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Wenn das Herz im Kopf schlägt
Der alte Gietmann ist tot. Sie finden seine Leiche grausam zugerichtet auf einem Feldweg inmitten der endlosen Felder des Niederrheins. Noch am gleichen Tag erscheint in der örtlichen Tageszeitung seine Todesanzeige. »Begrenzt ist das Leben, doch unendlich die Erinnerung.« Peter Böhm und seine Kollegen von der Kripo Kleve stoßen bei ihren Nachforschungen überall im Dorf auf Schweigen. Als drei Tage später eine weitere Männerleiche gefunden wird, macht sich unter den Bewohnern des Ortes Angst breit.
237 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
13 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Mechtild Borrmann
19 books48 followersMechtild Borrmann (born 1960 in Cologne) is a German author of crime novels. She now lives in Bielefeld.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 15, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and AmazonCrossing for an advance copy of To Clear The Air, a police procedural set in Cleves, Germany.
An elderly farmer is found dead in a field. Although his wrists are slit it is fairly obvious he has been murdered and left to die slowly. Chief of detectives Peter Böhm and his team aren't sure what to make of it until they find an announcement of his death in the local paper on the same day which hints that the reason for his death may lie buried in the past. This is more or less confirmed when the first victim's friend is also murdered. A trawl through the region's old crimes brings them to the 30 year old Behrens case where Johan killed his wife, Magdalena, in a drunken rage. Or did he? He committed suicide in his cell so the police closed the case.
To Clear The Air is a short read of 225 pages but it packs a punch. It takes a while to get going as there is a fair amount of scene setting, concentrating on the mentally fragile Anna Behrens, daughter of Johan and Magdalena, and the implications of her inheritance from her grandmother. It would seem that some of the land is zoned for housing and worth a fortune, especially to the two murder victims. Once the police get involved it is the straightforward hunt for a killer but, of course, being fiction nothing is clear cut. Böhm is convinced the answer lies in the past but the villagers refuse to talk about the Behrens case and in some instances lie outright. I found Böhm's doggedness and patience realistic as is his despair at not moving fast enough when the second victim is found 3 days after the first.
The premise of past actions causing new crimes is not new or original but Ms Borrmann puts her own spin on it and by the end you can't help feeling that the victims deserved all they got and pitying the perpetrator who suffered as a result of their actions. Murder may be a bit extreme as a revenge but it's fiction so it seems acceptable in this context.
I also liked the sympathetic way Ms Borrmann dealt with Anna's mental health problems which all stem from the murder of her mother. I also liked the final irony in this regard but can't say any more without spoilers.
Peter Böhm is in many ways the stereotypical policeman, too wrapped up in his job to make real time for his family. It is only when a family crisis looms that he sees the need to re-prioritise. I think that characterisation is the only part of the novel which suffers in its shortness. I found it difficult to get a fix on the characters or identify with them as they are a touch underdeveloped.
I thoroughly enjoyed To Clear The Air with its absorbing plot and foreign perspective. I would have preferred an English rather than American translation as that seems more appropriate to the European setting but it's not overly intrusive. I have no hesitation, therefore, in recommending it as a good read.
An elderly farmer is found dead in a field. Although his wrists are slit it is fairly obvious he has been murdered and left to die slowly. Chief of detectives Peter Böhm and his team aren't sure what to make of it until they find an announcement of his death in the local paper on the same day which hints that the reason for his death may lie buried in the past. This is more or less confirmed when the first victim's friend is also murdered. A trawl through the region's old crimes brings them to the 30 year old Behrens case where Johan killed his wife, Magdalena, in a drunken rage. Or did he? He committed suicide in his cell so the police closed the case.
To Clear The Air is a short read of 225 pages but it packs a punch. It takes a while to get going as there is a fair amount of scene setting, concentrating on the mentally fragile Anna Behrens, daughter of Johan and Magdalena, and the implications of her inheritance from her grandmother. It would seem that some of the land is zoned for housing and worth a fortune, especially to the two murder victims. Once the police get involved it is the straightforward hunt for a killer but, of course, being fiction nothing is clear cut. Böhm is convinced the answer lies in the past but the villagers refuse to talk about the Behrens case and in some instances lie outright. I found Böhm's doggedness and patience realistic as is his despair at not moving fast enough when the second victim is found 3 days after the first.
