What a wonderful surprise to find that the book is set in the Taunus region of Hesse, the state I called home for 8 years. Thankfully though I didn’t encounter the small town mentality that prevails in these pages.
Tobias Sartorius has just been released from prison after serving a sentence for the murder of his beautiful girlfriend, nicknamed Snow White and a childhood friend, Laura. While in jail, his parents split up but his father chooses to remain at his once buzzing, now ramshackle and unfrequented village pub and restaurant. Tobias courageously returns home and begins to a restoration project. He is not welcome, his presence stirring up unsavoury memories of the past. The Sartorius family are subjected to a number of vicious attacks which bring the police back to the village. Then another young girl, a outsider who has befriended Tobias, goes missing and it seems as if history is repeating itself ….
I enjoyed this read for many reasons: location, location, location. I booked a summer tour of Hesse as soon as I finished the book, obviously my memories are nowhere near as traumatic as those involved in the narrative. The puzzles involved in uncovering the identity of the real criminals were quite complex and I admired the control Neuhaus displayed keeping the knowledge of reader and police in synch. I did get an inkling just a few pages before the revelations but not sufficiently in advance to spoil the suspense.
I have to say that the details of British life in this German thriller were very acutely observed, whether that be in descriptions of life in wartime London, on a Yorkshire farm or contemporary life in a northern town. Tobler’s translation is seamless. In fact, I downloaded the German text as I was curious to see how these authentic northern accents had been rendered in German!
There are two murders to solve. Same modus operandi but one murderer or two? As the investigation proceeds, the layers of the thoughtless and indifferent past are uncovered alongside the truly chilling fate of the eponymous other child. I could weep.
I did, however, see through the smoke and mirrors quite early on with regards to both murders. However, a number of really absorbing psychological portraits more than made up for that.
Both Neuhaus and Link are superstars in Germany, having sold millions upon millions of copies between them. These are the first works to be translated into English and I’m delighted there are further translations to appear later this year. A second edition of German Ladythrillers is a dead cert.
Snow White Must Die (translated Steven T Murray) 
The Other Child (translated Stefan Tobler) 
Glad you enjoyed these. I have only read one of Neuhaus’ novels so far but a lot of Charlotte Link. I think she is the superior writer. The Other Child is a mix of the two genres she writes, historical and crime. I haven’t read it yet but I’m sure it’s very good. She is very prolific.
I want to read The Other Child now
Hello! I’m curious too – how are the northern accents rendered in German? Intriguing!
That’s just it, they’re not. Proof, if ever I saw it, of a translator’s creativity rendering a text authentic in the translated language.
Ha, fantastic! And an interesting case – as if CL’s text were the translation and Tobler’s the reverse-engineered original. Accents are notoriously difficult to render in other languages – probably wise of Charlotte Link not to try.
Oh, this one was already on my tbr list, but now I’m even more eager!
I was already intrigued by Snow White Must Die having seen another blog reviewing it, but now I need to know more about The Other Child as well – thank you!
snow white must die is such a great title I think ,all the best stu