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Pahantekijä (1999)

by Petra Hammesfahr(Favorite Author)

3.51 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

9511198262 (ISBN13: 9789511198260)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

Otava

review 1: The German writer Petra Hammesfahr has been likened to Patricia Highsmith, and this novel has all the darkness and psychosis of the latter’s oeuvre. A young mother, Cora Bender, seemingly content with her husband and little son, suddenly stabs out at a man in a beach as he makes out with his wife, and kills him brutally. She then admits her crime to the policemen who show up and requests them not to waste time investigating the murder. But the investigating detective is baffled by her statement that she hasn’t seen the man before; when she refuses to explain her motive, he.begins to dig deeper. And once again we see the awful consequences of religious fundamentalism on a growing child, We learn what an awful upbringing Cora had, with her mother suffused with rigorous p... moreiety, her father feckless and incapable of supporting her, her younger sister so badly ill that she is in and out of hospitals. As she grows up, she faces the constant contempt of her mother; her sister then begins to live life vicariously through her, even going so far as to attempt to persuade Cora into prostitution. When a flashy boy comes to town, she falls in love with him, and finds herself among a crowd that seeks sex and drugs, which inevitably leads to tragedy. Perhaps it is this tragedy that has coloured her life, and the demons that were driven deep into her psyche suddenly emerged on that beach that sunny day and caused her to kill? This is a top-notch study of psychological trauma and faith, revealing that just as blind faith can destroy, faith in the fundamental goodness in people can save.
review 2: Originally written in German, this British translator did an impeccable job creating this English version. It held none of the awkward, clunky phrases or incorrect vocabulary that plagues so much of translated fiction. It is a very British translation though, so perhaps that is why the book hasn’t garnered much attention in America as some readers may find the Britishisms alienating. The crime itself isn’t the mystery here in this thriller - the murder happens in the very first scene of the book. But the way the author unfolds the motive behind the crime is where the real thrills and tension are revealed - in an impeccably masterful fashion. At first, the pace is maddeningly slow, as you are just as anxiously asking why along with the police and family of the main character. This unsettling, completely gripping psychological thriller ranks among the top of its sub-genre. As more and more strings fall into place, the book quickly becomes impossible to put down - needless to say, I loved the book! I hope that more of Hammesfahr’s books are translated into English (and by the same translator, too) - I can’t wait to read them! less

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