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Vsako leto na odprtem morju med križarjenji brez sledu izgine okoli dvajset ljudi. Še nikoli se ni nihče vrnil. Do zdaj …
Policijski psiholog Martin Schwartz je pred petimi leti izgubil ženo in sina. Izginila sta med počitnicami na čezoceanki Sultan morij – tedaj mu ni znal nihče povedati, kaj se je pravzaprav zgodilo. Martin je od takrat duševna razvalina in poskuša kot tajni agent otopiti svoje čute s smrtno nevarnimi nalogami.
Sredi neke intervencije ga pokliče nenavadna starejša dama, ki se predstavi kot pisateljica srhljivk: pove mu, da mora takoj priti na krov Sultana, ker je našla dokaze o tem, kaj je doletelo njegovo družino. Martin ni želel nikoli več stopiti na ladjo – vendar kljub temu sledi namigu in izve, da se je deklica, ki je izginila z ladje že pred tedni, znova pojavila. Z medvedkom njegovega sina v rokah ...
http://felix.si/kriminalke/11400-trii...
Policijski psiholog Martin Schwartz je pred petimi leti izgubil ženo in sina. Izginila sta med počitnicami na čezoceanki Sultan morij – tedaj mu ni znal nihče povedati, kaj se je pravzaprav zgodilo. Martin je od takrat duševna razvalina in poskuša kot tajni agent otopiti svoje čute s smrtno nevarnimi nalogami.
Sredi neke intervencije ga pokliče nenavadna starejša dama, ki se predstavi kot pisateljica srhljivk: pove mu, da mora takoj priti na krov Sultana, ker je našla dokaze o tem, kaj je doletelo njegovo družino. Martin ni želel nikoli več stopiti na ladjo – vendar kljub temu sledi namigu in izve, da se je deklica, ki je izginila z ladje že pred tedni, znova pojavila. Z medvedkom njegovega sina v rokah ...
http://felix.si/kriminalke/11400-trii...
372 pages
First published October 14, 2014
About the author
Sebastian Fitzek
88 books5,631 followersSebastian Fitzek was born in Berlin in 1971. After going to law school and being promoted to LL.D., he decided against a juridical profession for a creative occupation in the media. After the traineeship at a private radio station he switched to the competition as head of entertainment and became chief editor later on, thereafter becoming an independent executive consultant and format developer for numerous media companies in Europe. He lives in Berlin and is currently working in the programme management of a major capital radio station.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,237 reviews
January 24, 2019
Man könnte über das Buch sagen, dass
- durch die kompakten Kapitel und die kurzen Sätze in dem Buch eine Rasanz vermittelt wird,
- dass sich durch die vulgäre primitive Sprache eine Authentizität bei den wenig normalen, mit persönlichen Defiziten belegten Figuren entsteht,
- dass durch die detailreiche Schilderung von Gewalt und Perversität eine natürliche Spannung entsteht,
- durch die unzähligen Plottwists man sich prima unterhalten fühlt,
- durch die Verdrehung des Rollenbildes von Opfer und Täter der Autor mutige neue Wege beschreitet und dabei Tabuthemen, wie die Rolle der Frau als Täter anspricht,
- dass durch das Weglassen von atmosphärischen Beschreibung der Orte eine vollständige Konzentration auf die Handlung möglich ist.
Ich sage aber, dass
- dass das mit Abstand der schlechteste Fitzek ist, den ich bislang gelesen habe
- dass das Merkmal eines Psychothriller die angedeuteten Beschreibungen von Ängsten ist und dieses Buch dem Leser keine Raum für Phatansie lässt, wenn Folter und Vergewaltigung im Detail beschrieben werden. Das Buch gehört für mich eher in den Bereich Horror, den es geht ums das nackte Überleben in vielen Sequenzen. Fitzek sagt im Nachwort, dass es kein Psychothriller, sondern ein Familienbuch ist. Da fehlen mir die Worte.
- dass hier ein ganz verquerstes Frauenbild gezeichnet wird. Es gibt wirklich keine einzige normale weibliche Person in dem ganzen Buch. Es sind Täterinnen, Vergewaltigerinnen, Mörderinnen, Psychopathinnen, verstörte Mädchen, Gewaltopfer, Vergewaltigungsopfer etc. Dazwischen pendeln ahnungslose Männer umher wie blauäugige Staffagen,
- dass der Autor nicht in der Lage ist, eine Atmosphäre herzustellen, Orte zu beschreiben, den Leser in einen anderen Raum zu versetzen, den Personen einen Charakter zu geben, die Geschichten hinter den Handelnden zu erläutern. Es geht nur um Schnelligkeit und um das bewusste in die Irre führen des Lesers. Man wird das Gefühl nicht los, dass es dem Autor Spaß macht, mit immer noch einer Wendung und noch einer Absurdität den letzten Rest an Realismus aus der Geschichte herauszuschreiben, nur für den Effekt, dass sich der Leser am Ende wundert über die ach so erstaunliche Auflösung. Das ist für mich billige Effekthascherei, Pulp Fiction, aber es ist dann teilweise so wieder hanebüchen, dass ich es in einem Rutsch durchlesen musste, weil ich es kaum glauben konnte.
Bislang habe ich Fitzek als zumindest annehmbaren Autor von Psychothrillern kennen gelernt. Ob Nachtwandler, Therapie oder Splitter, es ging immer um einzelne Menschen und ihre verquerte Wahrnehmung der Tatsachen aufgrund psychischer Störungen oder anderweitige Eingriffe in ihr Leben. Man konnte eine Beziehungen zu den Hauptpersonen aufbauen und mit ihnen durch das Buch leiden. Das geht dem Passagier 23 völlig ab. Und dabei hätte man aus der Grundidee einer Kreuzfahrt mit dem Verschwinden von Menschen so viel an atmosphärischer Spannung auf einem Schiff mit unzähligen Gängen und Menschen, ohne die Möglichkeit zur Flucht, machen können. Stattdessen Gewaltpornographie und vergewaltigte Kinder. Das ist nicht mein Ding.
- durch die kompakten Kapitel und die kurzen Sätze in dem Buch eine Rasanz vermittelt wird,
- dass sich durch die vulgäre primitive Sprache eine Authentizität bei den wenig normalen, mit persönlichen Defiziten belegten Figuren entsteht,
- dass durch die detailreiche Schilderung von Gewalt und Perversität eine natürliche Spannung entsteht,
- durch die unzähligen Plottwists man sich prima unterhalten fühlt,
- durch die Verdrehung des Rollenbildes von Opfer und Täter der Autor mutige neue Wege beschreitet und dabei Tabuthemen, wie die Rolle der Frau als Täter anspricht,
- dass durch das Weglassen von atmosphärischen Beschreibung der Orte eine vollständige Konzentration auf die Handlung möglich ist.
Ich sage aber, dass
- dass das mit Abstand der schlechteste Fitzek ist, den ich bislang gelesen habe
- dass das Merkmal eines Psychothriller die angedeuteten Beschreibungen von Ängsten ist und dieses Buch dem Leser keine Raum für Phatansie lässt, wenn Folter und Vergewaltigung im Detail beschrieben werden. Das Buch gehört für mich eher in den Bereich Horror, den es geht ums das nackte Überleben in vielen Sequenzen. Fitzek sagt im Nachwort, dass es kein Psychothriller, sondern ein Familienbuch ist. Da fehlen mir die Worte.
- dass hier ein ganz verquerstes Frauenbild gezeichnet wird. Es gibt wirklich keine einzige normale weibliche Person in dem ganzen Buch. Es sind Täterinnen, Vergewaltigerinnen, Mörderinnen, Psychopathinnen, verstörte Mädchen, Gewaltopfer, Vergewaltigungsopfer etc. Dazwischen pendeln ahnungslose Männer umher wie blauäugige Staffagen,
- dass der Autor nicht in der Lage ist, eine Atmosphäre herzustellen, Orte zu beschreiben, den Leser in einen anderen Raum zu versetzen, den Personen einen Charakter zu geben, die Geschichten hinter den Handelnden zu erläutern. Es geht nur um Schnelligkeit und um das bewusste in die Irre führen des Lesers. Man wird das Gefühl nicht los, dass es dem Autor Spaß macht, mit immer noch einer Wendung und noch einer Absurdität den letzten Rest an Realismus aus der Geschichte herauszuschreiben, nur für den Effekt, dass sich der Leser am Ende wundert über die ach so erstaunliche Auflösung. Das ist für mich billige Effekthascherei, Pulp Fiction, aber es ist dann teilweise so wieder hanebüchen, dass ich es in einem Rutsch durchlesen musste, weil ich es kaum glauben konnte.