The premise of past actions causing new crimes is not new or original but Ms Borrmann puts her own spin on it and by the end you can't help feeling that the victims deserved all they got and pitying the perpetrator who suffered as a result of their actions. Murder may be a bit extreme as a revenge but it's fiction so it seems acceptable in this context.
I also liked the sympathetic way Ms Borrmann dealt with Anna's mental health problems which all stem from the murder of her mother. I also liked the final irony in this regard but can't say any more without spoilers.
Peter Böhm is in many ways the stereotypical policeman, too wrapped up in his job to make real time for his family. It is only when a family crisis looms that he sees the need to re-prioritise. I think that characterisation is the only part of the novel which suffers in its shortness. I found it difficult to get a fix on the characters or identify with them as they are a touch underdeveloped.
I thoroughly enjoyed To Clear The Air with its absorbing plot and foreign perspective. I would have preferred an English rather than American translation as that seems more appropriate to the European setting but it's not overly intrusive. I have no hesitation, therefore, in recommending it as a good read.
July 5, 2019
Rating: 2.5/5.0
A murder happens, people of a small German village of Merklen fear that there is a killer among them.
Inspector Peter Böhm who has his own problems is given the task to unfold this mystery. What I liked about the book was that it has small chapters which gives you the feel that you are going to finish the book faster. However, although the book started on a very good note I felt things slowed down drastically for a mystery/thriller book. Many times I lost my attention while reading an day dreamed. I don't think it was my state of mind thing because I am reading multiple books at a time and this did not happen with the other books I have read. It was hard for me to relate to the characters or feel their insceurities and vulnerabilities. I expected more from this book.
Note: I won this book by participating in a giveaway.
A murder happens, people of a small German village of Merklen fear that there is a killer among them.
Inspector Peter Böhm who has his own problems is given the task to unfold this mystery. What I liked about the book was that it has small chapters which gives you the feel that you are going to finish the book faster. However, although the book started on a very good note I felt things slowed down drastically for a mystery/thriller book. Many times I lost my attention while reading an day dreamed. I don't think it was my state of mind thing because I am reading multiple books at a time and this did not happen with the other books I have read. It was hard for me to relate to the characters or feel their insceurities and vulnerabilities. I expected more from this book.
Note: I won this book by participating in a giveaway.
February 12, 2017
Overall, not a bad read. I was eventually able to follow the jumps between characters and figure out which one the story was being told through. The personal problem with Bohm and his wife was a little unnecessary. It wasn't needed to make Bohm "real". The identity of the murderer was not too shocking in the end, when the history between the murder victims was revealed. That history was slow to come and I think that added to my initial confusion. I can understand the reasoning for waiting on revealing what happened in the past, helping conclude the novel.
November 19, 2016
Anna Behrens' life is finally coming together when she finds out her grandmother left her a cottage and some land in her will. This plunges her back into her nightmarish childhood when her father was imprisoned for murdering her mother and shortly thereafter hung himself in his cell.
When an elderly farmer is found murdered in Anna's childhood village, Peter Bohm and his team of 2 detectives are consistently being shut out by the villagers, who won't answer questions and are quite hostile. When a second man is murdered it slowly dawns on the team the past has a lot to do with the murders; Anna's mother may have been murdered 30 years ago, but there are secrets being kept, even now, that are crucial to this case.
Peter and the team are very likeable and the way in which Anna's psychological condition is portrayed felt very sensitive and respectful to me.
The translation is excellent, the ending a total surprise (I did not see that coming!) and I'm definitely going to read Silence, the 1st of Ms. Borrmann's translated (and award-winning) books.
Thank you, Netgalley, Amazon Crossing and Mechtild Borrman for the ARC.
When an elderly farmer is found murdered in Anna's childhood village, Peter Bohm and his team of 2 detectives are consistently being shut out by the villagers, who won't answer questions and are quite hostile. When a second man is murdered it slowly dawns on the team the past has a lot to do with the murders; Anna's mother may have been murdered 30 years ago, but there are secrets being kept, even now, that are crucial to this case.
