones).

I think the book was about a third too long for the story it was telling...that is unless you came to it for the continuing soap opera that is the story of our police personal. Then you'll enjoy the parts that bored me.

To each I guess. Enjoy.

[Morana Mazor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odličan krimić, čista petica!! Osim Snjeguljica mora umrijeti, od Nele Neuhaus čitala sam još i Prijatelji do groba, ali Duboke rane su mi definitivno najbolje. Odličan način pripovijedanja, izvrstan zaplet i onda VAU rasplet.. Baš sam uživala čitajući, a zaista volim ovaj žanr, pa sve rjeđe naiđem na ovako dobru priču.
Radnja se vrti oko obiteljskih tajni i umorstava starijih ljudi za koje se ispostavi da imaju zajedničku prošlost u doba vladavine A. Hitlera. I onda uhodani tim Kirchoff & Bodenstein kreće u istragu.. :)

[Ken Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the way that Nele Neuhaus had all the people do the obvious. Brodenstein make love to a woman not his wife when unknowing he was given the drug Ecstasy. Pia having her friend fall in love with her ex-husband. These were really side stories to the main case. It was a who-done-it from the word go.

[Bayneeta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters, too many characters pretending to be someone they weren't, too many people out for revenge, too complicated. And I still was gonna give this three stars, but I'm knocking one off for the unnecessary disembowling of a victim and the removal of their eyes. Not described in graphic, gory detail, but, never-the-less, unnecessary, in my opinion.

[alice Tileston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't stay focused on the story. not sure if it was because the narrator voice lulled me or if it was the story. maybe I will try trading instead of listening to it next time...

[Hpnyknits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5. This was an audiobook. The narrator was good. There were too many characters and too many side tracks, and too many convenient coincidences, but overall a good mystery.