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Kommissar Eschenbach #1
Death in Summer
On a blazing hot day in the heart of summer, a renowned banker is shot dead on the golf course. There are no witnesses, and no obvious suspects.
When Inspector Eschenbach is assigned to the case, he knows that someone must be hiding something.
And as he delves deeper into the victim's life, he starts to uncover a past darker than any he could have imagined, and secrets that spread wider than he could possibly believe.
Secrets that those involved will do anything to keep hidden . . .
When Inspector Eschenbach is assigned to the case, he knows that someone must be hiding something.
And as he delves deeper into the victim's life, he starts to uncover a past darker than any he could have imagined, and secrets that spread wider than he could possibly believe.
Secrets that those involved will do anything to keep hidden . . .
344 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2006
6 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Theurillat
9 books18 followersMichael J. Theurillat (born 1961) is a Swiss writer of crime fiction. Born in Basel, he studied business administration, art history and history. In 2000, he quit his job as an executive with the Swiss bank UBS so as to be able to write full-time.
Theurillat's novels follow the investigations of Kommissar Eschenbach, an investigator with the Zurich police. They have been commercially successful; his third novel, Sechseläuten, was at the head of Swiss bestseller lists following its publication. The Basler Zeitung called him one of Switzerland's most successful crime writers.
Theurillat's novels follow the investigations of Kommissar Eschenbach, an investigator with the Zurich police. They have been commercially successful; his third novel, Sechseläuten, was at the head of Swiss bestseller lists following its publication. The Basler Zeitung called him one of Switzerland's most successful crime writers.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 10, 2018
'Death In Summer' was first published in German back in 2006 and this is the first time that one of Swiss author Michael Theurillat's books have been published in the English language. He has been named as one of Switzerland's most commercially successful crime writers. This is the first novel in the internationally bestselling Inspector Eschenbach series which follow the investigations of Kommissar Eschenbach, an investigator with the Zurich police.
When prominent Swiss banker Philipp Bettlach is shot dead by a sniper in Zurich whilst enjoying a game of golf, Eschenbach is called in to investigate the murder. The case is a puzzling one as he can't seem to find anyone with a bad word to say about the victim who appeared to have been a well-liked and affable guy and with no witnesses to the crime and no obvious motive, experienced investigator Eschenbach realises that this is going to be a difficult one to solve. A second death in Basle follows shortly after the first and there seems to be a link between the two victims.
There are so many secrets, lies and red herrings that take you down the wrong road many times in this book. A vast part of the story is dedicated to uncovering the banker's secret life but somewhat surprisingly there are few revelations after this. Although it states that Eschenbach is an experienced investigator he certainly seems to have missed some clues that he really should have found. He comes across slightly as though he has gotten in too deep and is unsure of his abilities. This is a slow read that is probably more suited to Swiss readership due to the cultural references bandied about here, but I did enjoy learning about the Swiss way of life. The second half of the book was much more gripping than the first and I appreciated the twists and surprises that appeared at the very end. I must also mention the translation as there were some moments I found myself laughing out loud at the clunky language used that was completely out of place. Both the writing style and translation made it quite difficult to get into. At least I got a real good laugh out of it!
Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
When prominent Swiss banker Philipp Bettlach is shot dead by a sniper in Zurich whilst enjoying a game of golf, Eschenbach is called in to investigate the murder. The case is a puzzling one as he can't seem to find anyone with a bad word to say about the victim who appeared to have been a well-liked and affable guy and with no witnesses to the crime and no obvious motive, experienced investigator Eschenbach realises that this is going to be a difficult one to solve. A second death in Basle follows shortly after the first and there seems to be a link between the two victims.