Bislang habe ich Fitzek als zumindest annehmbaren Autor von Psychothrillern kennen gelernt. Ob Nachtwandler, Therapie oder Splitter, es ging immer um einzelne Menschen und ihre verquerte Wahrnehmung der Tatsachen aufgrund psychischer Störungen oder anderweitige Eingriffe in ihr Leben. Man konnte eine Beziehungen zu den Hauptpersonen aufbauen und mit ihnen durch das Buch leiden. Das geht dem Passagier 23 völlig ab. Und dabei hätte man aus der Grundidee einer Kreuzfahrt mit dem Verschwinden von Menschen so viel an atmosphärischer Spannung auf einem Schiff mit unzähligen Gängen und Menschen, ohne die Möglichkeit zur Flucht, machen können. Stattdessen Gewaltpornographie und vergewaltigte Kinder. Das ist nicht mein Ding.
March 11, 2021
Now I've finally read my first Fitzek. This author has so many enthusiastic fans, but also a not entirely insignificant number of critics. I'm afraid I won't be able to join the group of fans.
I found this novel raw and gross. In language, in storyline, in the character drawing, in everything.
For example, the author tried to express the eccentricity of an almost 80-year-old wealthy entrepreneur's widow by making her say things like "I'll go and push a piece of dirt out of my back" (p.58) The lady had to go to toilet and didn't have the slightest inhibitions to throw this phrase at a man she hardly knew. This is not even remotely eccentric, it's just vulgar.
The cruise ship is under the direction of a captain whose personality structure is not even suited to command a pedal boat and no shipowner interested in the success of his ship would hire such a man as a captain.
Of course the shipowner is a Russian mobster who keeps his employees on track by blackmailing them (Fitzek probably doesn't do anything less interesting).
The protagonist is a suicidal police officer with a severe post-traumatic stress disorder, but of course he is still fully engaged in his job as an undercover investigator, where he pulls off completely crazy actions that no halfway sane supervisor would approve of. Fortunately, if he feels like pursuing his private obsessions, he can leave his job abruptly without any further consequences. But that's the way it is with the German police. Everything is done for the well-being of the employees.
Of course there is a lot of violence and cruelty, most of it completely unnecessary. And I didn't talk about the plot at all, which can be described as more than stupid. Or the characters, each of whom is an exaggerated stereotype.
In a thriller you want to be entertained in an exciting way. Nobody expects an insane proximity to reality. But such an exaggeration of the characters and such a idiotic plot can hardly be tolerated by even the most undemanding reader. Nobody expects a particularly poetic language from a thriller, but here the author writes on a scrapbook level. On the other hand, the language goes very well with the rest of the novel.
I don't know if you noticed, but I didn't like this book at all. My expectations of the most successful German thriller writer had actually been different.
1 star.
----------------------------------------
Nun habe ich endlich auch meinen ersten Fitzek gelesen. Dieser Autor hat so viele begeisterte Fans, aber auch eine nicht vollkommen unerhebliche Anzahl von Kritikern. Ich befürchte, dass ich mich nicht in die Gruppe der Fans einreihen kann.
Ich habe diesen Roman als roh und grob empfunden. In der Sprache, in der Storyline, in der Charakterzeichnung, in allem.
Der Autor möchte beispielsweise die Exzentrität einer fast 80-jährigen wohlhabenden Unternehmerswitwe zum Ausdruck bringen, indem er sie Dinge sagen lässt wie „Ich geh mir mal ein Stück Dreck aus dem Rücken drücken.“ (S.58) Die Dame musste mal und hatte keine Hemmungen diesen Spruch einem nahezu unbekannten Mann an den Kopf zu werfen. Das ist nicht mal ansatzweise exzentrisch, das ist schlicht vulgär.
Das Kreuzfahrschiff steht unter Leitung eines Kapitäns, der von der Persönlichkeitsstruktur nicht mal geeignet ist ein Tretboot zu kommandieren und kein ansatzweise am Erfolg seines Schiffes interessierter Reeder würde einen solchen Mann als Kapitän einstellen.
Natürlich ist der Reeder ein russischer Mobster, der seine Angestellten durch Erpressung in der Spur hält (unter dem macht es Fitzek wohl nicht).
Der Protagonist ist ein suizidaler Polizist mit einer schweren posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung, der aber natürlich noch voll im seinem Beruf als Undercover-Ermittler steht, wo er völlig hirnrissige Aktionen abzieht, die kein halbwegs geistig gesunder Vorgesetzter so genehmigen würde. Glücklicherweise kann er seinen Arbeitsplatz schlagartig ohne weitere Konsequenzen verlassen, wenn ihm der Sinn danach steht, seinen privaten Obsessionen nachzugehen. Aber so ist sie halt, die deutsche Polizei. Man tut alles fürs Wohlbefinden der Mitarbeiter.
Selbstverständlich gibt es viel Gewalt und Grausamkeit, das meiste davon völlig unnötig. Und dabei habe ich gar nicht vom Plot gesprochen, den man wohl als mehr als bescheuert bezeichnen kann. Oder von den Charakteren, von denen jeder einzelne ein überzeichnetes Klischee ist.
Bei einem Thriller will man spannend unterhalten werden. Niemand erwartet eine wahnsinnige Nähe zur Realität. Aber eine solche Überzeichnung der Charaktere und ein derartig an den Haaren herbeigezogener Plot ist selbst dem anspruchslosesten Leser nicht mehr zuzumuten. Eine besonders poetische Sprache erwartet wohl auch niemand von einem Thriller, aber hier schreibt der Autor auf Schundheftchenniveau. Andererseits passt die Sprache sehr gut zum Rest des Romans.
Ich weiß nicht, ob ihr es gemerkt habt, aber mir hat dieses Buch ganz und gar nicht gefallen. Meine Erwartungen an den erfolgreichsten deutschen Thriller-Autor waren tatsächlich andere gewesen.
1 Stern.
I found this novel raw and gross. In language, in storyline, in the character drawing, in everything.
For example, the author tried to express the eccentricity of an almost 80-year-old wealthy entrepreneur's widow by making her say things like "I'll go and push a piece of dirt out of my back" (p.58) The lady had to go to toilet and didn't have the slightest inhibitions to throw this phrase at a man she hardly knew. This is not even remotely eccentric, it's just vulgar.
The cruise ship is under the direction of a captain whose personality structure is not even suited to command a pedal boat and no shipowner interested in the success of his ship would hire such a man as a captain.
Of course the shipowner is a Russian mobster who keeps his employees on track by blackmailing them (Fitzek probably doesn't do anything less interesting).
The protagonist is a suicidal police officer with a severe post-traumatic stress disorder, but of course he is still fully engaged in his job as an undercover investigator, where he pulls off completely crazy actions that no halfway sane supervisor would approve of. Fortunately, if he feels like pursuing his private obsessions, he can leave his job abruptly without any further consequences. But that's the way it is with the German police. Everything is done for the well-being of the employees.
Of course there is a lot of violence and cruelty, most of it completely unnecessary. And I didn't talk about the plot at all, which can be described as more than stupid. Or the characters, each of whom is an exaggerated stereotype.
In a thriller you want to be entertained in an exciting way. Nobody expects an insane proximity to reality. But such an exaggeration of the characters and such a idiotic plot can hardly be tolerated by even the most undemanding reader. Nobody expects a particularly poetic language from a thriller, but here the author writes on a scrapbook level. On the other hand, the language goes very well with the rest of the novel.
I don't know if you noticed, but I didn't like this book at all. My expectations of the most successful German thriller writer had actually been different.
1 star.
----------------------------------------
Nun habe ich endlich auch meinen ersten Fitzek gelesen. Dieser Autor hat so viele begeisterte Fans, aber auch eine nicht vollkommen unerhebliche Anzahl von Kritikern. Ich befürchte, dass ich mich nicht in die Gruppe der Fans einreihen kann.
Ich habe diesen Roman als roh und grob empfunden. In der Sprache, in der Storyline, in der Charakterzeichnung, in allem.
Der Autor möchte beispielsweise die Exzentrität einer fast 80-jährigen wohlhabenden Unternehmerswitwe zum Ausdruck bringen, indem er sie Dinge sagen lässt wie „Ich geh mir mal ein Stück Dreck aus dem Rücken drücken.“ (S.58) Die Dame musste mal und hatte keine Hemmungen diesen Spruch einem nahezu unbekannten Mann an den Kopf zu werfen. Das ist nicht mal ansatzweise exzentrisch, das ist schlicht vulgär.
Das Kreuzfahrschiff steht unter Leitung eines Kapitäns, der von der Persönlichkeitsstruktur nicht mal geeignet ist ein Tretboot zu kommandieren und kein ansatzweise am Erfolg seines Schiffes interessierter Reeder würde einen solchen Mann als Kapitän einstellen.
Natürlich ist der Reeder ein russischer Mobster, der seine Angestellten durch Erpressung in der Spur hält (unter dem macht es Fitzek wohl nicht).
Der Protagonist ist ein suizidaler Polizist mit einer schweren posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung, der aber natürlich noch voll im seinem Beruf als Undercover-Ermittler steht, wo er völlig hirnrissige Aktionen abzieht, die kein halbwegs geistig gesunder Vorgesetzter so genehmigen würde. Glücklicherweise kann er seinen Arbeitsplatz schlagartig ohne weitere Konsequenzen verlassen, wenn ihm der Sinn danach steht, seinen privaten Obsessionen nachzugehen. Aber so ist sie halt, die deutsche Polizei. Man tut alles fürs Wohlbefinden der Mitarbeiter.
Selbstverständlich gibt es viel Gewalt und Grausamkeit, das meiste davon völlig unnötig. Und dabei habe ich gar nicht vom Plot gesprochen, den man wohl als mehr als bescheuert bezeichnen kann. Oder von den Charakteren, von denen jeder einzelne ein überzeichnetes Klischee ist.
Bei einem Thriller will man spannend unterhalten werden. Niemand erwartet eine wahnsinnige Nähe zur Realität. Aber eine solche Überzeichnung der Charaktere und ein derartig an den Haaren herbeigezogener Plot ist selbst dem anspruchslosesten Leser nicht mehr zuzumuten. Eine besonders poetische Sprache erwartet wohl auch niemand von einem Thriller, aber hier schreibt der Autor auf Schundheftchenniveau. Andererseits passt die Sprache sehr gut zum Rest des Romans.
Ich weiß nicht, ob ihr es gemerkt habt, aber mir hat dieses Buch ganz und gar nicht gefallen. Meine Erwartungen an den erfolgreichsten deutschen Thriller-Autor waren tatsächlich andere gewesen.
1 Stern.
February 4, 2021
Passenger 23 is a code for people who disappear from cruise ships either accidentally or by suicide. When under cover police officer Martin Schwartz is urgently contacted by passenger Gerlinde Dobkowtiz on board cruise liner Sultan of the Seas requesting he comes aboard as soon as he can, he does not hesitate. His wife Nadja and son Timmy disappeared from the same ship five years ago, presumed a murder/suicide. What unfolds is a very dark tale taking you on an unexpected journey into some surprising areas on the ship.
The book starts well with a chilling incident on the cruise ship and draws you in with many questions about what is actually happening on the Sultan of the Seas. This is a multifaceted plot with several points of view contributing to the outcome taking the storyline into some dark places with stories of sexual abuse. However, although this is intrinsic to the plot it’s not gratuitous though some readers may wish to avoid such storyline. Martin is a flawed but good central protagonist although you do feel you don’t REALLY know him even by the end of the novel which may be due in part to his role changing job undercover. It’s possible too that grief for the loss of his family has led to him putting barriers up and armouring himself against the depths of its despair. The plot is very twisty and has a number of elements such as blackmail, revenge, coverups, murder and violence. Some sections are very sad and heartbreaking as victims suffering is revealed. It’s a convoluted plot with multiple red herrings along the way and the setting on board a cruise ship is excellent as it allows for many literary possibilities. There are some tense scenes which don’t always make sense initially but do keep the readers interest. The end is partly unexpected although I guess guess some of it but this does not detract from how good it is.
My negatives about the book are that the plot convolutions takes a while for the threads to connect, there are quite a lot of characters to sort out and some dialogue strikes a casual off note although this may be down to translation issues. I’m not totally convinced we needed all of Martin’s undercover backstory as although it’s interesting it doesn’t add to the events on the ship. I assume by including it the author is trying to help us understand his character.
Overall, it’s a darkly twisted thriller with a hint of a horror vibe that keeps you reading to seek out the truth.
With thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ar for an honest review.
The book starts well with a chilling incident on the cruise ship and draws you in with many questions about what is actually happening on the Sultan of the Seas. This is a multifaceted plot with several points of view contributing to the outcome taking the storyline into some dark places with stories of sexual abuse. However, although this is intrinsic to the plot it’s not gratuitous though some readers may wish to avoid such storyline. Martin is a flawed but good central protagonist although you do feel you don’t REALLY know him even by the end of the novel which may be due in part to his role changing job undercover. It’s possible too that grief for the loss of his family has led to him putting barriers up and armouring himself against the depths of its despair. The plot is very twisty and has a number of elements such as blackmail, revenge, coverups, murder and violence. Some sections are very sad and heartbreaking as victims suffering is revealed. It’s a convoluted plot with multiple red herrings along the way and the setting on board a cruise ship is excellent as it allows for many literary possibilities. There are some tense scenes which don’t always make sense initially but do keep the readers interest. The end is partly unexpected although I guess guess some of it but this does not detract from how good it is.
My negatives about the book are that the plot convolutions takes a while for the threads to connect, there are quite a lot of characters to sort out and some dialogue strikes a casual off note although this may be down to translation issues. I’m not totally convinced we needed all of Martin’s undercover backstory as although it’s interesting it doesn’t add to the events on the ship. I assume by including it the author is trying to help us understand his character.
Overall, it’s a darkly twisted thriller with a hint of a horror vibe that keeps you reading to seek out the truth.
With thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ar for an honest review.
March 4, 2018
Ich lese ja eigentlich nie Thriller, aber irgendwie hat mich dieses Buch neugierig gemacht. Ich fand die Idee der verschwundenen Passagiere toll und schön umgesetzt. Auch die weiteren Themen, die sich im Laufe der Geschichte ergeben, passten gut und kamen gleichzeitig sehr überraschend. Es gab einige Wendungen und blieb immer spannend, bis zum Schluss hatte ich keine Ahnung, wer hier der "Täter" ist. Dennoch hat mir ein wenig der Nervenkitzel gefehlt, den ich bei einem Psychothriller erwartet hätte..
January 29, 2020
This is the third audiobook I’ve listened too based on books by this author. I say ‘based on’ because they’ve all been Audible Drama productions, complete with a big cast, sound effects and all of the extras you’d expect from a radio production. My previous experiences with The Child and Amok were excellent and I liked the look of the cast here too, with British actor Max Beesley playing the lead character.
The plot surrounds an investigator (Beesley) whose wife and child disappeared overboard on a cruise some years ago. The deaths were assumed to be suicide. As a result, he’s become reckless and wild, taking on the riskiest undercover operations with no fear at all for his own safety. He just doesn’t care. But one day he gets a phone call that challenges the assumption concerning the fate of his family. In order to learn more he’s enticed to join a cruise where a strange lady seems to have set up permanent home aboard the very ship from which his wife and son had supposedly taken a jump.
Experience has taught me that in Fizeck’s stories nothing is quite as it seems: expect surprises and lots of them. And such is the case here with twists and turns throughout the eight-hour long production. The quality is excellent, both in terms of the acting, the effects and the way the story mixes narration and scenes that are acted out. The whole thing was tense, slightly shocking and highly entertaining.
