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Fräulein Schumacher #1
Der verschwundene Professor
Eine Nachricht, die verwirrt. Eine junge Frau, die Courage beweist. Eine Reise ins Ungewisse. Im Jahre 1926 führt die junge Emma ein behütetes Leben bei ihrer Großmutter in England. Ein Brief weckt in ihr schlimmste Befü Etwas scheint mit ihrem Vater, einem Archäologieprofessor in Bonn, nicht zu stimmen! Kurz entschlossen verlässt sie England und reist ins Rheinland, um nach ihrem Vater zu sehen. Tatsächlich ist er verschwunden!
Emma forscht nach, stößt auf geheimnisvolle Spuren und als gleich zwei attraktive Männer ihr den Hof machen, weiß sie kaum noch, was zu tun ist und wem sie trauen kann.
Die Serie um Emma Charlotte Schumacher beginnt bewusst gemächlich; im Mittelpunkt steht die junge Frau gleichberechtigt neben dem Kriminalfall. Immer geht es auch um Emmas Leben, ihre Gedanken und Gefühle. Mit ihr erleben wir die Welt der Weimarer Republik abseits vom großen Berlin, in dem die Uhren anders tickten als im Rest des Landes. Und in ihrer Begleitung darf gelacht und vielleicht sogar geweint werden.
Was sagen Leserinnen?
Emma forscht nach, stößt auf geheimnisvolle Spuren und als gleich zwei attraktive Männer ihr den Hof machen, weiß sie kaum noch, was zu tun ist und wem sie trauen kann.
Die Serie um Emma Charlotte Schumacher beginnt bewusst gemächlich; im Mittelpunkt steht die junge Frau gleichberechtigt neben dem Kriminalfall. Immer geht es auch um Emmas Leben, ihre Gedanken und Gefühle. Mit ihr erleben wir die Welt der Weimarer Republik abseits vom großen Berlin, in dem die Uhren anders tickten als im Rest des Landes. Und in ihrer Begleitung darf gelacht und vielleicht sogar geweint werden.
Was sagen Leserinnen?
339 pages, Paperback
Published November 23, 2021
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40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 18, 2021
I was brought in as second copy editor on this book, and I must tell you, I was enamoured immediately.
This is not your typical cosy mystery. It is so much more. I felt as though I were in an Alphonse Mucha painting in a sense - the book is set partially in 20s Cornwall and partially in Bonn, Germany. And apart from the mystery elements, it is more of a coming of age story.
The heroine is a girl, almost a young woman, whose father sends her a very stern, remote letter, nothing like the ones he normally sends. She senses that something is wrong and travels from her grandmother's holiday home in Cornwall to her father's house in Bonn. But he has mysteriously gone missing. His letters and postcards say he is on a lecture tour, but Emma knows he would never leave town so close to her birthday, which is also the day of her mother's death.
Two young men come into her life at this time. The one is a handsome, casually friendly German youth who works at the university and is completely smitten by her. The other is a brooding, blushing Englishman who has his own charm. Which one shall she choose?
The author makes the plot something of a police procedural and something of a complete mystery, keeping the reader guessing till the very end. The character arcs are finely drawn, and in general the entire novel is an absolutely perfect antidote to a boring afternoon. I would highly recommend it to any reader of mystery, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
This is not your typical cosy mystery. It is so much more. I felt as though I were in an Alphonse Mucha painting in a sense - the book is set partially in 20s Cornwall and partially in Bonn, Germany. And apart from the mystery elements, it is more of a coming of age story.
The heroine is a girl, almost a young woman, whose father sends her a very stern, remote letter, nothing like the ones he normally sends. She senses that something is wrong and travels from her grandmother's holiday home in Cornwall to her father's house in Bonn. But he has mysteriously gone missing. His letters and postcards say he is on a lecture tour, but Emma knows he would never leave town so close to her birthday, which is also the day of her mother's death.
Two young men come into her life at this time. The one is a handsome, casually friendly German youth who works at the university and is completely smitten by her. The other is a brooding, blushing Englishman who has his own charm. Which one shall she choose?
