Stasi Child: A Karin Müller Thriller - Hardcover

Young, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250121752 ISBN 13: 9781250121752

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2017

Synopsis

David Young's chillingly intricate Stasi Child was A London Times “Crime Book of the Month” and a Telegraph Pick of the Week.

1975: When Oberleutnant Karin Muller is called to investigate a teenage girl's body at the foot of the Berlin Wall, she imagines she's seen it all before. But she soon realizes that this is a death like no other before it - the girl was evidently trying to escape from West Berlin.

As a member of the People's Police, Muller's power in East Germany only stretches so far. The Ministry for State Security, the Stasi, assures her the case is closed, all they need to know is the girl's name. Yet they strongly discourage her from asking questions. The evidence doesn't add up, and it soon becomes clear the crime scene has been staged. But this regime does not tolerate curious minds, and it takes Müller too long to realize that the trail she's been following may lead her dangerously close to home ...

About this title

About the Author:

DAVID YOUNG was born near Hull, England and--after dropping out of Bristol University--studied Humanities at Bristol Polytechnic. Temporary jobs cleaning ferry toilets and driving a butcher's van were followed by a career in journalism with provincial newspapers, a London news agency, and international radio and TV newsrooms. He now writes in his garden shed and in his spare time supports Hull City AFC. He is the author of Stasi Wolf.

Review:

"Outstanding...Fans of Martin Cruz Smith’s Arkady Renko will welcome Müller."―Publishers Weekly (starred)

"Chilling" ―Daily Telegraph (UK)

"Extremely engaging" ―Sunday Express (UK)

"Can't get enough cold-war Germany after Deutschland 83? This is your latest reading companion" ―Shortlist

"Deft, assured storytelling, a compelling new detective and a fascinating setting―I was up late to finish it!" ―Gilly Macmillan, author of What She Knew

"One of the best reads I’ve had in ages. With its masterful intertwining of dual storylines and its stark portrayal of life behind the Berlin Wall, this is a cracking debut." ―David Jackson, bestselling author of Cry Baby

"Deep and dark, this debut is utterly gripping, sucking you in straight from the get go . . . a corker of an ending. Superb." ―Nikki Owen, author of The Spider in the Corner of the Room

"Young has recreated excellently the fear and paranoia that permeated East German society . . . I really liked this novel and strongly recommend it." ―The Crime Warp

"If, like me, you have enjoyed the Soviet-based crime fiction of authors such as Martin Cruz Smith, William Ryan, Tom Rob Smith or Sam Eastland, this will prove itself an absolute must-read . . . Young has more than proved that his name will be one to watch in the future with this powerful, well-researched and intriguing thriller. A highly recommended debut." ―Raven Crime Reads

"I was in awe whilst reading this novel. David Young manages to capture beautifully the sense of place . . . This is a terrific crime read; with its insight into a bygone era and a fascinating political slant." ―Northern Crime

"Gripping. The personal and criminal elements are both immediately engaging and well paced. The threads ultimately coalesce to form an astonishingly powerful depiction of life in a totalitarian state and the ending is stunning." ―Buried Under Books

"A promising debut, an astutely considered novel of detection and place, redolent of dread, paranoia and suspicion. If you are a fan of Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series, this will appeal. Though it's stylistically more sober than Kerr's noirish novels, the Berlin background is just as authentically realized. Young demonstrates he has not only a fine heroine but a nice eye for action, claustrophobic detail and a lurking, just-under-control sense of the gothic."--The Australian, ARTS

"A self-confessed obsessive , Young's period detail--what kind of tire tracks Stasi official's cars left--is impressive." --New Zealand Herald

About this edition

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1250121752
• ISBN 13: 9781250121752
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416