There are so many secrets, lies and red herrings that take you down the wrong road many times in this book. A vast part of the story is dedicated to uncovering the banker's secret life but somewhat surprisingly there are few revelations after this. Although it states that Eschenbach is an experienced investigator he certainly seems to have missed some clues that he really should have found. He comes across slightly as though he has gotten in too deep and is unsure of his abilities. This is a slow read that is probably more suited to Swiss readership due to the cultural references bandied about here, but I did enjoy learning about the Swiss way of life. The second half of the book was much more gripping than the first and I appreciated the twists and surprises that appeared at the very end. I must also mention the translation as there were some moments I found myself laughing out loud at the clunky language used that was completely out of place. Both the writing style and translation made it quite difficult to get into. At least I got a real good laugh out of it!
Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
May 2, 2019
review on wwwbookread2day.wordpress.com
This is the first chilling novel in the international best selling Inspector Eschenbach series.
I really liked reading this fresh idea for a novel set on a golf course. I’ve never read anything quite like this .
A 56 year old man is shot dead on a golf course. He was Vice President of a bank, who lived alone.
Inspector Eschenbach is investigating the shooting and questions the family or anyone that knew him. To make it even harder for the inspector there were no witnesses and no suspect.
I could picture the scene when the camera crew and journalists were having a field day at the golf course as news had reached them about the shooting, hounding club members as they left the golf course.
The one thing I didn’t see coming was the ending when its revealed who shot the man dead at the golf course, it was a real shock. I applaud Michael Theurillat for a suspect with a bit of difference to him. A novel I recommend.
This is the first chilling novel in the international best selling Inspector Eschenbach series.
I really liked reading this fresh idea for a novel set on a golf course. I’ve never read anything quite like this .
A 56 year old man is shot dead on a golf course. He was Vice President of a bank, who lived alone.
Inspector Eschenbach is investigating the shooting and questions the family or anyone that knew him. To make it even harder for the inspector there were no witnesses and no suspect.
I could picture the scene when the camera crew and journalists were having a field day at the golf course as news had reached them about the shooting, hounding club members as they left the golf course.
The one thing I didn’t see coming was the ending when its revealed who shot the man dead at the golf course, it was a real shock. I applaud Michael Theurillat for a suspect with a bit of difference to him. A novel I recommend.
August 19, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zafre for an advance copy of Death in Summer, the first novel to feature Inspector Eschenbach, head of the Zurich CID.
When banker, Philipp Bettlach, is shot by a sniper on the golf course it is a puzzle for Eschenbach as the victim is apparently a very likeable, convivial man. As he digs deeper he finds he discovers a darkness to the victim and more family secrets than he bargains for.
Death in Summer is an interesting read for the view it offers on the Swiss way of life but it didn't appeal to me as a crime novel and didn't really hold my attention. It is a slow read with Eschenbach running the investigation almost singly handedly so not much happens until a rush of reveals at the end which offer some unbelievable twists and highlight the Swiss reputation for secrecy and need to keep up appearances. This may have more resonance with the original Swiss readership than it did with me who just found it hard to swallow.
I would like to mention the translation which does not add to the read. "Gay as a maypole", to pick one example. What does that even mean? The translator struggles with idiomatic English, especially when bad language is involved, and the words chosen seem glaringly out of place and context.
I did, however enjoy Eschenbach's character. He is a nice man with a stable home life and the smarts to be able to think through his cases. He makes a big mistake in this investigation, taking certain things at face value and going for the obvious, but as this so out of character when he so thoroughly investigates everything else it can be viewed as a plot device, a rather unconvincing one at that for seasoned crime fiction readers.
When banker, Philipp Bettlach, is shot by a sniper on the golf course it is a puzzle for Eschenbach as the victim is apparently a very likeable, convivial man. As he digs deeper he finds he discovers a darkness to the victim and more family secrets than he bargains for.
Death in Summer is an interesting read for the view it offers on the Swiss way of life but it didn't appeal to me as a crime novel and didn't really hold my attention. It is a slow read with Eschenbach running the investigation almost singly handedly so not much happens until a rush of reveals at the end which offer some unbelievable twists and highlight the Swiss reputation for secrecy and need to keep up appearances. This may have more resonance with the original Swiss readership than it did with me who just found it hard to swallow.
