Today I am handing over to the lovely Lucy V Hay, who has reviewed a book set in Germany.
So, as part of Rachel’s World Cup tour, I am now
kicking that ball (?!? I have no clue about sport, can you tell!!) in favour of
Germany via the brilliant FEAR by Dirk Kurbjuweit.
A psychological thriller about stalking, the narrative loosely resembles
the author’s own experience. You can tell. FEAR feels as authentic as it
is dark.
Apparently, German
opinion was split on the book – and if you like to read others’ reviews (I
do!), you can see that has been replicated on Goodreads with the English
version. It’s not hard to see why, because it mines a VERY contentious question
as its source: is there such a thing as ‘justifiable homicide’?
I adore a good ‘Marmite’ book, so FEAR ticks all the
boxes for me. I was
lucky enough to get my grubby paws on an ARC last summer. I found it to be an
enthralling read, with three-dimensional characterisation and thought-provoking
themes with NO easy answers.
I’m
also a script editor for movies, so plotting and structure has to keep me
engaged. This book does not disappoint: the pace of the tale rockets along,
without ever once becoming convoluted or meandering. I loved how all the layers
of the stories were exposed, one by one – it’s agonising!!!
But
it’s the thematic element that really grabbed me and keeps me thinking about
it, nearly a year after reading it. The author poses questions on the nature of
culpability; class; mental health; abuse; marriage breakdown and more. Even
amidst these weighty issues, the story is never overpowered.
For
me, I think this book is something special because it takes our own
assumptions, prejudices and expectations and not only turns them upside down,
but inside out!
Be
warned … If you’re not keen on stories about the true nature of violence, then
this book is not for you. If you like cathartic tales of revenge, then again
this is not for you. FEAR is much more about what lead to the crime, plus its
aftermath and the consequences everyone must deal with because of it.
But
if you like intelligent crime fiction that will grab in the gut and keep you
thinking MONTHS after reading, then FEAR by Dirk Kurbjuweit is a SCORE!
Thank you so much Lucy, for this great review of Fear. If you love the sound of it you can purchase from Amazon UK.
BIO: Lucy V. Hay is a novelist, script editor and blogger who helps writers via her Bang2write consultancy. Her crime novel with Orenda Books, THE OTHER TWIN debuted in 2017 and featured in The Sun and Sunday Express Newspapers, plus Heatworld and Closer Magazine. Her YA novel, PROOF POSITIVE, came out on May 28th with Littwitz Press. Check out all her books, HERE.