The author makes the plot something of a police procedural and something of a complete mystery, keeping the reader guessing till the very end. The character arcs are finely drawn, and in general the entire novel is an absolutely perfect antidote to a boring afternoon. I would highly recommend it to any reader of mystery, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
June 25, 2021
I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Overall: 5/5 I enjoyed reading this, the plot is richly complex, the characters are so dynamic and diverse, and the story moves quickly. I was disappointed when it ended because I wanted to keep reading! It is a translation from German so the transitions from one character to the next are sometimes abrupt, but as I’ve read other translated works this was not a problem for me. But if you are new to translated works then this will come as a shock when you find yourself suddenly reading another scene. I also liked that the author addressed some of the racism and stereotypes of the time, it’s small but there and I don’t think it detracts from the story at all. It helps understand the mindset of the 1920s in Europe. I wish that there was more description of the world around the characters, but this is not typical of other authors I’ve read from Europe, and so I’m not dinging the author for this. I’d just like to know more of what the cities looked like in 1926 Germany, Paris, and Polperro because I’ve never been to those places, and it would have been nice to have a bit more description.
Characters 5/5:
All the characters were well developed and well thought out. They are not two-dimensional in any way. The main character, Emma, grew and changed throughout the book. I never thought Emma was immature in any way, but she develops her confidence as she goes along, and she has lots of strong, female companions that help her become that confident woman she was meant to be. I also loved that Sybil grew and changed from the snotty, childish woman to someone who developed her own confidence and maturity.
Not much reader interaction happens with Professor Schumacher, but his character is developed through his daughter, Emma and his sister, Christel, as well those who worked with him.
I thought Christel and Jean-Baptist were also excellent characters along with Alexei, although I was highly suspicious of Alexei as the plot gets moving. No spoilers here, you must read for yourself to find out. Christel and Jean-Baptist were important drivers throughout the book and were strong parental-type characters for both Emma and Sybil.
I was also excited to see that Emma met James Beresford, a perfect suitor/future husband for her. I wish there had been more time to develop his character, but he is also dynamic and seems well suited for Emma. I do hope there is another book in the future to see where and what happens to these characters.
Plot 5/5:
The plot was excellently developed, complex and well thought out, and moved at a fast pace. One of the drivers was the introduction of a lot of side characters, but all are necessary for the plot and does not detract from the overall story flow. It would have been nice if the author had provided more information from the Egyptian authorities that were working on the illegal mummy trade. It was introduced early and doesn’t seem to fit until Emma meets Alphonse Meridot. The author does jump to new characters and scenes throughout to drive the plot and sometimes the transition is a bit jarring, but as a reader of other translated works, I did not find this to be an issue. I loved the complex plot and the quick pace.
Translation 5/5:
The translator did an excellent job of providing an English copy of this great cozy mystery. I was happy to see that she left Fraulein, Frau, and Herr instead of moving to the English equivalent. There are also German street/house names that have been left. But please don’t be put off, even if you don’t know any German, you can still read this with a complete understanding of the plot and characters.
Overall: 5/5 I enjoyed reading this, the plot is richly complex, the characters are so dynamic and diverse, and the story moves quickly. I was disappointed when it ended because I wanted to keep reading! It is a translation from German so the transitions from one character to the next are sometimes abrupt, but as I’ve read other translated works this was not a problem for me. But if you are new to translated works then this will come as a shock when you find yourself suddenly reading another scene. I also liked that the author addressed some of the racism and stereotypes of the time, it’s small but there and I don’t think it detracts from the story at all. It helps understand the mindset of the 1920s in Europe. I wish that there was more description of the world around the characters, but this is not typical of other authors I’ve read from Europe, and so I’m not dinging the author for this. I’d just like to know more of what the cities looked like in 1926 Germany, Paris, and Polperro because I’ve never been to those places, and it would have been nice to have a bit more description.
Characters 5/5:
All the characters were well developed and well thought out. They are not two-dimensional in any way. The main character, Emma, grew and changed throughout the book. I never thought Emma was immature in any way, but she develops her confidence as she goes along, and she has lots of strong, female companions that help her become that confident woman she was meant to be. I also loved that Sybil grew and changed from the snotty, childish woman to someone who developed her own confidence and maturity.
Not much reader interaction happens with Professor Schumacher, but his character is developed through his daughter, Emma and his sister, Christel, as well those who worked with him.
I thought Christel and Jean-Baptist were also excellent characters along with Alexei, although I was highly suspicious of Alexei as the plot gets moving. No spoilers here, you must read for yourself to find out. Christel and Jean-Baptist were important drivers throughout the book and were strong parental-type characters for both Emma and Sybil.
I was also excited to see that Emma met James Beresford, a perfect suitor/future husband for her. I wish there had been more time to develop his character, but he is also dynamic and seems well suited for Emma. I do hope there is another book in the future to see where and what happens to these characters.
Plot 5/5:
The plot was excellently developed, complex and well thought out, and moved at a fast pace. One of the drivers was the introduction of a lot of side characters, but all are necessary for the plot and does not detract from the overall story flow. It would have been nice if the author had provided more information from the Egyptian authorities that were working on the illegal mummy trade. It was introduced early and doesn’t seem to fit until Emma meets Alphonse Meridot. The author does jump to new characters and scenes throughout to drive the plot and sometimes the transition is a bit jarring, but as a reader of other translated works, I did not find this to be an issue. I loved the complex plot and the quick pace.
Translation 5/5:
The translator did an excellent job of providing an English copy of this great cozy mystery. I was happy to see that she left Fraulein, Frau, and Herr instead of moving to the English equivalent. There are also German street/house names that have been left. But please don’t be put off, even if you don’t know any German, you can still read this with a complete understanding of the plot and characters.
June 29, 2021
Emma Schumacher spends most of the year with her grandmother and Aunt Sybil in Cornwall, England. Her father works as a professor of Egyptology in Bonn, Germany, where Emma visits him each October for her birthday and the anniversary of her mother's death. Her father's letters are usually filled with news about his latest archeological finds and her upcoming visit. But in summer 1926, they change drastically, becoming shorter and no longer planning her yearly trip. Finally, they dwindle down to postcards with little information. Emma becomes alarmed and returns to Germany where she is unable to find her father. Reports of him making outrageous statements to collectors and archeologists while on a museum tour mystify her and her family. Finally, she takes off on a journey to find her father and discover what has happened to him. Has he developed dementia? Is someone impersonating him? Is he alive? Read this unsettling story to find the answer.
July 23, 2021
The Missing Professor was a delightful read set in the world of 1920s Egyptology. As many other reviews have already given a summary of the book, I’ll just add that the story clipped along at a nice pace with mystery, intrigue, and romance all intertwined. I found myself speculating both on the “who done it” (with whom did the professor get mixed up and where did he go), and the “who shipping” (with whom would Emma end up - James, Anton, or Siegfried). I wasn’t disappointed with the resolution of either question, but I would have loved to read a little more about the inhabitants of Arndtstraße 13a after the mystery was solved.
July 7, 2021
I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
I haven't read many cozy mysteries, so this is really my introduction to the genre. And I discovered I really like it! In fact, I look forward to reading additional stories in this series.
The fact that this story is set in the 1920s in England and Germany makes it more interesting for me, as I'm a Europhile, so this was perfect for me! The story revolves around a young woman and her older German father who is a professor of Egyptology. Her young English mother died some years earlier on her birthday, and although Emma (the young woman) now lives mostly with her English grandmother in Cornwall, she also visits her father in Bonn regularly, at least once a year for several weeks to celebrate her birthday, and commemorate her mother's death. But this all starts to change when she starts getting strange letters from her father that are very unlike him. Emma decides to go to Bonn as usual, only to discover her father has gone missing!
The book has a plethora of characters, most of them unusually well developed, but some of the interjections of scenes with new characters I did find a bit confusing, if not puzzling. Once I kept reading, however, everything eventually became clear.
I liked the fact that most of the characters were quite amiable, and even the ones who weren't were not noticeably so until later in the plot development. That makes for a pleasant and yet suspenseful read!
I haven't read many cozy mysteries, so this is really my introduction to the genre. And I discovered I really like it! In fact, I look forward to reading additional stories in this series.