I would like to mention the translation which does not add to the read. "Gay as a maypole", to pick one example. What does that even mean? The translator struggles with idiomatic English, especially when bad language is involved, and the words chosen seem glaringly out of place and context.
I did, however enjoy Eschenbach's character. He is a nice man with a stable home life and the smarts to be able to think through his cases. He makes a big mistake in this investigation, taking certain things at face value and going for the obvious, but as this so out of character when he so thoroughly investigates everything else it can be viewed as a plot device, a rather unconvincing one at that for seasoned crime fiction readers.
August 23, 2019
I always enjoy reading about a different country or culture/society and one taking place in Switzerland was new for me. It is full of twists and turns which almost make the Inspector seem lackadaisical in his solving of the murder. I actually figured put the killer early on without knowing all the many reasons and nuances. This translation comes over 10 years after the book was first published. I do hope more will come more quickly. I'd like to see the further,development of Inspector Rschenbach.
February 15, 2023
Thrilling
July 30, 2018
When Philipp Bettlach, an eminent local banker is shot dead on a golf course in Zurich, Inspector Eschenbach is called in to investigate the murder. Twelve years earlier, aged thirty-eight, he had been appointed as head CID, Zurich Police Department’s youngest ever chief so he is not an inexperienced investigator. However, he soon realises that, with no witnesses to the crime, and no obvious motive, his investigations are likely to prove difficult. When there is a second death in Basle, of a man who appears to have a link with the murder victim, the inspector hopes that this will help his investigations, but nothing is straightforward in uncovering the complex, dark and secretive life the banker had been living.
At the heart of this crime novel is a labyrinthine web of relationships family secrets which has enabled the family and friends of the murder victim to become complicit in covering up some dark and disturbing behaviour. As the inspector’s investigations slowly begin to uncover these, he becomes increasingly frustrated that the influence of some high-ranking people, determined that these secrets should not be revealed, are making his job more difficult.
This is not a fast-moving story, in fact there were moments during the first half of the book when I felt frustrated by what felt like a rather ponderous investigation which, at times, seemed to be missing out on exploring what, to me, felt like some obvious lines of enquiry. However, because I was finding the happily married, espresso-drinking, knobbly Brissago cigarillo-smoking inspector an interesting character, I decided to cut him some slack! I’m pleased that I did because the second half of the story became much more gripping and psychologically convincing, making it a four, rather than a three-star read.
Although I had guessed some of the intricacies of the resolution, there were some last-minute surprises in store which added considerably both to the tension, and to my enjoyment. Without going into detail of one of the central lines of enquiry (which would be a spoiler!), I thought that some of the darker elements of the investigation, and the effects of these on various members of the team, were very convincingly handled. The descriptions of Zurich gripped by an enervating heatwave were very evocative and did much to add to a sense of torpor about the pace of the investigation. It was as though all the energy had been drained from the people and the location and huge effort was needed just to keep going. Several references to life in Switzerland brought the country into focus, again providing an extra dynamic to the developing story.
The inspector’s relationships with Claudio Jagmetti, his inexperienced but keen junior officer, his delightful secretary of ten years Rosa Mazzoleni, who always knows the best places to eat and stay, and his boss, Elisabeth Kobler added an interesting dimension to the developing story and, knowing that this is the first book in the series to be translated into English, I feel keen to get to know them all better – so I hope it won’t be long before the second book is translated!
Although I enjoyed this as a personal read, I do think that reading groups would probably struggle to find enough topics for any stimulating discussion.
My thanks to Readers First and Manilla Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2018
This book was both better, and worse, than I was expecting it to be. Hence the middle of the road 2.5 Stars I have given it. There is nothing really surprising or innovative here but there are moments that entertain.
First and foremost this is a thriller centred around the murder of a prominent banker on a Swiss gold course. Swiss banks are, of course, internationally recognised for their tight lips and secure environs. So what secrets could have led to this man's murder? Just who where the clients that he looked after so well? What did he know that caused his death?
Minor spoiler alert:
His death was nothing to do with his job. In fact, banking is barely touched on and his illustrious clients have nothing to do with his untimely demise.
As you can probably tell from the above this is where I was hoping the tale would take us. I was looking forward to espionage and double dealing in the rarefied air of the Alps. Instead we are taken somewhere far more pedestrian, what should be a plot twist feels more like a standard deviation for the genre - it no doubt had more impact on original publication but this English Language translation has come a couple of years later and it suffers for the time delay.
Plot wise this would have been a 2 Star read.
However, what the author has done very well here is give us a sense of person, of place, and how that place informs the person. Eschenbach is no great legal mind, he is no Sherlock Holmes. What he is a working copper who knows his countrymen, knows his country and knows how people work on the inside. This informs his behaviour at every turn and makes him feel all the more real to the reader.
There is rather too much dwelling on the weather - although when I read the book we were in the middle of a UK heatwave so to read of Zurich melting under the summer sun felt very easy to envisage. In fact, the sections of the book that deal with Eschenbach's movements around the city as he ponders the case and his peregrinations to other Cantons and Countries are some of the best bits in the book. His interactions with his erstwhile secretary, Rosa, and his new trainee, Jagmetti, are also enjoyable reading.
As a thriller I found this book to fail at every turn. The plot was insufficient to carry the book and the twists were just not there. There was also a sense of disconnect between events in such a way that any deduction that linked them together felt as though it was a complete leap of faith to reach that conclusion.
Where the book did work is as a study in people. How the human animal can, and does, modify it's behaviour to suit a certain social situation or a particular place. This is where the author excelled. Unfortunately, it was not enough to salvage a rather turgid tale.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
First and foremost this is a thriller centred around the murder of a prominent banker on a Swiss gold course. Swiss banks are, of course, internationally recognised for their tight lips and secure environs. So what secrets could have led to this man's murder? Just who where the clients that he looked after so well? What did he know that caused his death?
Minor spoiler alert:
His death was nothing to do with his job. In fact, banking is barely touched on and his illustrious clients have nothing to do with his untimely demise.
As you can probably tell from the above this is where I was hoping the tale would take us. I was looking forward to espionage and double dealing in the rarefied air of the Alps. Instead we are taken somewhere far more pedestrian, what should be a plot twist feels more like a standard deviation for the genre - it no doubt had more impact on original publication but this English Language translation has come a couple of years later and it suffers for the time delay.
Plot wise this would have been a 2 Star read.
However, what the author has done very well here is give us a sense of person, of place, and how that place informs the person. Eschenbach is no great legal mind, he is no Sherlock Holmes. What he is a working copper who knows his countrymen, knows his country and knows how people work on the inside. This informs his behaviour at every turn and makes him feel all the more real to the reader.
There is rather too much dwelling on the weather - although when I read the book we were in the middle of a UK heatwave so to read of Zurich melting under the summer sun felt very easy to envisage. In fact, the sections of the book that deal with Eschenbach's movements around the city as he ponders the case and his peregrinations to other Cantons and Countries are some of the best bits in the book. His interactions with his erstwhile secretary, Rosa, and his new trainee, Jagmetti, are also enjoyable reading.
As a thriller I found this book to fail at every turn. The plot was insufficient to carry the book and the twists were just not there. There was also a sense of disconnect between events in such a way that any deduction that linked them together felt as though it was a complete leap of faith to reach that conclusion.