Peter and the team are very likeable and the way in which Anna's psychological condition is portrayed felt very sensitive and respectful to me.
The translation is excellent, the ending a total surprise (I did not see that coming!) and I'm definitely going to read Silence, the 1st of Ms. Borrmann's translated (and award-winning) books.
Thank you, Netgalley, Amazon Crossing and Mechtild Borrman for the ARC.
December 9, 2016
3.5 stars To Clear the Air
First an old man from the small German village of Merklen is murdered, then another. Clearly there is a connection to a decades old crime, but no one in the small village is much inclined to talk about it. Inspector Peter Bohm needs to prevent another murder, but in order to do so, he needs information that the villagers are reluctant to provide. Someone is seeking revenge...or justice.
To complicate matters, Peter's marriage is unsettled. His wife left town to attend a conference, then decides to stay away to give some thought to her situation.
To Clear the Air was Borrman's debut novel, and she has written two more, but I don't know how many have been translated.
"She [Borrmann] has been a full-time writer since 2001, and To Clear the Air was her first novel. Silence, her third, won the Deutscher Krimi Preis in 2012 for best crime novel and was nominated for the Friedrich Glauser Prize."
Read in November
NetGalley/Amazon Crossing
Crime/Police Procedural. Jan. 24, 2017. Print length: 242 pages.
First an old man from the small German village of Merklen is murdered, then another. Clearly there is a connection to a decades old crime, but no one in the small village is much inclined to talk about it. Inspector Peter Bohm needs to prevent another murder, but in order to do so, he needs information that the villagers are reluctant to provide. Someone is seeking revenge...or justice.
To complicate matters, Peter's marriage is unsettled. His wife left town to attend a conference, then decides to stay away to give some thought to her situation.
To Clear the Air was Borrman's debut novel, and she has written two more, but I don't know how many have been translated.
"She [Borrmann] has been a full-time writer since 2001, and To Clear the Air was her first novel. Silence, her third, won the Deutscher Krimi Preis in 2012 for best crime novel and was nominated for the Friedrich Glauser Prize."
Read in November
NetGalley/Amazon Crossing
Crime/Police Procedural. Jan. 24, 2017. Print length: 242 pages.
February 10, 2017
I think you can see that this was Borrmann's first novel, as it does feel a little bit clunky in places, although this tale of domestic violence and revenge in a closed community does feel quite sinister and sad. I liked Bohm and his investigative team, and the parallels with his own marital fears. The claustrophobic nature of village life were also well described, but it didn't quite stand out for me.
February 13, 2017
"Sometimes justice is also an injustice"
says homicide inspector Peter Bohm when the case is concluded.
Someone is murdering old timers in a small town in Germany in a brutal fashion and Peter Bohm, reeling from the loss of a son and a shaky marriage, discovers that small towns hide the biggest secrets and these new deaths are linked to the death of a woman three decades ago.
I won a Kindle copy of To Clear the Air from a Goodreads Giveaway. It was a fast, quick read, the writing not terrible but some poor editing that might be due to the fact that it was translated. There were many stereotypical cliches you find in most stories involving a small town hiding secrets (secrets secrets and more secrets!) but I especially enjoy tales of revenge and this one kept me reading based on that fact alone.
Thirty years ago, there lived an abusive husband and a tormented wife who locals turned a blind eye to. The daughter of that couple was left traumatized and remains deeply depressed and mentally anguished. There were jealous, brutal men who did something terrible, inadvertently causing a death while committing multiple felonies at the same time. Townspeople keeping mum on who did what and to whom. The evildoers being picked off one by one by a remorseless killer who leaves cryptic notes and death announcements in the newspaper right after the murder occurs.
When Bohm uncovers the dirty truth and the vengeful killer is unmasked, he realizes that sometimes justice does not right the wrongs of the past.
There was not much character development so I could not say I liked or disliked Bohm. He was competent enough, as was the rest of his team and task force. The townspeople were typical close minded locals with more cowardice than brains. To say I rooted for the killer would not be an understatement and that the only person I felt empathy for was for the avenger.