The fact that this story is set in the 1920s in England and Germany makes it more interesting for me, as I'm a Europhile, so this was perfect for me! The story revolves around a young woman and her older German father who is a professor of Egyptology. Her young English mother died some years earlier on her birthday, and although Emma (the young woman) now lives mostly with her English grandmother in Cornwall, she also visits her father in Bonn regularly, at least once a year for several weeks to celebrate her birthday, and commemorate her mother's death. But this all starts to change when she starts getting strange letters from her father that are very unlike him. Emma decides to go to Bonn as usual, only to discover her father has gone missing!
The book has a plethora of characters, most of them unusually well developed, but some of the interjections of scenes with new characters I did find a bit confusing, if not puzzling. Once I kept reading, however, everything eventually became clear.
I liked the fact that most of the characters were quite amiable, and even the ones who weren't were not noticeably so until later in the plot development. That makes for a pleasant and yet suspenseful read!
October 4, 2021
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2021/10/04/4-...
The Missing Professor by Andrea Instone and translated to English by Rachel Reynolds is a detective and crime novel set in 1926 with lots of twists and turns and several characters who were often difficult to sort out. There were similar names (too many last names started with M) and those in similar fields that it took a while to get everyone straight. The story takes place in England and Germany, and there are beautifully written descriptions that made me feel like I was there.
Emma lives in England with her maternal grandmother and aunt while her father and his sister live in Germany, where she grew up until her mother’s death. Emma and her father see each other once a year for her birthday and to be together to remember her mother’s death. Her father is a professor of some renown whose specialty is Egyptian artifacts.
When Emma receives a letter from her father that doesn’t seem like his handwriting, she starts to worry for a few reasons. When weeks go by, and no one hears from him except for receiving more correspondence that’s out of character, she decides to head to Germany and see what’s going on.
As the timeline is built to determine when Emma’s father was last seen and by whom, we get into the nitty-gritty of the story. Emma plays sleuth too many times to count and is always in the thick of things. Her investigation doesn’t endear her to many of the characters whose paths she crosses.
Many characters have a depth to them, but also many have unsavory sides. Quite a few people are going in and out of her aunt’s house in Germany, and Emma doesn’t know who to trust but seems to always share what she’s learned about the disappearance and missing artifacts with everyone she comes in contact with.
When the police start looking for her father’s whereabouts, they feel there may be a darker side to him. Emma and her aunt don’t want to believe it’s true, but what will the police uncover? The story has clues and red herrings throughout, and you have to sift through them to find out the true meaning behind some of the details left behind.
Many storylines are being woven together that add layers to the story. Multiple crimes are being committed, secrets, injuries and illness, fear, anger, investigations, interviews, lots of food, and gatherings with friends and family along with some romance. There is closure with solving the crimes but enough loose ends to bring us to further books in the series.
Ms. Instone is a new-to-me author. The Missing Professor is the first book that was translated into English, and there are twelve books in the German series. I hope more will be translated and that I get a chance to read them.
https://novelsalive.com/2021/10/04/4-...
The Missing Professor by Andrea Instone and translated to English by Rachel Reynolds is a detective and crime novel set in 1926 with lots of twists and turns and several characters who were often difficult to sort out. There were similar names (too many last names started with M) and those in similar fields that it took a while to get everyone straight. The story takes place in England and Germany, and there are beautifully written descriptions that made me feel like I was there.
Emma lives in England with her maternal grandmother and aunt while her father and his sister live in Germany, where she grew up until her mother’s death. Emma and her father see each other once a year for her birthday and to be together to remember her mother’s death. Her father is a professor of some renown whose specialty is Egyptian artifacts.
When Emma receives a letter from her father that doesn’t seem like his handwriting, she starts to worry for a few reasons. When weeks go by, and no one hears from him except for receiving more correspondence that’s out of character, she decides to head to Germany and see what’s going on.
As the timeline is built to determine when Emma’s father was last seen and by whom, we get into the nitty-gritty of the story. Emma plays sleuth too many times to count and is always in the thick of things. Her investigation doesn’t endear her to many of the characters whose paths she crosses.
Many characters have a depth to them, but also many have unsavory sides. Quite a few people are going in and out of her aunt’s house in Germany, and Emma doesn’t know who to trust but seems to always share what she’s learned about the disappearance and missing artifacts with everyone she comes in contact with.
When the police start looking for her father’s whereabouts, they feel there may be a darker side to him. Emma and her aunt don’t want to believe it’s true, but what will the police uncover? The story has clues and red herrings throughout, and you have to sift through them to find out the true meaning behind some of the details left behind.
Many storylines are being woven together that add layers to the story. Multiple crimes are being committed, secrets, injuries and illness, fear, anger, investigations, interviews, lots of food, and gatherings with friends and family along with some romance. There is closure with solving the crimes but enough loose ends to bring us to further books in the series.
Ms. Instone is a new-to-me author. The Missing Professor is the first book that was translated into English, and there are twelve books in the German series. I hope more will be translated and that I get a chance to read them.
October 30, 2017
Nach dem frühen Tod ihrer Mutter lebt die junge Emma bei ihrer Großmutter in Cornwall und besucht regelmässig ihren deutschen Vater in Bonn. Doch im Sommer 1926 kommt alles anders als geplant. Der Vater, ein renommierter Professor für Ägyptologie, schreibt plötzlich seltsame Briefe, die gar nicht nach seiner üblichen Korrespondenz klingen und Emma wird misstrauisch. Sie reist nach Bonn um ihren Vater zu treffen, nur um festzustellen, dass er schon seit einigen Wochen verschwunden ist.
Gemeinsam mit ihren beiden Tanten macht sich Emma auf die Suche nach dem Vater und das Abenteuer nimmt seinen Lauf. Unterwegs finden sich einige junge Herren ein, die ihr nur allzu gerne bei der Suche helfen und mit denen die schüchterne Emma zunächst gar nichts anfangen kann. Im Laufe des Buches wird Emma aber allmählich erwachsen und entwickelt nach und nach ein gewisses Selbstbewusstsein. Man ahnt schon in diesem ersten Buch, dass sie ihren eigenen Weg gehen wird und man freut sich bereits darauf, diesen weiter zu begleiten, denn der Erscheinungstermin für den zweiten Band um Emma Schumacher ist bereits angekündigt.
Der Debütroman von Andrea Instone hat mir sehr gut gefallen - unterhaltsam, spannend und leicht zu lesen, dabei aber nicht kitschig oder banal. Ein bisschen Romanze, viel Krimi und eine Prise Emanzipation geben eine gute Mischung ab und die Lektüre wird nicht langweilig. Was ich besonders mag: der historische Hintergrund ist gut recherchiert und die Autorin achtet sehr auch auf zeitgemässe Sprache, was bei historischen Romanen oft vernachlässig wird.
Auf jeden Fall eine sehr empfehlenswerte Lektüre für alle, die "cozy" Krimis lieben, die ohne drastische Brutalität und blutrünstige Details auskommen und dennoch spannend sind.
April 29, 2022
Unaufgeregt und doch spannend. Angenehmes Lesevergnügen
January 23, 2026
3.5 stars. I read the English translated version by Clevo Books and felt the translation was a bit clunky. But it was lovely to read a book set in my beloved Bonn!
June 22, 2021
Natürlich gebe ich dem eigenen Buch fünf Sterne :-D Wenn ich es nicht mag, wer sonst? Was aber mag ich daran? Vor allem anderen, dass es eine Kriminalgeschichte erzählt, wie ich sie als passionierte Leserin gerne lese, wenn es nicht die Klassiker sind. Eine Geschichte, die sich laut vorlesen lässt, die einen begleitet, aber nicht (zu sehr) verstört, die mich nicht von einer Begebenheit zur nächsten hetzt. Ich mag Geschichten, die mir Zeit für den Weg geben, mich auf feine Details hinweisen und mir Charaktere vorführen, denen ich ein "echtes" Leben zutraue. Und ich hoffe, glaube, denke, dass ich genau das geschafft habe.
October 24, 2025
This book also didn’t disappoint me! It was such a well written crime book with lots of plot twists and connections between the characters that didn’t think of at the beginning. But what I also like about Andrea Instone’s books is that she describes the times so well with the values and traditions and thoughts of the people back then. I’m really grateful for her books and am already excited to read the next one.
August 6, 2021
Interestingly Different
I enjoyed reading about facts pertaining to Egyptian artifacts
and history behind it was not boring at all I hope you give it a try
I enjoyed reading about facts pertaining to Egyptian artifacts
and history behind it was not boring at all I hope you give it a try
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews