Publishers Weekly
05/02/2016
Linda Conrads, the narrator of German author Raabe’s suspenseful if flawed first novel, hasn’t left her home near Munich in the 11 years since the stabbing murder of her sister, Anna. She actually caught a glimpse of a man leaving the crime scene, and when she sees journalist Victor Lenzen on TV, she’s certain that he’s the man who killed Anna. Linda, who’s a celebrity author, begins to plan a trap that involves a new novel based on the murder. Interviews with her are in high demand, so she arranges for Victor to interview her, but as Linda and Victor engage in cat-and-mouse exchanges, she often second-guesses herself. Victor seems to be exactly who he claims to be: a successful journalist who’s certainly no killer. Excerpts from Linda’s novel give insight into the events leading up to the crime. The tension rises, but the final revelation is a letdown that diminishes the otherwise taut storytelling. Agent: David Forrer, Inkwell Management. (July)
From the Publisher
"This one has everything: intriguing characters, a great sense of place that grounds the action, and a devious and enthralling plot."—The Globe and Mail
"In a crisp translation from the German by Imogen Taylor, Raabe delivers on a sly premise."—Seattle Times
"A fast, twisty read for fans of Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn."—Booklist
"If you think you know what's going on in this winding psychological thriller, you're probably wrong...[a] Misery-in-reverse story."—Elle, "11 of the Best Books to Read in July"
"Intricately constructed... nicely done twists and turns."—Kirkus Reviews
"A complex, amazingly written book that deals with the subject of walking the line between sanity and insanity based on one dreadful night that changes a life forever....An excellent job in all facets of storytelling from plot to characters to tone, this one definitely deserves the full 5-stars!"—Suspense Magazine
"Suspenseful...taut storytelling."—Publishers Weekly
"[An] impressive debut...very artfully told-this is an enjoyable read which shows that the line between madness and genius is sometimes very thin."—True Viral News, "If You Liked Girl on a Train You'll Love These"
"A superb psychological thriller with a storyline that will have you hooked. Not suitable for sensitive constitutions."—AR (Spain)
"A real literary phenomenon."—Mía (Spain)
Library Journal - Audio
12/01/2016
A reclusive and agoraphobic best-selling author, Linda Conrads sees a picture of the individual she has been searching for years to find—the man she saw leaving the scene of her sister's murder. She sets a complex trap to get a confession out of the man, resolving to use the plot of her next novel to lay an irresistible trap for him. With events from Linda's past and present interspersed with the novel inside this novel, listeners must pay close attention—the end is worth the wait. Julie Teal's heart-wrenching performance is simply magnificent. VERDICT This emotional roller coaster will appeal to listeners who enjoy character-driven suspense, especially those who relish the concept of a book within a book.—Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania
Library Journal
11/15/2015
Best-selling author Linda Conrads, star of first-time German author Raabe's intricate thriller, spots the man who fled the scene of her sister's murder and sets up a plot in her next novel to entrap him. With movie rights to TriStar Pictures and a 100,000-copy first printing.
Kirkus Reviews
2016-04-13
German author Raabe puts together an intricately constructed story featuring a woman haunted by her sister's death. Linda Conrads, a bestselling author who writes lyrical prose, is tormented by a dark and terrible burden: her sister, Anna, was murdered more than a decade ago. Linda caught a glimpse of her sister's killer and has been unable to cope with life ever since. She retreated to a home that's both a fortress and a hideaway and hasn't left it in years, stirring much speculation among her readers. Then one night Linda recognizes a well-known television journalist as her sister's killer and decides to set a trap for him. She immerses herself in research and uncharacteristically writes a crime thriller in which she describes her sister's murder. Then she invites the man to her home to interview her; it's an invitation he cannot turn down—the press has been dying to interview the reclusive author—and the game to extract a confession out of him begins. Raabe has a good idea: take a reclusive author and have her dangle herself as bait, but despite the intriguing premise, the novel's hard to read for many reasons. The dialogue is ponderous and clunky. The characters are never fully developed. There's a lot of padding and verbal throat-clearing before Raabe gets to the long game, and when she does, readers will be confounded at the execution of Linda's plan, which includes writing an entire novel in order to trap the man she thinks of as the bad guy. There's also a story within the story, as the reader also has to plough through Linda's lackluster novel, which is interwoven with the main tale. The result is anything but thrilling. Despite the nicely done twists and turns, this melodramatic mess is hard to love.