I won’t go into the detail – if you’re interested it's best you go in with as little information as possible – but I will say that you should be prepared for some uncomfortable scenes featuring young children. It’s certainly not gratuitous or graphic, but best be forewarned.
I found this production to be on a par with the others I've listened to. The story itself was gripping and, in it's own way, though provoking. If you like audiobooks you’ll find that this is a slightly different take on this particular format – you might want to give it a try.
The plot surrounds an investigator (Beesley) whose wife and child disappeared overboard on a cruise some years ago. The deaths were assumed to be suicide. As a result, he’s become reckless and wild, taking on the riskiest undercover operations with no fear at all for his own safety. He just doesn’t care. But one day he gets a phone call that challenges the assumption concerning the fate of his family. In order to learn more he’s enticed to join a cruise where a strange lady seems to have set up permanent home aboard the very ship from which his wife and son had supposedly taken a jump.
Experience has taught me that in Fizeck’s stories nothing is quite as it seems: expect surprises and lots of them. And such is the case here with twists and turns throughout the eight-hour long production. The quality is excellent, both in terms of the acting, the effects and the way the story mixes narration and scenes that are acted out. The whole thing was tense, slightly shocking and highly entertaining.
I won’t go into the detail – if you’re interested it's best you go in with as little information as possible – but I will say that you should be prepared for some uncomfortable scenes featuring young children. It’s certainly not gratuitous or graphic, but best be forewarned.
I found this production to be on a par with the others I've listened to. The story itself was gripping and, in it's own way, though provoking. If you like audiobooks you’ll find that this is a slightly different take on this particular format – you might want to give it a try.
September 29, 2018
Ese es el problema con los deseos, señor Schwartz. Solo los equivocados se cumplen de inmediato.Como no podía ser de otra manera, otro libro más de Fitzek que leo del tirón. Imposible no hacerlo. Buen trabajo de este autor que no para de sorprenderme.
January 20, 2021
What an interesting book that was. Martin Schwartz is a German police officer with a bit of a death wish. Ever since his wife and son died 5 years ago on a cruise - the wife tossed the boy overboard and then jumped from the ship herself - he has volunteered for the most dangerous undercover assignments. And he has had to do some truly awful things.
Then he gets a phone call from an old lady on board a ship, the Sultan of the Seas, who gives him a garbled account of it happening again - a mother and child disappearing from the ship. Apparently it happens more than you would think and cruise companies find it is better for business to claim most of the disappearances are suicides. Martin is not really interested until the old lady, Gerlinde Dobkowitz, who happens to live on the ship tells that the daughter has recently reappeared. Oh, and that she suspects there is a hidden deck on the massive ship where really weird stuff goes on. And the real kicker is, it is the same ship that his family died on.
So, although it is the last place Martin wants to re-visit, he joins the ship post haste. From then on things get weirder and weirder and there is a definite sense of menace throughout the remainder of the story. You know there’s something fishy going on but you have no idea what. The captain is being evasive but eventually it transpires that he is under the control of the owner who happens to be on board. It’s a feast of misdirection and unreliable narrators and the menace continues to grow.
I don’t want to say any more about the plot except that whatever you think is going - that’s not going to be it. This story is much too twisty for us armchair sleuths! I was suspecting everyone at some point. The pace was excellent and never really let up. I loved the plot, the intrigue, the red herrings and I had to feel some sympathy for the much beleaguered Martin who had a tough time putting the jigsaw pieces in the correct spots while fending off would-be assassins. We had the odd murder, dead people turning up alive, people being not who they say they are a meddlesome old lady who somehow stumbles on some things she’s not supposed to see.
All in all, a fabulous story that I can recommend to all mystery and thriller fans. Thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus publishers and Sebastian Fitzek for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
Then he gets a phone call from an old lady on board a ship, the Sultan of the Seas, who gives him a garbled account of it happening again - a mother and child disappearing from the ship. Apparently it happens more than you would think and cruise companies find it is better for business to claim most of the disappearances are suicides. Martin is not really interested until the old lady, Gerlinde Dobkowitz, who happens to live on the ship tells that the daughter has recently reappeared. Oh, and that she suspects there is a hidden deck on the massive ship where really weird stuff goes on. And the real kicker is, it is the same ship that his family died on.
So, although it is the last place Martin wants to re-visit, he joins the ship post haste. From then on things get weirder and weirder and there is a definite sense of menace throughout the remainder of the story. You know there’s something fishy going on but you have no idea what. The captain is being evasive but eventually it transpires that he is under the control of the owner who happens to be on board. It’s a feast of misdirection and unreliable narrators and the menace continues to grow.
I don’t want to say any more about the plot except that whatever you think is going - that’s not going to be it. This story is much too twisty for us armchair sleuths! I was suspecting everyone at some point. The pace was excellent and never really let up. I loved the plot, the intrigue, the red herrings and I had to feel some sympathy for the much beleaguered Martin who had a tough time putting the jigsaw pieces in the correct spots while fending off would-be assassins. We had the odd murder, dead people turning up alive, people being not who they say they are a meddlesome old lady who somehow stumbles on some things she’s not supposed to see.
All in all, a fabulous story that I can recommend to all mystery and thriller fans. Thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus publishers and Sebastian Fitzek for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
March 4, 2022
Un crucero es el lugar idóneo para ocultar secretos que se hundirán para siempre en el fondo del mar. Un ámbito apropiado para reinventarse y mutar en quien uno quiera o las circunstancias lo obliguen a ser. Un paisaje ideal para un suicidio. Un sitio perfecto para un asesinato.
Cada año muchas personas desaparecen en cruceros, nos cuenta Sebastian Fitzek, la causa subyacente no siempre ve la luz y, más o menos por eso, escribió esta intrincada historia. Una historia cruda que, sin eufemismos, toca alguno de los tópicos que más repudio, incredulidad y rechazo pueden provocar en los seres humanos. Entonces "lo brutal" no es la historia sino el desagradable impacto de reconocer que "eso", tristemente, puede ocurrir y que algunas personas lo han sufrido o continúan haciéndolo.
Considero que es mejor leerla sin mucha información previa para dejarse invadir por una historia compleja, dolorosa y definitivamente desconcertante. Fitzek elige sumergir nuestra confundida cabeza en la novela, empujar y dejarnos ahí hasta el final de la historia, cuando ya suplicábamos por un poco de aire.
4,5 estrellas para este muy buen libro.
Cada año muchas personas desaparecen en cruceros, nos cuenta Sebastian Fitzek, la causa subyacente no siempre ve la luz y, más o menos por eso, escribió esta intrincada historia. Una historia cruda que, sin eufemismos, toca alguno de los tópicos que más repudio, incredulidad y rechazo pueden provocar en los seres humanos. Entonces "lo brutal" no es la historia sino el desagradable impacto de reconocer que "eso", tristemente, puede ocurrir y que algunas personas lo han sufrido o continúan haciéndolo.
Considero que es mejor leerla sin mucha información previa para dejarse invadir por una historia compleja, dolorosa y definitivamente desconcertante. Fitzek elige sumergir nuestra confundida cabeza en la novela, empujar y dejarnos ahí hasta el final de la historia, cuando ya suplicábamos por un poco de aire.
4,5 estrellas para este muy buen libro.
November 3, 2017
Ach man, der liebe Fitzek muss am Ende auch immer über die Stränge schlagen.. hätte er es nicht so übertrieben, wäre das für mich ein 5 Sterne Buch, allerdings legt er immer noch eine Schippe drauf & das geht mir meistens einfach zu weit. So gings mir bis jetzt mit jedem seiner Bücher, die ich gelesen habe (gut, mit dem hier eingeschlossen sind es erst 3 😂) Ich mag seinen Schreibstil sehr und auch die Story ist grandios gewesen, aber wie gesagt, am Ende übertreibt er mir einfach zu sehr und macht etwas einigermaßen realistisches total unrealistisch.
July 30, 2021
This book was a must for me as soon as saw the title I knew I would be reading it as love anything to do with travel and means of transport and stories set around that theme
As a bonus I love cruising ( ok a cheap joke but there you go ) so this even more shouted ‘READ ME’
Now it turns out ‘Passenger 23’ is the code that all ships use for ‘missing passengers’ those that have vanished ( presumed overboard ) on journeys and there are many more than we would imagine, as many ships are governed by the flag they bare most ‘Passenger 23’s’ are not really investigated and are swept under the carpet ( or under the sea!!)
This book looks at the possibilities that there are more sinister reasons than a drunken stumble or a gust of unexpected wind for these deaths
But what the story shows is not a ‘dipping the toe in the ocean’ mamby pamby look but a full on hardcore story of what could really be happening
It hold’s no punches, there is no frilly dialogue, it is there, bold and in your face and ‘please or offend’ take your choice, at times very raw the subjects covered are not sugar coated and are dealt with in jaw dropping honesty, it’s fair to warn that every subject that may trigger people is covered and often not subtly but honestly and in grim crude reality, the opening chapter is probably one of the most shocking read and more than a few times I winced throughout the book
The story however captivates and doesn’t let go, the detail, narrative and characters are all to be applauded and the 4 possibly 5 endings just keep going and dont let up
An amazing book, informative and dramatic, scary and unshying of the norm,it is a book that I wont forget and an author I am now going to look up more about and look for his other books
10/10
5 Stars
As a bonus I love cruising ( ok a cheap joke but there you go ) so this even more shouted ‘READ ME’
Now it turns out ‘Passenger 23’ is the code that all ships use for ‘missing passengers’ those that have vanished ( presumed overboard ) on journeys and there are many more than we would imagine, as many ships are governed by the flag they bare most ‘Passenger 23’s’ are not really investigated and are swept under the carpet ( or under the sea!!)
This book looks at the possibilities that there are more sinister reasons than a drunken stumble or a gust of unexpected wind for these deaths
But what the story shows is not a ‘dipping the toe in the ocean’ mamby pamby look but a full on hardcore story of what could really be happening
It hold’s no punches, there is no frilly dialogue, it is there, bold and in your face and ‘please or offend’ take your choice, at times very raw the subjects covered are not sugar coated and are dealt with in jaw dropping honesty, it’s fair to warn that every subject that may trigger people is covered and often not subtly but honestly and in grim crude reality, the opening chapter is probably one of the most shocking read and more than a few times I winced throughout the book
The story however captivates and doesn’t let go, the detail, narrative and characters are all to be applauded and the 4 possibly 5 endings just keep going and dont let up
An amazing book, informative and dramatic, scary and unshying of the norm,it is a book that I wont forget and an author I am now going to look up more about and look for his other books
10/10
5 Stars
January 8, 2021
Que historia para más fuerte. Si están buscando un thriller “creepy” que los enganche desde la primera página este es. De todas maneras seguiré leyendo a Fitzek
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 21, 2021DNF at 10%
I know that Fitzek is a phenomenon here in Germany. I know his books are loved and praised. It seems like everyone I know has read at least one book by him and everyone's telling me to read a Fitzek if I want to start with thrillers. But this was bullshit. I couldn't get into the story, I hated the characters and I hated even more how they talked. Do we actually talk that stilted?
A story shouldn't feel like a construct and you shouldn't be able to see the pillars and cross braces. I did. Every action, every sentence felt like it needed to happen at that exact moment 'cause otherwise the whole story would come tumbling down.
Ultimately, a bitter disappointment, but not a surprising one. Me and thrillers don't mix well and Passagier 23 showed me, why that is.
I know that Fitzek is a phenomenon here in Germany. I know his books are loved and praised. It seems like everyone I know has read at least one book by him and everyone's telling me to read a Fitzek if I want to start with thrillers. But this was bullshit. I couldn't get into the story, I hated the characters and I hated even more how they talked. Do we actually talk that stilted?
A story shouldn't feel like a construct and you shouldn't be able to see the pillars and cross braces. I did. Every action, every sentence felt like it needed to happen at that exact moment 'cause otherwise the whole story would come tumbling down.
Ultimately, a bitter disappointment, but not a surprising one. Me and thrillers don't mix well and Passagier 23 showed me, why that is.
Read
April 1, 2021In the world of mystery writing, there are many ways in which a body can disappear, as noted in the massive collection of books in the genre. Sebastian Fitzek pushes the reader to think outside the box with this thriller, which takes mystery to a new level and places the story on the high seas. While a handful of passengers who travel by boat go missing every year, they are mere statistics. However, to one man, they mean a great deal, as he lost his wife and son in such a way and then never turned up again. Five years on, a missing girl reappears aboard one of the large ocean liners, holding a relic from the past. Where has she been and how might her disappearance be part of a larger plot? Fitzek stirs up something inside the reader and keeps them guessing throughout.
Martin Schwartz is still trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife and son. Their disappearance aboard a pleasure cruise still haunts him five years later. When no trace could be found of them, it was determined to be a sick sort of murder-suicide, where they went overboard. The phenomena of missing passengers on ships has a name, Passenger 23, attributed to the number of people who go missing in this manner every year. Now, Schwartz has been summoned aboard the Sultan of the Seas, a massive ship travelling from the English Coast over to New York. When he boards, he is greeted by an old woman who is known for her fiction writing. However, she has a story to tell that may change Schwartz’s mind about what happened to his family.
While the ship lumbers out into the open waters, a girl mysteriously reappears, looking haggard and highly confused. What’s more, Anouk Lamar was declared missing while travelling aboard. She’s clutching something highly intriguing, the teddy bear Schwartz’s son had during his journey on the open waters. Schwartz, a trained police psychologist, tries to learn what’s happened to Anouk and discover who may have been holding her captive.
While the results come back that Anouk was raped, it is the crew of the Sultan that want to keep the news under wraps. Schwartz is tasked with trying to figure out what happened to Anouk and who may be responsible, all before they make it to shore. Schwartz is baffled at the cloak and dagger games, but does his best to discover where Anouk and others may have been held, as well as who might be responsible for it all.
Meanwhile, someone has Anouk’s mother captive, another supposed victim of Passenger 23. There is a game of cat and mouse—more like spider and fly—taking place and the elusive captor has a plan. Stopping at nothing to instil fear and push various forms of torture on the broken woman, someone has a plan that may be larger than this single woman. Time is running out and the ship is massive, leaving every door a possible spot to stow someone away, in a sick game that few know is even taking place. A chilling story to say the least and proves that Fitzek is on his game.
It takes a certain type of writer to really get to the heart of a chilling tale and grip the reader throughout. Sebastian Fitzek has proven capable of that with his unique take on the crime thriller, using the open seas as the primary setting. While the story progresses as many others might, it is the compartmentalization of the entire group aboard a ship that gives the story a new sense of urgency and thrill. Fitzek builds the narrative up and keeps the reader guessing what awaits them, as the piece is full of twists and turns that no one could have seen coming.
While Martin Schwartz is the presumed protagonist, he shares the important portions of the story with many others. Schwartz has an interesting backstory, both with the police and the loss of his family. Schwartz works tirelessly when he is aboard the ship to better understand what’s happened and get to the root of the issue. However, things take many a turn and Schwartz ends up learning a great deal about himself as he pieces the mystery together. I have no idea if Fitzek writes standalone only, but Martin Schwartz would be intriguing to see again, allowing his character to develop a little more.
The vast array of supporting characters provides an intriguing flavour to the narrative. From those who work aboard the Sultan of the Seas to the passengers who have their own backstories, the collection of people who grace the pages of the book help to enrich the reading experience. I can see Fitzek developing them throughout, as each plays a key role in the larger story. There is definitely not a skimping when it comes to constructing them to effectively tell the story needed to better understand what is going on.
The book itself flows relatively well, with little when it comes to poor pacing. The fact that it was translated is not obvious, as Fitzek’s writing has surely been placed in the hands of a professional. The story flows with ease and the mystery builds throughout, adding twists at just the right time to keep the reader guessing until the final pages. Strong narrative movement and a plot that is somewhat unique let the book stand out from many in the genre. A mix of chapter lengths help tease the reader into wanting to get ‘just a little more read’ before putting it aside at any one time. I am eager to see some of the other work that Fitzek has penned and hope they were as exciting as this novel.
Kudos, Mr. Fitzek, for intriguing me a great deal. I hope to find some of your other work soon and compare it with this stunning piece of writing.
Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful book summaries by strong reviewers.
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/pa...
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Martin Schwartz is still trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife and son. Their disappearance aboard a pleasure cruise still haunts him five years later. When no trace could be found of them, it was determined to be a sick sort of murder-suicide, where they went overboard. The phenomena of missing passengers on ships has a name, Passenger 23, attributed to the number of people who go missing in this manner every year. Now, Schwartz has been summoned aboard the Sultan of the Seas, a massive ship travelling from the English Coast over to New York. When he boards, he is greeted by an old woman who is known for her fiction writing. However, she has a story to tell that may change Schwartz’s mind about what happened to his family.
While the ship lumbers out into the open waters, a girl mysteriously reappears, looking haggard and highly confused. What’s more, Anouk Lamar was declared missing while travelling aboard. She’s clutching something highly intriguing, the teddy bear Schwartz’s son had during his journey on the open waters. Schwartz, a trained police psychologist, tries to learn what’s happened to Anouk and discover who may have been holding her captive.
While the results come back that Anouk was raped, it is the crew of the Sultan that want to keep the news under wraps. Schwartz is tasked with trying to figure out what happened to Anouk and who may be responsible, all before they make it to shore. Schwartz is baffled at the cloak and dagger games, but does his best to discover where Anouk and others may have been held, as well as who might be responsible for it all.
Meanwhile, someone has Anouk’s mother captive, another supposed victim of Passenger 23. There is a game of cat and mouse—more like spider and fly—taking place and the elusive captor has a plan. Stopping at nothing to instil fear and push various forms of torture on the broken woman, someone has a plan that may be larger than this single woman. Time is running out and the ship is massive, leaving every door a possible spot to stow someone away, in a sick game that few know is even taking place. A chilling story to say the least and proves that Fitzek is on his game.
It takes a certain type of writer to really get to the heart of a chilling tale and grip the reader throughout. Sebastian Fitzek has proven capable of that with his unique take on the crime thriller, using the open seas as the primary setting. While the story progresses as many others might, it is the compartmentalization of the entire group aboard a ship that gives the story a new sense of urgency and thrill. Fitzek builds the narrative up and keeps the reader guessing what awaits them, as the piece is full of twists and turns that no one could have seen coming.
While Martin Schwartz is the presumed protagonist, he shares the important portions of the story with many others. Schwartz has an interesting backstory, both with the police and the loss of his family. Schwartz works tirelessly when he is aboard the ship to better understand what’s happened and get to the root of the issue. However, things take many a turn and Schwartz ends up learning a great deal about himself as he pieces the mystery together. I have no idea if Fitzek writes standalone only, but Martin Schwartz would be intriguing to see again, allowing his character to develop a little more.
The vast array of supporting characters provides an intriguing flavour to the narrative. From those who work aboard the Sultan of the Seas to the passengers who have their own backstories, the collection of people who grace the pages of the book help to enrich the reading experience. I can see Fitzek developing them throughout, as each plays a key role in the larger story. There is definitely not a skimping when it comes to constructing them to effectively tell the story needed to better understand what is going on.
The book itself flows relatively well, with little when it comes to poor pacing. The fact that it was translated is not obvious, as Fitzek’s writing has surely been placed in the hands of a professional. The story flows with ease and the mystery builds throughout, adding twists at just the right time to keep the reader guessing until the final pages. Strong narrative movement and a plot that is somewhat unique let the book stand out from many in the genre. A mix of chapter lengths help tease the reader into wanting to get ‘just a little more read’ before putting it aside at any one time. I am eager to see some of the other work that Fitzek has penned and hope they were as exciting as this novel.
Kudos, Mr. Fitzek, for intriguing me a great deal. I hope to find some of your other work soon and compare it with this stunning piece of writing.
Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful book summaries by strong reviewers.
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/pa...
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
February 3, 2021
A twisty and compelling psychological thriller that doesn't compromise on character depth and quality writing in order to deliver that twist that everyone sees coming, but instead offers a layered tale of a spate of mystery disappearances on cruise ships and takes you on an unpredictable journey towards the truth.
You probably won't want to go on any kind of cruise after reading Passenger 23, which follows one man's search for the truth about his wife and son. The plotting is superb and often disturbing, there is a lot of emotional tension and edgy action and you never really know where this is going until you get there.
I read it in one sitting, luckily starting it on a day off, it is one of those page turning yet considered thrillers that immerses you straight into its vivid world and holds you there until the final breathless reveals.
Really excellent. Recommended.
You probably won't want to go on any kind of cruise after reading Passenger 23, which follows one man's search for the truth about his wife and son. The plotting is superb and often disturbing, there is a lot of emotional tension and edgy action and you never really know where this is going until you get there.
I read it in one sitting, luckily starting it on a day off, it is one of those page turning yet considered thrillers that immerses you straight into its vivid world and holds you there until the final breathless reveals.
Really excellent. Recommended.
August 3, 2017
Mal wieder ein nur zu empfehlender Fitzek!
Gerlinde Dobkowitz und ihre Sprüche warn zum schmunzeln und die Danksagung Fitzeks war mal wieder der Brüller :-D
Gerlinde Dobkowitz und ihre Sprüche warn zum schmunzeln und die Danksagung Fitzeks war mal wieder der Brüller :-D
![Profile Image for Tina Morgen [lebe.liebe.lese].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1491385651i/63316474._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
December 13, 2017
Also irgendwie war das für mich kein PSYCHOthriller. Sondern einfach nur ein Thriller, welcher mir leider nicht so super gefallen hat. Es war okay, aber nicht Fitzeks bestes Buch.
July 22, 2020
Trzyma w napięciu do tego stopnia, że momentami miałam gęsią skórkę! Nie ma tutaj utartych schematów i to jest ogromny plus tej książki! Bardzo dobry thriller, bardzo!
June 10, 2022
The story couldn't keep my interest the whole time.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...
May 27, 2020
Excelente libro. Una historia atrapante. Un suspenso que te va llevando, internando, en la historia de Martin, un barco de lujo y muchos interrogantes. Interrogantes que hasta el final, cuando ya parecía que todo estaba develado, da un giro y te deja atónito. Una trama retorcida que vale la pena.
Excellent book. An engaging story. A suspense that takes you, entering, in Martin's history, a luxury ship and many questions. Questions that until the end, when it already seemed that everything was revealed, takes a turn and leaves you stunned.
A twisted plot that pays off.
Excellent book. An engaging story. A suspense that takes you, entering, in Martin's history, a luxury ship and many questions. Questions that until the end, when it already seemed that everything was revealed, takes a turn and leaves you stunned.
A twisted plot that pays off.
July 16, 2019
thank u, next
January 30, 2023
Страхотен психологически трилър… остави ме без думи…🤔⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 19, 2017
A rather pointless thriller about a grieving police officer, Martin, who is lured on a cruise ship to investigate the return of a missing passenger. Little Anouk turned up out the blue, after having been gone for two months. Her disappearance had been settled as suicide and homicide on the part of the mother. Unfortunately, Anouk is silent.
The case bears an uncanny resemblanace to the disappearance of Martin's own wife and son, Timmy, a few years earlier. Martin has not come to terms with this and he is hoping that in solving the case of Anouk and her mother, the truth about the fate of his own family will come to light.
The author writes quite engagingly, and many (most) of the chapters end in little cliff hangers. This gets old quickly. By the half way point I had lost interest and it never really returned. Although I found Martin sympathetic, I couldn't really connect with him or any of the other characters. Many things bothered me that had nothing to do with solving the disappearances. The motive is farfetched beyond belief.
The one redeeming thing about this book is that is so easy to read that I feel I must have fantastic German skills. I know it isn't quite true - after all, I can't be bothered to cook together a review in German - but that's the only way this book brought anything to my table.
The case bears an uncanny resemblanace to the disappearance of Martin's own wife and son, Timmy, a few years earlier. Martin has not come to terms with this and he is hoping that in solving the case of Anouk and her mother, the truth about the fate of his own family will come to light.