Overall, not a bad read. This is my first book by Ms. Borrmann and I would read more of her work in the future.
Someone is murdering old timers in a small town in Germany in a brutal fashion and Peter Bohm, reeling from the loss of a son and a shaky marriage, discovers that small towns hide the biggest secrets and these new deaths are linked to the death of a woman three decades ago.
I won a Kindle copy of To Clear the Air from a Goodreads Giveaway. It was a fast, quick read, the writing not terrible but some poor editing that might be due to the fact that it was translated. There were many stereotypical cliches you find in most stories involving a small town hiding secrets (secrets secrets and more secrets!) but I especially enjoy tales of revenge and this one kept me reading based on that fact alone.
Thirty years ago, there lived an abusive husband and a tormented wife who locals turned a blind eye to. The daughter of that couple was left traumatized and remains deeply depressed and mentally anguished. There were jealous, brutal men who did something terrible, inadvertently causing a death while committing multiple felonies at the same time. Townspeople keeping mum on who did what and to whom. The evildoers being picked off one by one by a remorseless killer who leaves cryptic notes and death announcements in the newspaper right after the murder occurs.
When Bohm uncovers the dirty truth and the vengeful killer is unmasked, he realizes that sometimes justice does not right the wrongs of the past.
There was not much character development so I could not say I liked or disliked Bohm. He was competent enough, as was the rest of his team and task force. The townspeople were typical close minded locals with more cowardice than brains. To say I rooted for the killer would not be an understatement and that the only person I felt empathy for was for the avenger.
Overall, not a bad read. This is my first book by Ms. Borrmann and I would read more of her work in the future.
December 14, 2016
A good one in its genre, but you can see that this is Borrmann's first book,because the plot is not as intricately developed as it could have been. The setting and characters are authentic and the translator did an excellent job. I think I would like to read "Silence", her other novel, which has received awards and see if that one has a little more bite to it. A good quick read.
March 1, 2018
Spannendes Buch, gut geschrieben, logisch aufgebaut, ich konnte es nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.
Sterneabzug gab es, weil komplett unnötig plötzlich Krebs auftaucht.
Sterneabzug gab es, weil komplett unnötig plötzlich Krebs auftaucht.
June 19, 2017
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads' First Reads program. Interesting mystery set in a small town along the German/Dutch border, where a serial killer is taking vengeance for an old crime. The story is told by a varied cast of characters, and has a few twists and turns. The revelation of the murderer was unexpected. All in all, a good read, as these kinds of stories go.
September 16, 2017
Small town murders
This a murder mystery which takes place in a small town in Germany.. A middle age police detective and his team strive to find the person who murdered three men in a short time. Their investigation is impeded by the locals who are suspicious of outsiders. Each holds part of a 30 year old secret. No one is willing to talk.
This a murder mystery which takes place in a small town in Germany.. A middle age police detective and his team strive to find the person who murdered three men in a short time. Their investigation is impeded by the locals who are suspicious of outsiders. Each holds part of a 30 year old secret. No one is willing to talk.
October 10, 2017
German thriller
Really enjoyed the premise of the story, however I felt that a deeper insight into the three detectives lives and personalities would enhance the story. A well translated story.
Really enjoyed the premise of the story, however I felt that a deeper insight into the three detectives lives and personalities would enhance the story. A well translated story.
July 3, 2018
Very interesting
I did find this a little hard to get into and only read a few chapters at a time when I normally plough on until I'm finished but I did enjoy it and would recommend to others who like deep mysteries.
I did find this a little hard to get into and only read a few chapters at a time when I normally plough on until I'm finished but I did enjoy it and would recommend to others who like deep mysteries.
May 2, 2024
Ich fand es sehr schwer ins Buch zu finden, Handlung, Handlungssprünge und Figuren bis zum Schluss eher verwirrend als spannend und die Auflösung eher so ooookayyy... Hätte mir nach den bisherigen Titeln, die ich bisher von der Autorin gelesen habe, wesentlich mehr erwartet.
November 24, 2020
The present tense and dreamy feel of the prose could get a little wearisome at times, but the mystery was gripping and the characters held my attention.
March 20, 2025
🎧
Wieder sehr spannend und toll geschrieben. Einzig der Einstig in das Buch ist mir ein wenig schwer gefallen. Durch die vielen Perspektivwechsel muss man schon recht genau hinhören.
Wieder sehr spannend und toll geschrieben. Einzig der Einstig in das Buch ist mir ein wenig schwer gefallen. Durch die vielen Perspektivwechsel muss man schon recht genau hinhören.
March 16, 2017
I received To Clear the Air by Mechtild Borrmann in a giveaway sponsored by the publisher. Review is unbiased.
Being the first book I read by this author, I was not sure what to expect. My favorite parts were the scenes with the police force especially the details of Steeg's personality. Like other reviewers, I did not think that the issues with Brohms and his wife added anything to the book. Although the idea of the plot was good, I found the format of the storytelling at times hard to follow. The flipping from character to character without clearly identifying who was being discussed took away from the flow of the book. I found the parts with Ruth's being so concerned about how much coffee she was going to sell rather annoying. I also had a hard time envisioning the village for some reason. This was a solid debut. I would be interested to see how she has progressed as a writer so I might read Silence. 3 stars
Being the first book I read by this author, I was not sure what to expect. My favorite parts were the scenes with the police force especially the details of Steeg's personality. Like other reviewers, I did not think that the issues with Brohms and his wife added anything to the book. Although the idea of the plot was good, I found the format of the storytelling at times hard to follow. The flipping from character to character without clearly identifying who was being discussed took away from the flow of the book. I found the parts with Ruth's being so concerned about how much coffee she was going to sell rather annoying. I also had a hard time envisioning the village for some reason. This was a solid debut. I would be interested to see how she has progressed as a writer so I might read Silence. 3 stars
March 11, 2017
I enjoyed this book. It was a little slow for my taste initially, but once it picked up speed, I couldn't put it down. The side story about the detective's wife and kid felt like a last minute addition that didn't get fleshed out enough. The time spent on that could have been used to maybe add a bit more detail to the main story.
The only thing that really bothered me though, was not knowing how to pronounce some of the names! I found myself reading along and filling in the more difficult names with a blank space, in my minds eye that is, or tripping over it the way you would when attempting to read it aloud.
I was definitely surprised by the outcome. I'm generally pretty good at figuring out the "who dunnit" stuff early on in the story, but it wasn't until right towards the end when I figured it out.
I will definitely look out for her other books and future books!
The only thing that really bothered me though, was not knowing how to pronounce some of the names! I found myself reading along and filling in the more difficult names with a blank space, in my minds eye that is, or tripping over it the way you would when attempting to read it aloud.
I was definitely surprised by the outcome. I'm generally pretty good at figuring out the "who dunnit" stuff early on in the story, but it wasn't until right towards the end when I figured it out.
I will definitely look out for her other books and future books!
January 5, 2017
4 Stars
This is the first book I've read by this author. I was very impressed.
We start our story with the discovery of a body on the side of the road. The man’s hands are tied behind his back and he has died slowly of blood loss. A death notice appeared in the paper – the day before the man died.
Detective Bohm and his team carried out a patient and exhaustive search for the killer. When more murders are committed, Bohm and his team are pressured. They come up with the theory that the murders are related to another murder thirty-four years earlier.
The murderer is a surprise. The murderers present at the thirty-four year old murder are reprehensible, in both their actions and their motives.
Well written and plotted. Good job Ms. Borrmann! I would like to look into more of Ms. Borrmann’s work.
Thanking Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for allowing me to read this book.
This is the first book I've read by this author. I was very impressed.
We start our story with the discovery of a body on the side of the road. The man’s hands are tied behind his back and he has died slowly of blood loss. A death notice appeared in the paper – the day before the man died.
Detective Bohm and his team carried out a patient and exhaustive search for the killer. When more murders are committed, Bohm and his team are pressured. They come up with the theory that the murders are related to another murder thirty-four years earlier.
The murderer is a surprise. The murderers present at the thirty-four year old murder are reprehensible, in both their actions and their motives.
Well written and plotted. Good job Ms. Borrmann! I would like to look into more of Ms. Borrmann’s work.
Thanking Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for allowing me to read this book.
February 22, 2017
I've only read one other book by Ms Borrmann and enjoyed that one very much. Sadly, this one is nowhere near as good. The novel is written in the present tense, which I usually don't like anyway but can sometimes struggle through, but in this story it really doesn't work. The text is stilted and unnatural, the dialogue awkward and forced, the characters very difficult to relate to. Perhaps it's a fault of the translation and if my German were good enough I'd try reading it in the original just to see if it works better. I will certainly try other novels by this author but I can't recommend this one.
February 24, 2017
I won this book through Goodreads Giveaways. This is a solid, slightly dark murder mystery with great characters.
The story takes place in a small peaceful town in Germany where the inhabitants don’t normally lock their doors. However, suddenly one of their neighbors is found killed in a brutal way and the killer has already placed the victim’s obituary in the local paper. Inspector Böhm thinks the cryptic message in the notice indicates a connection to some occurrence in the town’s past.
The story takes place in a small peaceful town in Germany where the inhabitants don’t normally lock their doors. However, suddenly one of their neighbors is found killed in a brutal way and the killer has already placed the victim’s obituary in the local paper. Inspector Böhm thinks the cryptic message in the notice indicates a connection to some occurrence in the town’s past.
February 24, 2017
Many Plot Twists
I won the ebook version of this book on Goodreads.
The story line had great potential, but because of the many characters, it was often hard to follow. The chapters were short and every chapter would focus on a different character.
I won the ebook version of this book on Goodreads.
The story line had great potential, but because of the many characters, it was often hard to follow. The chapters were short and every chapter would focus on a different character.
February 10, 2017
This is a clever murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. Set in Germany near the Dutch border we go back to 1967 and then jump to the 2000's with small chapters taken from unknown points of view that lead to an introduction to families in a village long known to each other, but with no love lost between them.
It takes several chapters before the initial murder of an older man is committed and the police officers are finally introduced. Peter Bohm is the lead investigator with his team of Van Oss and Steeg and together they work to try and solve the murder of one man when three days later another murder is brutally executed. It seems the good towns folk know more than they are admitting to and its difficult to put the pieces together. Then it becomes a race against time before the killer strikes again. Against this great mystery we have the chance to look into Bohm's private life as he tries to work out if his wife Brigitte has left him for another man.
All this makes for a really engaging thriller that has many twists and turns. Borrmann is a German author who has written several crime novels to date, more of which will be translated into English I hope. The characters, although sparingly written are engaging and believable. The detectives are not so jaded with their work that they have become blasé about the murder of another person. The chapters from the perpetrators point of view are chilling. It is a crime spree with its trail leading back to a crime from thirty years ago, one in which to town folk are reluctant to talk about.
This was a really enjoyable read.
It takes several chapters before the initial murder of an older man is committed and the police officers are finally introduced. Peter Bohm is the lead investigator with his team of Van Oss and Steeg and together they work to try and solve the murder of one man when three days later another murder is brutally executed. It seems the good towns folk know more than they are admitting to and its difficult to put the pieces together. Then it becomes a race against time before the killer strikes again. Against this great mystery we have the chance to look into Bohm's private life as he tries to work out if his wife Brigitte has left him for another man.
All this makes for a really engaging thriller that has many twists and turns. Borrmann is a German author who has written several crime novels to date, more of which will be translated into English I hope. The characters, although sparingly written are engaging and believable. The detectives are not so jaded with their work that they have become blasé about the murder of another person. The chapters from the perpetrators point of view are chilling. It is a crime spree with its trail leading back to a crime from thirty years ago, one in which to town folk are reluctant to talk about.
This was a really enjoyable read.
July 9, 2017
Giant yawn!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't get into this book at all. The characters were boring and not relatable. The events were boring. The conclusion was mediocre. Great book if you're trying to fall asleep!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't get into this book at all. The characters were boring and not relatable. The events were boring. The conclusion was mediocre. Great book if you're trying to fall asleep!
Want to read
January 25, 2017I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. It is a Kindle book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews