Stasi Child

Karin Müller #1

by David Young

David Young's chillingly intricate Stasi Child was A London Times “Crime Book of the Month” and a Telegraph Pick of the Week.

1975: When Oberleutnant Karin Muller is called to investigate a teenage girl's body at the foot of the Berlin Wall, she imagines she's seen it all before. But she soon realizes that this is a death like no other before it - the girl was evidently trying to escape from West Berlin.

As a member of the People's Police, Muller's power in East Germany only stretches so far. The Ministry for State Security, the Stasi, assures her the case is closed, all they need to know is the girl's name. Yet they strongly discourage her from asking questions. The evidence doesn't add up, and it soon becomes clear the crime scene has been staged. But this regime does not tolerate curious minds, and it takes Müller too long to realize that the trail she's been following may lead her dangerously close to home ...

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

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

David Young was born near Hull and – after dropping out of a Bristol University science degree - studied Humanities at Bristol Polytechnic specialising in Modern History. Temporary jobs cleaning ferry toilets and driving a butcher's van were followed by a career in journalism with provincial newspapers, a London news agency, and the BBC’s international newsrooms where he led news teams for the World Service radio and World TV.

David was a student on the inaugural Crime Thriller MA at City University – winning the course prize in 2014 for his debut novel Stasi Child – and now writes full-time in his garden shed. In his spare time, he’s a keen supporter of Hull City AFC.

Stasi Child is the first of three books in the Oberleutnant Karin Müller series – set in 1970s communist East Germany – bought by the UK arm of Swedish publisher Bonnier by former Quercus CEO Mark Smith. It reached the top 5 bestsellers on Amazon Kindle, was number one bestseller in Amazon’s Historical Fiction chart, and has been optioned for TV by Euston Films (Minder, The Sweeney etc). Translation rights have so far been sold to France.

Reviews

[Adina ( back from Vacay…slowly recovering) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am mad with the author because the idea of the novel had so much potential. Moreover, the real historical information was interesting and could have resulted in an amazing historical mystery. Too bad the writing did not live up to the idea.

The blurb immediately drew my attention, a mystery set in 1975 East Berlin with a DDR police woman as main character. I do have a soft spot for books set in Berlin before the wall fell and for the city in general so I was looking forward to dive in the atmosphere of that time. Tough luck because that never happened.

Oberleutenant Karin Müller is the youngest woman leader of a crime unit and is requested to assist a Stasi Officer with the investigation of the murder of an unknown young girl. Strangely, the girl appears to be shot as she was fleeing from West to the East, contrary to the general migration current. Karin soon realizes the crime scene is staged and embarks in a quest to dicover the identity of the girl and of the murderer. Obviously, the political climate being what it is and working for the Stasi will make her investigation feel like she is working on a mined field.

I believe the weakest point of the novel was its characters, especially Karin. Being the chief of her team I would expect her to be smart, tough, self-confident. Instead, she almost throws up when she sees the dead body and blushes for every minor compliment she receives from her annoying, obnoxious deputy. God, I think I read that word more than 30 times. She seemed to redden every few pages from any minuscule thing. I almost have up the novel because of this. Moving on, Karin’s relationship with her husband seemed forced only for the plot’s sake which became even more obvious with the preposterous coincidences that moved the story forward. Actually, the whole book is filled with these amazing coincidences. And the ending…The discovery of the killer was so under climatic and so easily passed over that I forgot immediately about the whole scene. I hated that the killer wasn’t even a character in the book and had maybe two sentences written about him. This , for me is a serious plot construction error.

Moving on to the writing, it was bad, pedestrian even. The period was not researched enough, in my opinion, because I did not feel any of the pressure I usually experience when I read books about that time and space. Moreover, the author adopted an abundance of cliches and the ending was more taken out from a Jack Reacher novel than a quality mystery.

Let’s hope this will be the last unpleasant surprise for this year.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Maria Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/Rozando muy cerca el cinco. Maravilloso thriller! Me ha encantado descubrir a este escritor, y añadirlo ya en próximas lecturas. Me ha gustado mucho lo bien perfilados que están sus personajes, la trama, el mundo que ha creado a raíz del pasado. Sin duda, todo un descubrimiento.

[Χρύσα Βασιλείου · Rating 5 out of 5]

Εξαιρετικό βιβλίο! Εξαιρετικό και πολλά υποσχόμενο ντεμπούτο! Ο πήχης για τον David Young έχει ήδη ανέβει ψηλά, με την πρώτη του κιόλας συγγραφική απόπειρα!

Θα ανέβει σε λίγες ημέρες ολοκληρωμένη κριτική για το βιβλίο. Αλλά μερικά πραγματάκια ήθελα να τα πω από τώρα.
Η πλοκή είναι καλογραμμένη και φροντισμένη και η ιστορία άκρως...ιντριγκαδόρικη. Πέρα από το ότι είναι καλοστημένη και χωρίς κενά, με ενδιαφέροντες χαρακτήρες που εξελίσσονται και μια ιστορία γεμάτη ανατροπές που κρατάει αμείωτο το αναγνωστικό ενδιαφέρον, ο συγγραφέας έχει δημιουργήσει το ιδανικότερο περιβάλλον ως φόντο: την Ανατολική Γερμανία στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του '70. Ολόκληρη η ιστορία της και η κοινωνία της αποτυπώνονται στις σελίδες του βιβλίου, έχουν 'ποτίσει' τους ήρωες και τον τρόπο σκέψης και συμπεριφοράς τους. Ηθελημένα ή αθέλητα, οι πάντες υπακούουν στις προσταγές της Δημοκρατίας. Και μέσα σε όλα αυτά, εξελίσσεται η έρευνα της Αστυνομίας του Λαού για μια πραγματικά περίεργη υπόθεση, που αποδεικνύεται πολύ πιο περίπλοκη απ' ότι φαντάζει αρχικά και θα οδηγήσει την υπολοχαγό Μίλερ σε πολύ επικίνδυνα μονοπάτια.

Θα αναφέρω στην ολοκληρωμένη κριτική μου (που έλεγα παραπάνω) τα του βιβλίου, της πλοκής και των χαρακτήρων λεπτομερώς. Εδώ θα ήθελα να σχολιάσω κάτι που με στιγμάτισε προσωπικά ως Χρύσα, ως άτομο. Μια από τις 'πετριές' μου, από αυτές που προτιμώ να μην αναφέρω στο site που αρθρογραφώ.
Λοιπόν, διαβάζοντας το "Παιδί της Στάζι" θυμήθηκα για μια ακόμα φορά τους λόγους που ποτέ δεν συμπάθησα αυτή τη χώρα. Τη χώρα του Χίτλερ, τη χώρα του Τείχους, τη χώρα της Στάζι. Μια χώρα που ανέκαθεν προσέφερε στην παγκόσμια ιστορία μονάχα πληγές. Ας θεωρηθώ υπερβολική ή μονομανής ή 'κολλημένη', δεν με πειράζει. Απόλαυσα κάθε σελίδα του βιβλίου ξεχωριστά -μάλιστα,μου άρεσε ΠΟΛΥ περισσότερο απ' ότι περίμενα το συγκεκριμένο μυθιστόρημα!- και μίσησα σε κάθε σελίδα τη Λαϊκή Δημοκρατία της Γερμανίας εξίσου έντονα. Τον φόβο, την παράνοια, τον κίνδυνο, τον κυνισμό, την πεισματική εμμονή στις φανατικές τους ιδέες, το μέχρι πού είναι ικανοί να φτάσουν για να διαφυλάξουν τα κεκτημένα και τα αρρωστημένα πιστεύω τους... Ο συγγραφέας γράφει την ιστορία τους με πιστό ρεαλισμό στις συνθήκες που επικρατούσαν τότε, και φυσικά δεν τον κρίνω γι' αυτό - αλίμονο. Θα μου πεις, σε όλες τις χώρες συνέβαιναν (και συμβαίνουν) αντίστοιχα γεγονότα. Θεωρώ όμως πως μόνο στη Γερμανία του 20ου αιώνα τα πράγματα ήταν τόσο αρρωστημένα και οι άνθρωποι που είχαν την εξουσία τόσο διατεθειμένοι να σκοτώσουν προκειμένου να περάσει το δικό τους. Μισώ τη Στάζι του Young όπως μισώ τη Ναζιστική Γερμανία του Kerr. Και αγαπώ τον τρόπο που έχουν επιλέξει οι συγγραφείς αυτή να αποτυπώνουν στις σελίδες των βιβλίων τους τόσο μαύρες σελίδες της ιστορίας. Θέλει πολύ ταλέντο, και ο Young δείχνει πως το διαθέτει. Η ιστορία του κατάφερε να με μαγέψει τόσο, που να της χαρίσω το 5αρι μου ασχέτως της αποστροφής μου για τον τόπο όπου λαμβάνει χώρο και τις συνθήκες που επικρατούσαν τότε εκεί.
Κάτι άλλο που δεν μου άρεσε στο βιβλίο, με ξένισε και με δυσκόλεψε, ήταν η επιλογή του μεταφραστή να αφήσει τις πρωτότυπες λέξεις/ορισμούς που υποδηλώνουν βαθμό της αστυνομίας ή κάποια υπηρεσία κτλ. στα γερμανικά. Επειδή χρησιμοποιούνταν συνεχώς πριν από το όνομα, έπρεπε να ανατρέχω κάθε τόσο στο γλωσσάρι στο τέλος του βιβλίου. Άλλωστε, ούτε καν που μπορούσα να τις προφέρω! Νομίζω πως θα ήταν καλύτερα να είχαν μεταφραστεί και αυτές, κανονικά.

Αναλυτικά η κριτική μου για το βιβλίο στο site "Book City" και τον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο: Το παιδί της Στάζι

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Cheating was a concept both foreign and integral to the fighting of wars.”

----Tom Clancy


David Young, a British author, has penned a riveting German thriller in his debut book, Stasi Child which is the first book in the Karin Müller series. This series welcomes an exciting and brave new female detective chief inspector or in German, an oberleutnant who is a married yet career-minded woman, assigned on the case when a teenage girl's mutilated body is found near The Wall in East Berlin in the 1970s, that leads her and her junior subordinate, Comrade Tilsner, to the edge of The Wall, Berlin's corrupt politics and an isolated teenage reformatory handled by then government.


Synopsis:

East Berlin, 1975

When Oberleutnant Karin Müller is called to investigate a teenage girl's body at the foot of the wall, she imagines she's seen it all before. But when she arrives she realizes this is a death like no other: the girl was trying to escape - but from the West.

Müller is a member of the national police, but the case has Stasi written all over it. Karin is tasked with uncovering the identity of the girl, but her Stasi handlers assure her that the perpetrators are from the West ­- and strongly discourage her asking questions.

The evidence doesn't add up, and Muller soon realizes the crime scene has been staged. But this is not a regime that tolerates a curious mind, and Muller doesn't realise that the trail she's following will lead her dangerously close to home.


Karin Müller, a twenty something oberleutnant in her police force, is asked to investigate the identity of a dead teenage girl, who body has been found near The Berlin Wall, and Karin soon sniffs that there is something wrong with the girl's alleged death of simply getting shot as she was trying to escape from the west Berlin. And within no time, Karin starts asking questions at the right places but that lands up into more trouble, and little idea she had that behind this innocent teenage girl's murder there is the hand or involvement of someone close to Karin. Can she get to the bottom of this scandalous murder?

I can't believe this is a debut novel by the author as the story is concocted so strongly that it immediately gripped me with the thrill and the suspense. The book's cover image aptly captures the feel, horror and the stale smell of death through its arresting image. Right from the very first page, when the author gradually began delving about the character's lives and backgrounds alongside with the murder investigation is quite addictive and kept me hooked to the pages of this book till the very end.

The author's writing style is very much articulate and fantastic and well layered with suspense and twists. The plot is very easy to comprehend with by the readers as the author descriptively and strikingly explains each and every scene right to its very bottom, so that the readers can get a clear image of what is happening page-by-page. The narrative is not only engaging, but also free flowing and is also laced with German dialect, also the best part about the book is that the author has included a glossary for the German terms used in the book. The pacing is really fast as the mystery is so alluring that the readers will keep turning the pages of this book until the cliffhanger filled climax.

The mystery in the book is devised smartly by this author, as it has been covered with so many angles and dimensions that will keep the readers anticipating till the very end. And also the readers will be welcomes with a sudden new and unpredictable twist and turn during the course of the story that will not let the readers to turn away their heads from the book even for once. Moreover, the author's technique of unraveling the mystery is pretty unique.

The characters in the book are extremely well developed and keep the story even more interesting. The main character, Karin, is a strong and fearless female detective, who despite of the domestic responsibilities stay focused on the job, although working with a handsome subordinate like Tilsner, distracts her a lot. She is a sharp and thoughtful woman, who carefully makes her move, even though at times she is pushed to be tested by her boundaries and limitations. In short, Karin has a complex side when it comes to relationships, otherwise, her smartness will simply make the readers fall for her. The secondary and supporting characters are also well etched out thereby giving them a realistic yet edgy profile.

The author captures the 1970s divided Berlin and the divided fascist and anti fascist politics with extreme vividness. From its bone-chilling cold weather to its shifting landscape of white mountains in the east side to posh city in the west side to its local people to its culture to its then politics, will instantly transport the readers to an era when Berlin was divided by The Wall and the Stasi guards still controlled and dominated its citizens.

In a nutshell, this book turned out to be a roller coaster ride that is high on adrenaline rushing action scenes, raw violence and enough tension.

Verdict: Crime fiction lovers do not miss this new author on the block and his debut German thriller.

Courtesy: Thanks to the author, David Young, for giving me an opportunity to read and review his book.

[Fictionophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my interview with David Young, the author of "Stasi Child": https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...

An original and accomplished debut thriller, “Stasi Child” is a compelling police procedural set in 1970s Cold War Germany.

Unlike any police-procedural I’ve read before, this novel is set in Berlin – before the wall came down. The plot is intricate but well rendered so that even the many unfamiliar names, places and references do not detract from its enjoy-ability.

The book, though fiction, was meticulously researched and taught me a lot about the culture and history of socialist East Berlin. Although very familiar with books set during the war with references to the German SS, I was NOT familiar with the term ‘Stasi’. Stasi is the commonly used name for The Ministry for State Security. The Stasi were a secret police force whose mandate was to spy on the general population. To further their mandate they utilized a network of informants.

The book is told in two principal voices, the first being that of the policewoman Karin Müller. A young woman, she is the first female to head the homicide division of the People’s Police. Childless, she is married to a teacher named Gottfried, yet is very attracted to her deputy, Tilsner. Karin is a loyal citizen who (for the most part) believes in the fairness of her socialist country. Her past holds some very traumatic memories which come to light over the course of the story.

Karin is tasked with finding the identity of the dead girl. A teenager who was viciously murdered and then mutilated to hide her identity making Karin’s task an arduous one. She is to work in cooperation with a Stasi officer named Jäger whom she doesn’t completely trust. For that matter, she doesn’t completely trust her deputy Tilsner either.

The second voice of the story is that of Irma Behrendt. A young teenage girl who is in a sort of reform school called a Jugendwerkhof, on the island of Rügen. Here she and her best friend, Beate endure hardship and abuse.

I love it when the title of a book fits the story as much as this one did. The author makes the choice of title abundantly clear in the narrative.

This book contains a glossary of German terms and phrases. Very helpful to the reader if you are reading a paper book, but not so helpful to those, like me, who read the book electronically. I didn’t discover the glossary until after I’d finished the book.

This is an authentic story of corruption and lost innocence. A novel that shows to what lengths people will go to fulfill their desires. It is a novel with a bleak and chilling atmosphere that lends itself well to the plot. At times brutal, the narrative was set during the winter (as the cover suggests). This book will appeal to a wide audience, both male and female. Anyone who enjoys thrillers, historical fiction, political/spy stories, and of course police-procedural mysteries.

This is David Young’s debut novel and the first of a proposed trilogy. I very much look forward to visiting Karin Müller again in his next book, “The Stasi Wolf“.

Thanks to Bonnier Publishing/Twenty7Books via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

What David Young gets right here is the never ending paranoia and complications of living within a state so controlled by an overwhelming bureaucracy and a powerful police security force. Every action could be being watched by the Stasi and you have no way of knowing just who they are, how or why they are monitoring you, and what will happen to you if they decide you have become an enemy, or just a problem, of the state. This feeling comes over very effectively in the novel; Oberlutnant Muller not only has to work with Stasi officer Klaus Jager, she also has to worry about the bread van so often spotted across the street from her apartment, her fellow officer Tilsner-who seems to have more money than he should, her husband Gottfreid-who has been meeting a certain religious official with known Western sympathies... Every single time she tries to move forward in her murder investigation, there is something or someone acting to prevent any progress. Likewise, the second voice of the novel, young Irma must wonder whether she can trust those around her, because anyone can be Stasi.

While the intriguing historical context was an excellent choice, the murder case that formed the plot was somewhat confused and lacked that page turning thrill. There was far too much of it that needed to be explained in extended conversations between characters- that 'so tell me why this happened...' 'oh, i'll tell you it all...' kind of dialogue that is rather unsatisfying. In addition, Muller's whole relationship with her husband rang false to me, it didn't suit her at all and felt shoehorned in for some extra fizz. Not something i'm going to have to worry about in the next one, clearly...