The author writes quite engagingly, and many (most) of the chapters end in little cliff hangers. This gets old quickly. By the half way point I had lost interest and it never really returned. Although I found Martin sympathetic, I couldn't really connect with him or any of the other characters. Many things bothered me that had nothing to do with solving the disappearances. The motive is farfetched beyond belief.
The one redeeming thing about this book is that is so easy to read that I feel I must have fantastic German skills. I know it isn't quite true - after all, I can't be bothered to cook together a review in German - but that's the only way this book brought anything to my table.
April 15, 2020
Me encanta Sebastian Fitzek, hasta ahora no ha habido un libro suyo que me me haya decepcionado.
Este autor tiene la virtud de engancharme desde las primeras páginas hasta el final de sus libros y este no ha sido una excepción.
Con una trama muy intrigante y bien hilvanada, un ritmo agil que se va haciendo cada vez más rápido según avanzas, y un final sorprendente, esta novela ha hecho mis delicias.
Aunque de momento para mi sus mejores novelas son Terapia y El experimento esta es también una buenísima novela, igual no tan sorprendente y trepidante pero muy recomendable.
Este autor tiene la virtud de engancharme desde las primeras páginas hasta el final de sus libros y este no ha sido una excepción.
Con una trama muy intrigante y bien hilvanada, un ritmo agil que se va haciendo cada vez más rápido según avanzas, y un final sorprendente, esta novela ha hecho mis delicias.
Aunque de momento para mi sus mejores novelas son Terapia y El experimento esta es también una buenísima novela, igual no tan sorprendente y trepidante pero muy recomendable.
April 2, 2019
WOW! Ich weiß eigentlich gar nicht mehr was ich noch sagen soll😅
Dieses Buch war einfach spannend von der ersten bis zur letzten Zeile! Ich weiß nicht, wie Fitzek es schafft mich immer und immer wieder an der Nase herum zu führen🤷🏽♀️😂
Aber eins ist klar: Respekt, dass er es schafft die ganzen Stränge so zusammen zuführen und am Ende schlägt es ein, man denkt es ist vorbei, doch das lässt Fitzek nicht zu... dann kommt diese eine Sache, es macht Bum und alles ändert sich😱😱😱😱
Ich liebe es!
Dieses Buch war einfach spannend von der ersten bis zur letzten Zeile! Ich weiß nicht, wie Fitzek es schafft mich immer und immer wieder an der Nase herum zu führen🤷🏽♀️😂
Aber eins ist klar: Respekt, dass er es schafft die ganzen Stränge so zusammen zuführen und am Ende schlägt es ein, man denkt es ist vorbei, doch das lässt Fitzek nicht zu... dann kommt diese eine Sache, es macht Bum und alles ändert sich😱😱😱😱
Ich liebe es!
May 7, 2020
Muy buena historia, atrapante y que te deja con ganas de ver que sigue. Me sorprendió el final, no me lo vi venir y tiene unos buenos giros la verdad, este autor sabe de que forma atraparte en sus libros es bastante bueno y me gusta perooo la traducción y edición no muy buena, debieron cuidar más ese aspecto ni hablar no todo siempre tiene que ser excelente.
July 21, 2021
3.5 stars. Intricate multilayered plot. However, wasnt enraptured at all. The extra scene didnt really help to lift things up. Oh wells.
April 2, 2019
Mein erster Fitzek und es wird auch definitiv nicht mein letzter bleiben. Ich bin förmlich durch die Seiten geflogen und war nicht für eine Sekunde gelangweilt. Das Setting - ein Kreuzfahrtschiff - gefiel mir unglaublich gut. Die Charaktere, manche charismatisch, andere schrullig, waren super gezeichnet und auch die Auflösung am Ende konnte mich überraschen.
November 1, 2014
Klappentext:
Denken Sie an einen Ort ohne Polizei.
Eine Kleinstadt, aus der Jahr für Jahr Dutzende Menschen verschwinden.
Spurlos.
Der Ort für das perfekte Verbrechen.
Zum Inhalt:
Martin Schwartz, Polizeipsychologe, hat vor fünf Jahren Frau und Sohn verloren. Es geschah während eines Urlaubs auf dem Kreuzfahrtschiff "Sultan of the Seas" - niemand konnte ihm sagen, was genau geschah. Martin ist seither ein psychisches Wrack und betäubt sich mit Himmelfahrtskommandos als verdeckter Ermittler.
Mitten in einem Einsatz bekommt der den Anruf einer seltsamen alten Dame, die sich als Thrillerautorin bezeichnet. Er müsse unbedingt an Bord der "Sultan" kommen, es gebe Beweise dafür, was seiner Familie zugestoßen ist.
Nie wieder wollte Martin den Fuß auf ein Schiff setzen - und doch folgt er dem Hinweis und erfährt, dass ein vor Wochen auf der "Sultan" verschwundenes Mädchen wieder aufgetaucht ist. Mit dem Teddy seines Sohnes im Arm...
Meine Meinung:
Als ich vor Monaten durch Zufall auf Amazon gesehen habe, dass ein neuer Fitzek Thriller erscheint, war mir schon - ohne den Inhalt zu lesen - klar, dass ich es mir sofort kaufen muss.
Auf der Buchmesse habe ich dann Sebastian Fitzek persönlich getroffen und mir angehört, was er zu dem Buch erzählt hat. Auch die Web Lesung über Lovelybooks habe ich mir angeschaut und er hat mich immer neugieriger gemacht.
Ich konnte es kaum erwarten, bis das Buch erscheint.
Und als es vor zwei Tagen, am 30.10. endlich soweit war, bin ich sofort in die Buchhandlung gestürmt und habe es mir gekauft.
Das Cover ist ja schon mal der totale Eye Catcher. Mit dem Bullauge und dem darunter wunderschön gestaltetem Buch, hat es gleich diese düstere Atmosphäre, die man von einem Thriller erwartet.
Den Thriller auf einem Kreuzfahrtschiff spielen zu lassen, fand ich eine grandiose Idee!
Ich habe das Buch soeben ausgelesen und hab nur ein Wort dafür:
PERFEKT.
Eigentlich lese ich keine Thriller, aber Fitzeks Bücher begeistern mich jedes Mal auf's Neue.
So auch "Passagier 23".
Ich habe das Buch komplett am Stück gelesen (Natürlich habe ich zwischendurch kurz geschlafen ;) ) und es viel mir schwer mich loszureißen.
Jedes Kapitel endet mit einem Cliffhanger. Man denkt immer: "Oh ich muss weiterlesen! Was ist bei der Person jetzt passiert?"
Und dann liest man weiter und es geht aus einer anderen Sicht weiter. Somit fällt es einem wirklich schwer das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.
Die unzähligen Wendungen in diesem Buch sind typisch für einen Fitzek.
Er hat es mal wieder geschafft, mich bis zur letzten Seite im Dunkeln tappen zu lassen.
Des Öfteren habe ich das Buch mit offenem Mund angestarrt und konnte gar nicht glauben, was er sich da schon wieder ausgedacht hat.
Auf dem Buchrücken steht ein passendes Zitat zu diesem Buch:
"Sebastian Fitzek sprengt nicht nur den Rahmen der Realität, sondern gleichzeitig die Grenzen der Vorstellungskraft." - Christine Brand, NZZ am Sonntag
Hierbei schreckt er vor nichts zurück. Dieses Buch beinhaltet mal wieder Perversität höchsten Grades und lässt den Leser nicht glauben, dass einige Dinge in diesem Buch wirklich der Wahrheit entsprechen.
Mein Fazit:
Dieser Psychothriller ist ein Must-Read für alle Thriller Leser und besonders für alle Fitzek Fans. Ich kann auf jeden Fall versprechen, dass es keinen Fitzek Fan enttäuschen wird! Dieses Buch ist spannend bis zur letzten Seite und ja... es ist wieder'mal nichts für schwache Nerven ;)
Ein perfekter Psychothriller des Meisters der Thriller.
Die Rezension ist auch auf meinem Blog zu finden: http://kimlovee123.blogspot.de/2014/1...
Denken Sie an einen Ort ohne Polizei.
Eine Kleinstadt, aus der Jahr für Jahr Dutzende Menschen verschwinden.
Spurlos.
Der Ort für das perfekte Verbrechen.
Zum Inhalt:
Martin Schwartz, Polizeipsychologe, hat vor fünf Jahren Frau und Sohn verloren. Es geschah während eines Urlaubs auf dem Kreuzfahrtschiff "Sultan of the Seas" - niemand konnte ihm sagen, was genau geschah. Martin ist seither ein psychisches Wrack und betäubt sich mit Himmelfahrtskommandos als verdeckter Ermittler.
Mitten in einem Einsatz bekommt der den Anruf einer seltsamen alten Dame, die sich als Thrillerautorin bezeichnet. Er müsse unbedingt an Bord der "Sultan" kommen, es gebe Beweise dafür, was seiner Familie zugestoßen ist.
Nie wieder wollte Martin den Fuß auf ein Schiff setzen - und doch folgt er dem Hinweis und erfährt, dass ein vor Wochen auf der "Sultan" verschwundenes Mädchen wieder aufgetaucht ist. Mit dem Teddy seines Sohnes im Arm...
Meine Meinung:
Als ich vor Monaten durch Zufall auf Amazon gesehen habe, dass ein neuer Fitzek Thriller erscheint, war mir schon - ohne den Inhalt zu lesen - klar, dass ich es mir sofort kaufen muss.
Auf der Buchmesse habe ich dann Sebastian Fitzek persönlich getroffen und mir angehört, was er zu dem Buch erzählt hat. Auch die Web Lesung über Lovelybooks habe ich mir angeschaut und er hat mich immer neugieriger gemacht.
Ich konnte es kaum erwarten, bis das Buch erscheint.
Und als es vor zwei Tagen, am 30.10. endlich soweit war, bin ich sofort in die Buchhandlung gestürmt und habe es mir gekauft.
Das Cover ist ja schon mal der totale Eye Catcher. Mit dem Bullauge und dem darunter wunderschön gestaltetem Buch, hat es gleich diese düstere Atmosphäre, die man von einem Thriller erwartet.
Den Thriller auf einem Kreuzfahrtschiff spielen zu lassen, fand ich eine grandiose Idee!
Ich habe das Buch soeben ausgelesen und hab nur ein Wort dafür:
PERFEKT.
Eigentlich lese ich keine Thriller, aber Fitzeks Bücher begeistern mich jedes Mal auf's Neue.
So auch "Passagier 23".
Ich habe das Buch komplett am Stück gelesen (Natürlich habe ich zwischendurch kurz geschlafen ;) ) und es viel mir schwer mich loszureißen.
Jedes Kapitel endet mit einem Cliffhanger. Man denkt immer: "Oh ich muss weiterlesen! Was ist bei der Person jetzt passiert?"
Und dann liest man weiter und es geht aus einer anderen Sicht weiter. Somit fällt es einem wirklich schwer das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.
Die unzähligen Wendungen in diesem Buch sind typisch für einen Fitzek.
Er hat es mal wieder geschafft, mich bis zur letzten Seite im Dunkeln tappen zu lassen.
Des Öfteren habe ich das Buch mit offenem Mund angestarrt und konnte gar nicht glauben, was er sich da schon wieder ausgedacht hat.
Auf dem Buchrücken steht ein passendes Zitat zu diesem Buch:
"Sebastian Fitzek sprengt nicht nur den Rahmen der Realität, sondern gleichzeitig die Grenzen der Vorstellungskraft." - Christine Brand, NZZ am Sonntag
Hierbei schreckt er vor nichts zurück. Dieses Buch beinhaltet mal wieder Perversität höchsten Grades und lässt den Leser nicht glauben, dass einige Dinge in diesem Buch wirklich der Wahrheit entsprechen.
Mein Fazit:
Dieser Psychothriller ist ein Must-Read für alle Thriller Leser und besonders für alle Fitzek Fans. Ich kann auf jeden Fall versprechen, dass es keinen Fitzek Fan enttäuschen wird! Dieses Buch ist spannend bis zur letzten Seite und ja... es ist wieder'mal nichts für schwache Nerven ;)
Ein perfekter Psychothriller des Meisters der Thriller.
Die Rezension ist auch auf meinem Blog zu finden: http://kimlovee123.blogspot.de/2014/1...
February 7, 2021
Passenger 23 is an unpleasantly dark and twisted suspense German thriller which has now been translated into English. The title refers to the average number of people who disappear on cruise ships every year. I’m feeling torn about my rating, because while I can’t say I enjoyed it, I think that’s more about what I’m in the mood for just now - I received an ARC close to publication day, having requested it based on a friend’s positive review, so didn’t feel I could put it aside; it has a clever complicated plot which kept me guessing, and I think most people who like this genre would say it’s a good book, so I’m rounding up from 3.5. The blurb describes it as a psychological thriller but I wouldn’t really call it that.
Martin Schwartz is an undercover police officer who will go to any extreme to complete his missions - since the murder-suicide deaths of his wife and child five years earlier he has no fear for his own safety, so when a meddling old lady who lives permanently on the cruise ship where they died contacts him to ask for his help investigating the recent disappearance of another mother-child pair, which had been labelled another suicide, he doesn’t hesitate. Even so, he’s shocked to discover that the little girl has reappeared weeks later, traumatised and mute from her experiences. Can he work out what’s going on or will he too meet a watery end on this ship of death?
The opening chapters set the tone here - unknown assailants doing terrible things to their victims for unknown reasons - both on the ship, and on Martin’s latest case. The worst parts are referred to rather than described: there’s physical and psychological torture, horrendous child abuse and sickening cruelty - some highly original in it’s nastiness, but it doesn’t completely cross the line into gratuitousness. If this is likely to bother you, I’d skip this one.
If you don’t mind these elements, you’re in for a twisty suspenseful tale where nothing is as it seems, and while I found the eventual reveal rather eye-rollingly implausible, the author does a good job of untangling all the different plot threads. There’s a large cast of characters and frequent POV changes so you do need to pay attention. Martin is an interesting hero, damaged, driven and disrespectful as is typical for this genre, but intuitive and compassionate so I did find myself caring about him.
I thought the translation was pretty good, and think this would make a good movie if they toned down (or at least didn’t show you) the more horrific elements. I’ve never been interested in large boat cruising as a holiday, and this certainly hasn’t changed my mind!
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC which allowed me to give this honest (if ambivalent) review. Passenger 23 is available now.
Martin Schwartz is an undercover police officer who will go to any extreme to complete his missions - since the murder-suicide deaths of his wife and child five years earlier he has no fear for his own safety, so when a meddling old lady who lives permanently on the cruise ship where they died contacts him to ask for his help investigating the recent disappearance of another mother-child pair, which had been labelled another suicide, he doesn’t hesitate. Even so, he’s shocked to discover that the little girl has reappeared weeks later, traumatised and mute from her experiences. Can he work out what’s going on or will he too meet a watery end on this ship of death?
The opening chapters set the tone here - unknown assailants doing terrible things to their victims for unknown reasons - both on the ship, and on Martin’s latest case. The worst parts are referred to rather than described: there’s physical and psychological torture, horrendous child abuse and sickening cruelty - some highly original in it’s nastiness, but it doesn’t completely cross the line into gratuitousness. If this is likely to bother you, I’d skip this one.
If you don’t mind these elements, you’re in for a twisty suspenseful tale where nothing is as it seems, and while I found the eventual reveal rather eye-rollingly implausible, the author does a good job of untangling all the different plot threads. There’s a large cast of characters and frequent POV changes so you do need to pay attention. Martin is an interesting hero, damaged, driven and disrespectful as is typical for this genre, but intuitive and compassionate so I did find myself caring about him.
I thought the translation was pretty good, and think this would make a good movie if they toned down (or at least didn’t show you) the more horrific elements. I’ve never been interested in large boat cruising as a holiday, and this certainly hasn’t changed my mind!
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC which allowed me to give this honest (if ambivalent) review. Passenger 23 is available now.
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