Overall an interesting, if flawed book that relies heavily on its fascinating historical context.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an atmospheric and exciting thriller debut, featuring Oberleutnant Karin Muller and her deputy, Unterleutnant Werner Tilsner. The book is set in East Berlin, 1975, and begins when Muller and Tilsner are called to investigate the mutilated body of a young girl by the Berlin Wall – or, as it is named in East Germany, the ‘Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier.’ Both Muller and Tilsner are wary when they discover a Stasi officer, Klaus Jager, is already there and that they will be assisting him, at his request. This is no normal case of a youth attempting to jump the wall, as this girl seems to have been fleeing from the West and escaping into the East…

I really found this an unusual and interesting novel, with great characters and an excellent setting. Karin Muller is an ambitious officer, who buys totally into the system that she works in, while her husband Gottfried is viewed by suspicion by the authorities. However, as Karin begins to investigate who the victim is, she begins to realise that not all is at it seems and that Jager has his own reasons for choosing her to look into this most sensitive enquiry.

East Germany during the years before the Wall fell was very much a different world from the West and the author captures this period well. There is a great deal of mistrust and an atmosphere of informing on all levels – from being spied on by the authorities to nosy neighbours trying to pick up valuable snippets that they can use. The book alternates between Karin Muller’s investigation and the events which led a young girl to become a victim. Fast paced, unsettling and with a fabulous ending, I really hope that this will become a series and we get to meet Karin Muller again. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 stars – nearly perfect.

I originally saw this listed on Netgalley, and my request was subsequently denied. So I waited (im)patiently for its release, and finally got to it. This brilliant debut novel was well worth the wait!

This suspenseful thriller is set in 1970s East Germany. The Berlin Wall, known as the “Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier” in the East, is standing, and there’s a distinct sense of claustrophobia and near-paranoia for everyone, for everyone is a potential enemy of the state. It’s this atmosphere in which Oberleutnant Karin Müller is charged with investigating the death of a teenage girl found mutilated in a cemetery near the base of the Berlin Wall. Müller, along with her deputy Werner Tilsner, and with a senior officer of the Stasi, investigate, and almost immediately become ensnared between corrupt two wings of the Stasi, become a mission of life and death for Müller, and those around her.

David Young’s writing is vivid and convincing, and the plot is intelligent, intriguing, and intricate. The character development is outstanding. Müller, sent to West Berlin by her Stasi superior, judges the western capitalism as “glorification of business and the business of making money, on the backs of the people”, is emotionally complex in her conformity with Communism and its values, and is very compassionate and principled in her actions to see this investigation through to the inevitable end.

The author captures the time period very well in this fast-paced thriller, and the final third of the book is a series of hairpin twists and turns, like the mountain roads of the Harz range where the finale takes place. I’m looking forward to more from this author and this series.

[Geles · Rating 3 out of 5]

"En Berlín Oriental las preguntas son peligrosas. Las respuestas pueden matar".

Novela que se desarrolla en 1975, cuando Alemania se encontraba dividida por el muro de Berlín y la República Democrática Alemana era dirigida por la poderosa Stasi.

Una buena ambientación de la Alemania comunista, donde todos espiaban a todos y las traiciones y abusos de poder estaban a la orden del día. Un lugar donde pensar diferente significaba la muerte y donde muchos hijos terminaban pagando por los pecados de sus padres, aún sin haberlos cometido.

En realidad 3.5 estrellas, no se lleva las 4 porque el personaje de la detective Müller no ha terminado de cuadrarme. No voy a dar detalles para no hacer spoilers, pero digamos que determinados comportamientos no me han resultado creíbles.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book set in East Germany when the Berlin Wall divided a common people can only be interesting based on location and historical setting. When it has been so extensively researched, crafted with skill and written with a shifting tension it can only be winner.
David Young has produced a novel of great weight and found a niche his plotting and thrilling style exploit to the very end.
A terrible crime which needs investigating but when everyone is a potential informer and the state controls everything and everyone who can expose corruption at the highest levels?
A fascinating murder mystery, with honest police work undermined by political and party factions.
Karin Muller leads the investigation but it will have far-reaching outcomes for her personally regarding her current relationships, her past life and scars she carried and her professional future.
Written so we care for these characters, we feel their pain and isolation and wonder how the truth is within Karin's pay grade to find and if found will ever be allowed to be known.
Darker than a moonless night, more tense than overwound watch, devoid of hope and trust in others. A book to chill one's soul and despair for a lost people bound by a regime content to destroy and undermine.
We can rejoice in part that one wall did tumble down and freedom was embraced. This is historical fiction but it bears a truth of something that happened in my lifetime and therefore makes compelling fiction.

[Cold War Conversations Podcast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and unusually located police procedural set in the former East Germany.

I can’t think of many English language detective novels set in the former East Germany and David Young has created a fascinating character in the damaged but tenacious Oberleutnant Karin Müller.

In most countries she’d be just a regular cop in charge of the murder team, however this is communist ruled East Germany and she’s a card carrying party member believing in “real and existing socialism”.

Investigating a teenage girl's body at the foot of the Berlin wall Karin has to walk a political tightrope that adds an extra frisson to the story as she deals with her superiors and the Stasi, the East German secret police.

Whilst many police procedurals have conflict with superiors in East Germany conflict with superiors can mean at best dismissal then demotion to a menial job or at worst death.

David Young’s research is impeccable with fantastic attention to detail from the procedures in the Stasi remand prisons to the uniqueness of Volvo tyre tracks as well as capturing well the feel of 1970’s East Germany.

If you like police procedurals, strong female characters, along with an Orwellian landscape then read “Stasi Child”.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Καλή ιστορία και συμπαθείς χαρακτήρες είχε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσες στιγμές και το διάβασα ευχάριστα!

Good story with sympathetic characters and had some interesting moments and I enjoyed reading it!

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a bit late reviewing Stasi Child, which has actually caused much hilarity but in the end I win. As I knew I would…

The thing with Stasi Child is that it doesnt matter that this is a late review because that book has stayed with me. When I rather randomly decided that today would be the day, I thought I’d have to remind myself of the read somewhat but then discovered that I remembered it pretty much in its entirety – the political landscape, Karin Muller a completely engaging character, the beautifully done descriptive sense of it all – I guess in a lot of ways that is the biggest compliment I could pay it considering the number of books I read, take it as read that this is really really good…

There are lots of reviews of this novel out there -many speaking to how David Young has recreated with a huge dose of creative genius the stifling and claustrophobic atmosphere and reality of 1970’s Berlin – and that he has. Whether you know something or nothing of this period of history you’ll get it – in fact you’ll be right there as events unfold. For me as a reader that is when it works – Allowing the truth of the time to unfold within the story, underneath the narrative, the characters live it so YOU live it – much better than random history lesson type info dumps in some historical novels…

For me though its always about the emotional resonance of a story and Stasi Child had emotional resonance in spades – this was a book I devoured – along with the deep and lasting sense of history you get a banging good story, a proper page turner with absolutely the most gorgeous and absorbing writing style. I mean what else can you ask for really..

Well you want decent characters who you can identify with, want to follow down the rabbit hole, root for or alternatively wish fiery painful death upon – you can put a big tick in that box also. Karin as a main protagonist incredibly well drawn and full of depth I LOVED her (big big book love because I just wanted her to win godarnit) – as she wakes up to the realities of her country and the way it works, begins to doubt her own loyalties, her journey is totally engaging and I was with her all the way. Surrounded by an eclectic and enigmatic cast (Klaus Jager hmm) of others, there was not a single dull moment in the entirety of Stasi Child, not once did attention wander and really I only put it down to feed the kids. Apparently it is frowned upon not to do so.

Belting crime story too. The tale twists and turns, thought provoking and so addictive, weaving its way through the historical flavouring, the character arcs and just so perfectly constructed to engage and inform and entertain, really storytelling doesnt get much better than this. David Young is a bit of a genius but sssh don’t tell him I said that. I may NEVER see my blog post if he is too busy preening. Plus I’d really like another book from this author soon. Writing up this review has made my chronic impatience kick in.

Brilliant brilliant book. Just read it (you won’t need to weep)

[Gisela Hafezparast · Rating 2 out of 5]

It annoys me when writers write books and only put a minimal amount of research into the story. This story is about East-Germany in the 1970s, the Stasi etc. Don't get me wrong it is a good story, but if David Young had not just gone to the sterotypes but had researched more this could have been a great story. He has done the typical thing of writing about part of a history of a country and political systems without bothering going into it with depth and writing about it in a totally western sort of way stopping at non of the cliches, but not looking closer and getting a more balanced view. Annoying.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A police procedural set in East Berlin during the 1970's. A teenage girl's body is discovered near the border crossing between East and West Berlin. The assumption is the girl was escaping East Berlin and was shot by security guards. The only problem is the girl's body indicates she was escaping West Berlin and that does not make sense to Karin Muller, investigating officer.

I really enjoyed this book and keep checking for more. Hope this is a series.

[Vicky Ziliaskopoulou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πρωτότυπο αστυνομικό, λίγο διαφορετικό από αυτά της σκανδιναβικής αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας που βγήκαν μαζικά στην Ελλάδα τον τελευταίο καιρό (και για κάποιον λόγο μου φαίνονται όλα παρόμοια μεταξύ τους). Αναφέρεται σε μια παλιότερη εποχή, χωρίς ιντερνετ, κινητά τηλέφωνα, αναγνώριση μέσω δακτυλικών αποτυπωμάτων και ταυτοποίηση μέσω dna.
Όταν εντοπίζεται το πτώμα μιας κοπέλας καλούν την Κάριν Μίλερ (επικεφαλή του τμήματος Ανθρωποκτονιών της αστυνομίας του Ανατολικού Βερολίνου) να συνεργαστεί με αστυνομικούς της Στάζι προκειμένου να γίνει η αναγνώριση του θύματος.
(Στο βιβλίο υπάρχει ένα εισαγωγικό σημείωμα δύο- τριών σελίδων όπου εξηγείται η διαφορά ανάμεσα στη Στάζι και την αστυνομία της Ανατολικής Γερμανίας, οπότε θα τα ξεκαθαρίσετε στο μυαλό σας και δεν θα μπερδευτείτε).

Ως αστυνομικό μου άρεσε. Δεν είχε πολύ αίμα, ούτε πολλή ένταση, οπωσδήποτε όμως ήταν ενδιαφέρον. Η δε ιστορία της κοπέλας που παρουσιάζεται σε πρώτο πρόσωπο εμβόλιμα στην προσπάθεια της Κάριν να βρει στοιχεία για το πτώμα είναι εξαιρετική, η αμεσότητα της διήγησης με έβαλε μέσα στην ιστορία και την καθημερινότητά της.
Όμως αυτό που κάνει το βιβλίο διαφορετικό και ο λόγος που με προκάλεσε να το διαβάσω είναι ότι διαδραματίζεται στην Ανατολική Γερμανία, μια περιοχή για την οποία γνωρίζω τόσο λίγα και δεν μπορώ εύκολα να βρω μυθιστορήματα που να αναφέρονται σε αυτήν. Περιγράφονται όμορφα οι συνθήκες ζωής της εποχής στην κλειστή αυτή χώρα του ανατολικού μπλοκ, ενίοτε και σε αντιπαραβολή με τα όσα γίνονταν την ίδια χρονική περίοδο στη Δυτική Γερμανία. Προφανώς δεν ξέρω αν είναι τραβηγμένες οι καταστάσεις που περιγράφονται ή όχι αλλά αυτό δεν έχει τόσο σημασία αφού το μυθιστόρημα είναι αστυνομικό και όχι ιστορικό.
Γενικά είναι ένα πολύ καλογραμμένο βιβλίο με επαρκή περιγραφή χαρακτήρων αλλά και με μια πολύ δυνατή ιστορία.


https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com

https://thematofylakes.gr

[Vassiliki Dass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ενδιαφέρον ιστορικό αστυνομικό επί της Λαϊκής Δημοκρατίας της Γερμανίας. Με ξένισαν ωστόσο η επιμέλεια που την βρήκα πρόχειρη, η πλήρης άγνοια της μεταφράστριας για τις γερμανικές λέξεις ενώ υποτίθεται ότι θα έπρεπε να έχει συμβουλευτεί κάποιον συναδελφό της, ειδικό στην γερμανική γλώσσα. Πάντως διαβάζεται πολύ ευχάριστα και θα προχωρήσω στα επόμενα που ελπίζω να είναι καλύτερα μεταφρασμένα

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stasi Child is an impressive first novel by David Young depicting a competent police procedural detailing the murder of a young female teenager.

From the start, lead investigator Karin Muller detects nothing is as it seems and from the appearance of the body, it is clear her paths are clearly being thwarted by all sorts of means.

Muller and her young deputy are given the task of determining how the mutilated body of a young teenager has become discovered in East Germany. Early on, Muller, her deputy and crime scene investigator know what they are being told has happened is untrue and to prove otherwise may be detrimental to all.

This novel is a police procedural along with a spy novel rolled into one, with several other plot lines thrown in to add to the reader's enjoyment. It takes place in the mid-1970's, which allows Young to add the political and governmental differences of the region to move the plot along.

As with any good spy novel, motives and allegiances of each character are always suspect which also adds flavor to what is more than just a detective story.

Young even tosses in a few good twists, which certainly will create reader anticipation for the next Karin Muller installment.

Highly recommended.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

East Berlin 1975. Oberlertnant Karin Muller is having problems at home and a body has been found near the Berlin Wall. The Stasi has asked the police to investigate, but with conditions. The tension and twists had me flipping each page wondering what was coming next over Muller’s horizon. Am looking forward to reading more!

A NetGalley ARC

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Δείτε επίσης και στο Chill and read

Ήθελα από καιρό να διαβάσω «Το παιδί της Στάζι» και τώρα που επιτέλους ήρθε ο καιρός, δεν απογοητεύτηκα καθόλου. Πρόκειται για ένα ατμοσφαιρικό μυθιστόρημα που τοποθετείται στην Ανατολική Γερμανία του 1975, όταν το τείχος του Βερολίνου καλά κρατούσε.

Η υπολοχαγός της Αστυνομίας του Λαού, Κάριν Μίλερ, αναλαμβάνει μια υπόθεση φόνου που αρχικ’α φαίνεται πολύ ξεκάθαρη. Το πτώμα μιας έφηβης έχει βρεθεί στη νεκρή ζώνη κοντά στο τείχος του Βερολίνου και όλα τα στοιχεία δείχνουν πως η κοπέλα προσπαθούσε να δραπετεύσει από το Δυτικό Βερολίνο προς το Ανατολικό, πράγμα πρωτοφανές για τις περιπτώσεις που μέχρι τότε έχει αντιμετωπίσει η Μίλερ. Καλά κάνει όμως και έχει αμφιβολίες καθώς φαίνεται πως το σκηνικό του φόνου είναι στημένο και κάτι άλλο κρύβετε πίσω από όλο αυτό.

Τη Μίλερ φαίνεται πως έχει ζητήσει ένας αξιωματικός της Κρατικής Ασφάλειας, γνωστής και ως Στάζι. Εκείνος τη ζήτησε ως επικεφαλή στην έρευνα και η Μίλερ προσπαθεί να καταλάβει το γιατί. Όμως ενώ η δύναμή της είναι περιορισμένη, έχοντας στις πλάτες της την υποστήριξη της Στάζι μπορεί να φτάσει πολύ πιο μακριά από εκεί που περίμενε. Μόνο που σκάβοντας για την αλήθεια, μπαίνει σε μονοπάτια σκοτεινά και επικίνδυνα όπου τα πάντα μπορούν να συμβούν και από όπου δύσκολα θα ξεφύγει.

Μπορεί να μην έχω ζήσει τον ψυχρό πόλεμο σε όλο του το μεγαλείο, ή να μη θυμάμαι πολλά από την εποχή που ήμουν παιδί, θυμάμαι όμως πολύ καλά τη γιορτή που στήθηκε όταν έπεσε επιτέλους το τείχος του Βερολίνου το 1989. Οι εικόνες που βλέπαμε στην τηλεόραση ήταν εικόνες γιορτής και ξέφρενης ελευθερίας. Άνθρωποι νέοι αλλά και μεγαλύτεροι, να γκρεμίζουν με τα χέρια τους και ότι άλλο είχαν το τείχος της ντροπής. Οικογένειες να ενώνονται και πάλι μετά από χρόνια. Συνάνθρωποί μας να ανασαίνουν και πάλι ελεύθεροι, χωρίς το φόβο της σύλληψης να καραδοκεί πάνω από το κεφάλι τους, απλά και μόνο επειδή έριξαν ένα βλέμμα προς τη Δύση. Μπορεί να μην έζησα στο διχοτομημένο Βερολίνο, όμως αυτές οι εικόνες, τα ντοκιμαντέρ και οι ταινίες με θέμα το τείχος έχουν σχηματίσει πολύ δυνατές εικόνες στο μυαλό μου. Οπότε αν πέσει στα χέρια μου ένα βιβλίο με αυτή τη θεματολογία, χτυπάει τις ευαίσθητες χορδές μου και με καλεί να το διαβάσω. Χαίρομαι λοιπόν που «Το παιδί της Στάζι» δε με απογοήτευσε καθόλου.

Στο πρώτο του βιβλίο ο Young δίνει με ακρίβεια την ατμόσφαιρα που επικρατεί στη Λαϊκή Δημοκρατία της Γερμανίας. Ένα κομουνιστικό καθεστώς που καταπιέζει κάθε μορφή ελευθερίας. Υποτίθεται πως τα κομουνιστικά καθεστώτα υποστηρίζουν την ατομική ελευθερία, όμως πολλές φορές έχουμε δει πως την καταπιέζουν, ειδικά όταν αποκλίνει από τις επιταγές του κόμματος. Αυτό ακριβώς το κλίμα μεταφέρεται και στο βιβλίο, όπου όποιος δεν συμφωνεί με τη γραμμή του κόμματος, τιμωρείται. Η Στάζι, η μυστική αστυνομία του κράτους, παρουσιάζεται σαν ένα τεράστιο σύμπλεγμα κατασκόπων και αυτό ακριβώς ήταν. Όλοι γνώριζαν λίγο ως πολύ ότι όλοι οι πολίτες της χώρας παρακολουθούνταν από τη Στάζι και ότι η λόγος τους ήταν νόμος. Με αυτό το δεδομένο, κανείς δεν μπορούσε να πάει αντίθετα στις επιταγές των ανθρώπων της. Αυτό είναι και ένα από τα βασικά στοιχεία της δομής του βιβλίου αλλά και της εξέλιξης της ιστορίας. Η ιστορία του βιβλίου στηρίζεται ξεκάθαρα στον τρόπο με τον οποίο λειτουργούσε η Στάζι και τον ψυχολογικό πόλεμο που ασκούσε στους αντιφρονούντες. Και τα έχει καταφέρει κατά τη γνώμη μου.

Τα μυστικά που κρύβονται, οι φωτογραφίες που αποκαλύπτουν πραγματικές ή ψεύτικες εικόνες, όλες προϊόντα παρακολούθησης, ο φόβος της ελεύθερης έκφρασης και συνεχής επαγρύπνηση για το ποιος μπορεί να ακούει δίνουν την ατμόσφαιρα που ταιριάζει σε μια τέτοια ιστορία. Μυστικά, ψέμματα και πολιτικά παιχνίδια που είναι πάνω από τις δυνάμεις των πρωταγωνιστών και που δεν μπορούν να επηρεάσουν, έρχονται να ολοκληρώσουν το ψυχροπολεμικό σκηνικό που θα περίμενε κανείς.

Όπως έχω γράψει και στο παρελθόν είμαι υπέρ της ελευθερίας του ατόμου και ο Young κατάφερε να με κερδίσει αποδίδοντας με ακρίβεια το ζοφερό παρελθόν της ανθρωπότητας.

[Nick Brett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Last month I visited the fascinating city that is Berlin. One of the many things I did was visit the Stasi museum. Set in the HQ building in a vast complex you got a real sense of a State that thrived on fear and information. Spies would be spying on everyone, including themselves. Citizens lived in fear for their own lives, dissent was not encouraged and informing on your friends, colleagues or neighbours was encouraged. And meticulous records were kept on everything.
So when I saw Stasi Child, I thought it would bring to life much of what I had seen and put it into context of a thriller.
It is the mid-70s and the Berlin Wall is up. When a girl is found killed in no-mans land the Police are asked to investigate at the strange request of the Stasi. As the case develops the female Police officer and her subordinate find themselves getting close to truths that the State do not want exposed. We also see some backstory from a group of teenagers being kept in a work camp.
This didn’t really work for me. It failed to really convey the atmosphere and culture of East Germany, the characters were not really sympathetic and the plot didn’t really make a great deal of sense. As a reader I felt I was being made to work too hard for this one with not enough satisfaction at the end. I won’t be continuing with the series.

[Amiad · Rating 4 out of 5]

קארין מולר, בלשית במשטרת מזרח גרמניה, חוקרת רצח נערה למרות שגורמים בכירים מתנגדים לחקירה.

עלילת המתח טובה אבל לא מפתיעה או מיוחדת. מה שמוצלח בספר זה התיאור ההיסטורי של מזרח גרמניה וההמחשה המפחידה של חיים במשטר טוטליטרי בו אי אפשר לסמוך על אף אחד.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical crime novel, apparently the first in a series featuring Oberleutnant Karen Müller, is set in the mid-1970s in East Germany. The mutilated body of a teenaged girl is found near the Berlin Wall. Klaus Jäger, an officer with Stasi, East Germany’s secret police, enlists the help of Karin and her partner, Werner Tilsner. Jäger tells them the girl was shot by someone from the West as she was escaping to East Germany. The police detectives are told to “’discover the identity of the girl, and to find evidence to support this account,’” but they are soon exceeding the parameters of their task and looking to identify the murderer.

One of the strengths of the book is its portrayal of life in East Germany before the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, or the Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier as it is called by East Germans. There is an almost smothering atmosphere of paranoia as everyone is being watched. Karin’s husband Gottfried, for example, is under surveillance, this after being “temporarily banished to the reform school after failing to instill his Berlin students with enough party zealotry.” And even Karin is told by Jäger, “’I’m sure that Oberleutnant Müller will examine all the evidence in her usual thorough fashion, and will arrive at the correct conclusion.’ There was no real menace in his voice, yet Müller understood it as a veiled threat.” There is a great deal of mistrust; there are times when Karin wonders if she can trust her superiors or even her partner.

The narrative alternates between the point of view of Karin and that of Irma Behrendt, a young girl in a jugendwerkhof, a reformatory. Part of the interest lies in trying to determine how the two stories will converge.

Karin is determined and ambitious. My difficulty lies with her marriage. The reader is made to understand that Karin and Gottfried’s relationship is frayed, but the reason for the distancing is unclear. There are suggestions that Karin’s dedication to her job may be the issue, but that doesn’t explain her entanglement with someone portrayed as a philanderer.

Another problem lies with her loyalty to East Germany. Towards the end, Irma tells Karin, “’You’re part of the system. You try living in a closed Jugendwerkhof. Then you would see why so many people are desperate to leave this shitty little country.’” Karin’s response is to drop her gaze because “She didn’t want to admit the truth of what the teenager was saying. It struck too close to what she had always believed in.” This last statement does not fit with what she says and thinks at other times. For example, she comments about female workers: “It was something she was glad to see: women at every level supporting the Republic, something that would never happen in the West.” At another time, she observes, “Yes, it was a small country, but it was focused on the future, making its mark, not inward-looking and money-obsessed, or reliant on manufacturing cuckoo clocks for tourists like some western states.” The author makes it clear that Karin has little interest in exploring even West Berlin, so why does she suddenly agree that she lives “in this shithole of a country”? Her change in attitude is not convincing.

There are some plot issues. There are some coincidences that stretch credibility. For instance, there is an ever-so-convenient name change. Is it realistic that a disgraced police university lecturer have so many powerful contacts and so much influence? And there are unanswered questions. At the end, Jäger says things like, “’We’re not sure who . . . ‘” and “’We’re not sure why’” and “’I don’t really understand that myself.’” The epilogue has an interesting twist, but the scene before that, in the forest near East Berlin, left me confused: Who has fallen off the political tightrope that everyone seems to walk in East Germany?

Despite its weaknesses, this is still a good police procedural set before the use of computers in investigations. I will keep my eyes open for the next book in the series.

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

[Lynn Mccarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karin Muller is investigating a teenage girls death her body was found at the foot of the Berlin Wall.
All the evidence doesn't add up.
The Stasi are overseeing their work and Karin finds she has many questions that need answers.
The story is set in East Germany in the 1970 and has many twists and sub plots to the story and its hard not to give anything away.Its david's first book Well done.

Thank you to the Author and netgalley for a chance to read this book.

[Vasilis Kalandaridis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ιδανικό για να πάρεις μια καλή γεύση από Ανατολική Γερμανία,Στάζι και λοιπά.Αρκετά καλή ιστορια,η Μιλλερ ειναι μια τσαμπουκαλεμένη αςτυνομικος που δε φοβάται να το πάει μέχρι τα άκρα για να βρει τη λύση.Θα περιμένω τη συνέχεια της σειράς.

[Liss VC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novela negra en escenario poco común, la antigua RDA.
Al principio un poco lento y cuesta un poco ubicarse, pero después va cogiendo ritmo. Muy interesante desde el punto de vista histórico, y la trama bien urdida. A por el siguiente.

[Nicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started off promisingly, but got increasingly more preposterous as it went on.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nicely written but story less than credible. A good holiday read - easy going don't need to think too much.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A teenage girl's body is found at the foot of the Wall in 1975 East Berlin. According to the Stasi, she was shot while escaping - not as one might commonly expect, to but rather from the West. It doesn't take Oberleutnant Karin Müller of the Volkspolizei long to realize that nothing about that official version of events adds up... but questioning Stasi claims is a dangerous thing, one that could cost her more than just her career.

Gripping, well researched and with a number of unexpected twists - looking forward to the next one.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Constructed around three contrasting narrative viewpoints, the book takes place in 1970’s East Berlin, with the famed wall firmly in place, and the contrast between life either side of it strongly in evidence throughout. A young girl’s body is discovered close to the wall, with the general consensus being that she has taken the unusual step of fleeing from the West to the East, unlike most of her contemporaries. However, as Oberleutnant Karin Müller ( the only female head of a murder squad in the Deutsche Demokratische Republic) and her infuriatingly charming sidekick, Unterleutnant Werner Tilsner investigate further, they come to realise that much darker dealings are afoot. With their every move being monitored by a representative of the Stasi, fundamentally manipulating their remit in the investigation, and Müller’s husband Gottfried also attracting the unwanted attention of the secret police, there is much subterfuge to be undertaken, and angst to be had, by Müller along the way. Additionally, Young incorporates a seemingly unrelated plot involving the restrictive and harsh conditions experienced by a group of youngsters in a notorious ‘Jugendwerkhof‘, ostensibly a home for less well disciplined, or rootless, youngsters to be indoctrinated in the ways of the State. As all three narratives wend their way towards each other, the depth of corruption, control, and conspiracy within this closed society become all too clear.

If, like me, you have enjoyed the Soviet-based crime fiction of authors such as Martin Cruz Smith, William Ryan, Tom Rob Smith or Sam Eastland, this will prove itself an absolute must read. Like the aforementioned authors, Young perfectly captures the socio-political atmosphere of a society in the grasp of a suffocating control of the state apparatus. The fear, suspicion and deprivation encountered by not only Müller and her team and the youngsters at the Jugendwerkhof, but also that of ordinary citizens, is incredibly well depicted, and Young provides an unflinching gaze on the workings of this closed society. He carefully balances the seeming utopia of life beyond the wall in the West, with the harsh and stringent regime of the East, which makes the plight of these citizens all the more affecting as the story progresses. Having only accrued knowledge of this location and period in German history from non-fiction and celluloid representations, it was entirely satisfying to see how well Young crafted the pertinent details into his fictional representation. Ably supported by an engrossing plot, with its varying strands and well-structured premise, this wasn’t just a linear crime thriller, which again added to the satisfaction of this reader.

Likewise, Young’s grasp of effective characterisation was a real bonus. Müller herself was an entirely empathetic and believable protagonist, balancing the problems of her gender, with the importance of her position in the police, and the nefarious individuals seeking to derail and influence her investigation. The interplay between her and Tilsner, both on a personal and professional level, always overshadowed by the demands of her loyalty to her husband, was a real hook throughout, and added a nice frisson to the general gloom and sadness that infuses the story. The character of Oberstleutnant Karl Jager, as a representative of the Stasi was also nicely weighted within the plot, with his shadowy influence and mercurial nature, providing an intriguing and slightly sinister air to the whole affair, in his dealings with Müller and Tilsner.

Similarly to Tom Callaghan’s debut earlier this year, The Killing Winter, set in Kyrgyzstan, it was extremely satisfying to read a book located in a largely unexplored society, within the crime fiction genre. Young has more than proved that his name will be one to watch in the future with this powerful, well-researched and intriguing thriller. A highly recommended debut.