Where the book did work is as a study in people. How the human animal can, and does, modify it's behaviour to suit a certain social situation or a particular place. This is where the author excelled. Unfortunately, it was not enough to salvage a rather turgid tale.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
December 28, 2023
In dem Kriminalroman “Im Sommer sterben” des Autors Michael Theurillat erleben wir eine Geschichte, die anfangs etwas schleppend beginnt. Ich brauchte ein wenig Zeit, um mich mit den verschiedenen Protagonisten:innen vertraut zu machen. Doch sobald ich erst einmal die Charaktere und die Handlung verstanden hatte, konnte ich das Buch nicht mehr aus den Händen legen.
Ein besonderer Aspekt, der mir sehr gefallen hat, war die Präsenz von bekannten Schauplätzen, die in der Handlung vorkommen. Dies verleiht der Geschichte eine gewisse Authentizität und ermöglicht es dem Leser, sich leichter in die Handlung hineinzuversetzen. Ich persönlich finde es immer faszinierend, wenn ich die Möglichkeit habe, die beschriebenen Orte selbst zu kennen.
Die Spannung in diesem Krimi ist von Anfang an spürbar und steigert sich kontinuierlich. Es gibt immer wieder überraschende Wendungen und unerwartete Enthüllungen, die den Leser in Atem halten. Die Ermittlungen sind clever und gut durchdacht, und die vielschichtigen Charaktere tragen dazu bei, dass man als Leser mitfiebert und miträtselt.
Ein weiterer Pluspunkt des Buches ist der Schreibstil von Theurillat. Die Beschreibungen sind detailliert und fesselnd, und er schafft es, eine bedrückende Atmosphäre zu erzeugen. Man fühlt sich direkt in die Handlung hineingezogen und ist gespannt darauf, wie sich die Geschichte entwickelt.
Alles in allem war “Im Sommer sterben” für mich ein äusserst spannender Krimi, den ich nur schwer aus der Hand legen konnte. Die Mischung aus packender Handlung, gut ausgearbeiteten Charakteren und atmosphärischem Schreibstil hat mich vollkommen überzeugt. Ich freue mich bereits darauf, das nächste Buch von Michael Theurillat in die Hand zu nehmen und bin gespannt, welche neuen Abenteuer mich dort erwarten werden.
Ein besonderer Aspekt, der mir sehr gefallen hat, war die Präsenz von bekannten Schauplätzen, die in der Handlung vorkommen. Dies verleiht der Geschichte eine gewisse Authentizität und ermöglicht es dem Leser, sich leichter in die Handlung hineinzuversetzen. Ich persönlich finde es immer faszinierend, wenn ich die Möglichkeit habe, die beschriebenen Orte selbst zu kennen.
Die Spannung in diesem Krimi ist von Anfang an spürbar und steigert sich kontinuierlich. Es gibt immer wieder überraschende Wendungen und unerwartete Enthüllungen, die den Leser in Atem halten. Die Ermittlungen sind clever und gut durchdacht, und die vielschichtigen Charaktere tragen dazu bei, dass man als Leser mitfiebert und miträtselt.
Ein weiterer Pluspunkt des Buches ist der Schreibstil von Theurillat. Die Beschreibungen sind detailliert und fesselnd, und er schafft es, eine bedrückende Atmosphäre zu erzeugen. Man fühlt sich direkt in die Handlung hineingezogen und ist gespannt darauf, wie sich die Geschichte entwickelt.
Alles in allem war “Im Sommer sterben” für mich ein äusserst spannender Krimi, den ich nur schwer aus der Hand legen konnte. Die Mischung aus packender Handlung, gut ausgearbeiteten Charakteren und atmosphärischem Schreibstil hat mich vollkommen überzeugt. Ich freue mich bereits darauf, das nächste Buch von Michael Theurillat in die Hand zu nehmen und bin gespannt, welche neuen Abenteuer mich dort erwarten werden.
August 5, 2018
This book is the first in a series which I feel will be a very long running one. It is a crime thriller in which see's Inspector Eschenbach leading an investigation into a seemingly unprovoked murder, but of course there is more to the victim than meets the eye and investigations reveal the victim was not the nice person everyone took him to be. As the investigation moves on and the police believe that they have their victim, more twists and turns take place, not to be helped when a police officer working on the investigation starts a relationship with a possible suspect, once the real murderer is found it appears that the story is concluded but there are yet more twists and turns to be had.
I enjoyed this book but did find it slow going in places, just when I was thinking of giving up on it, it picked up pace and my interest with it. A really good book and I will look out for the next in the series to compare this one with.
I enjoyed this book but did find it slow going in places, just when I was thinking of giving up on it, it picked up pace and my interest with it. A really good book and I will look out for the next in the series to compare this one with.
July 30, 2018
I did enjoy this book but I do like my thrillers fast and this was more of a meander reminded me a little of an of midsomer murders you set in a idyllic setting then someone gets murdered.
Full of characters that sometimes I had to go back a little to remind me where they fit in. It seems that each character could have a reason to kill and all with there own dark secrets.
It is well translated but sometimes the wording falls slightly but not enough to ruin the story.
I know this is a start of a series written a few years back so it will be good to see when the others have been translated the development of the characters and if they have come into themselves. I did like the character of the main detective I will look forward to his development.
A run of the mill crime thriller which I did enjoy and it did pull at my heart strings with the letter at the end.
Full of characters that sometimes I had to go back a little to remind me where they fit in. It seems that each character could have a reason to kill and all with there own dark secrets.
It is well translated but sometimes the wording falls slightly but not enough to ruin the story.
I know this is a start of a series written a few years back so it will be good to see when the others have been translated the development of the characters and if they have come into themselves. I did like the character of the main detective I will look forward to his development.
A run of the mill crime thriller which I did enjoy and it did pull at my heart strings with the letter at the end.
August 14, 2018
A man is shot dead on a golf course and it kicks off a huge and twisted investigation for Inspector Eschenbach. The case becomes even more twisted and dark as he begins to learn the truth.
I really struggled getting into this book. I just couldn't seem to relate to any of the characters and the story just didn't draw me in like I'd hoped it would. Usually this is my sort of genre but clearly this book wasn't for me. At times I struggled to understand who was who but in the end I understood. The ending was right for the story if so very twisted. This is a very dark story with some very dark themes including child pornography so could be a trigger for some readers.
Not the book for me but I'm sure there are many others who will really enjoy the story.
I really struggled getting into this book. I just couldn't seem to relate to any of the characters and the story just didn't draw me in like I'd hoped it would. Usually this is my sort of genre but clearly this book wasn't for me. At times I struggled to understand who was who but in the end I understood. The ending was right for the story if so very twisted. This is a very dark story with some very dark themes including child pornography so could be a trigger for some readers.
Not the book for me but I'm sure there are many others who will really enjoy the story.
Read
August 26, 2020 This is the first book in the Inspector Eschenbach series.
A short brief of story
A 56 year old man is shot dead on a golf course. He was Vice President of a bank, who lived alone.Inspector Eschenbach is investigating the shooting and questions the family or anyone that knew him. To make it even harder for the inspector there were no witnesses and no suspect.
I didn't see ending coming. I liked the charatisation in the novel and beleiveable relationships between them. Enjoyed reading about a different country and culture.
So many secrets and several twists. A solid debut from writer i feel cant look forward to reading more in series that i understand has been around for a while. I liked it a good mystery read.
A short brief of story
A 56 year old man is shot dead on a golf course. He was Vice President of a bank, who lived alone.Inspector Eschenbach is investigating the shooting and questions the family or anyone that knew him. To make it even harder for the inspector there were no witnesses and no suspect.
I didn't see ending coming. I liked the charatisation in the novel and beleiveable relationships between them. Enjoyed reading about a different country and culture.
So many secrets and several twists. A solid debut from writer i feel cant look forward to reading more in series that i understand has been around for a while. I liked it a good mystery read.
June 20, 2020
Despite the fact that the victim is killed on a golf course, this mystery, set in Switzerland, has little to do with golf and a lot to do with child rape. Well done but if this sort of crime is upsetting to you give this one a pass.
November 17, 2024
I don’t know if because the original book was in German but it was hard for me to read the names ( I live in the U.S ) I dragged myself to finish the book. This is the 1st book of a series that I am not going to read.
April 27, 2019
gut und spannend, wenn auch manchmal etwas langatmig
January 18, 2020
An interesting book, the poor translation made it hard to read
February 4, 2023
Krimis mit Kommisar Eschenbach sind immer unterhaltsam und besonders schön, wenn man Zürich kennt.
July 19, 2015
Ein erfreulich kurzweiliges und mit pointiertem Humor gespicktes Lesevergnügen
July 24, 2018
‘Death in Summer’ first appeared in its original German in 2006 and it has taken some time for this successful Swiss author to make it into English translation. Which is a shame, for there is a lot to commend this first book in the series – although, because of the time lag, some of the references are a little dated (at some point one of the characters mentions playing guitar on a Phil Collins record!).
Inspector Eschenbach, head of Zurich CID, gets involved in the murder of a prominent Swiss banker shot dead on a golf course. A second death in Basle follows and seems connected. Given that this is a crime novel I won’t go too heavily into plot or suspects but suffice to say the book deals with some weighty issues that are not always comfortable to deal with, but they are generally handled well by Theurillat, and complicated family relationships become central to the plot. If you are looking for a fast-paced, high-octane thriller then this is not the book for you; instead it is quite slow paced as the investigation grinds along through the hot Zurich summer. At times I was a bit bemused as to how little the investigation revealed – on several occasions a character would mention a fact that the Inspector did not know but actually, given some basic police work, he should have (for example, some time well into the investigation, the narrative goes: ‘it occurred to Eschenbach that he knew nothing about the family’ of the victim; surely this is the first thing you investigate?).
But, I’m quibbling, because actually I did enjoy the book with its twists and turns. The location of Zurich is an interesting new addition (for me at least) to the crime novel setting and allowed the author to discuss aspects of Switzerland, and the Swiss, that gave an interesting perspective from those reading in the UK, for example. The central character of Eschenbach (do we ever get to know his first name? I can’t actually remember coming across it) is a likeable hero: an espresso-drinking, cigarillo-smoking, happily-married family man (thank God we don’t get another psychologically scarred, alcohol-dependent loner, oft the way in crime novels). Doing some research Theurillat seems to have written 4 books so I hope that we can look forward to more being translated and published soon, if this one is a success. Much in the style of, say, Camilleri’s Montalbano, this looks a promising series.
Inspector Eschenbach, head of Zurich CID, gets involved in the murder of a prominent Swiss banker shot dead on a golf course. A second death in Basle follows and seems connected. Given that this is a crime novel I won’t go too heavily into plot or suspects but suffice to say the book deals with some weighty issues that are not always comfortable to deal with, but they are generally handled well by Theurillat, and complicated family relationships become central to the plot. If you are looking for a fast-paced, high-octane thriller then this is not the book for you; instead it is quite slow paced as the investigation grinds along through the hot Zurich summer. At times I was a bit bemused as to how little the investigation revealed – on several occasions a character would mention a fact that the Inspector did not know but actually, given some basic police work, he should have (for example, some time well into the investigation, the narrative goes: ‘it occurred to Eschenbach that he knew nothing about the family’ of the victim; surely this is the first thing you investigate?).
But, I’m quibbling, because actually I did enjoy the book with its twists and turns. The location of Zurich is an interesting new addition (for me at least) to the crime novel setting and allowed the author to discuss aspects of Switzerland, and the Swiss, that gave an interesting perspective from those reading in the UK, for example. The central character of Eschenbach (do we ever get to know his first name? I can’t actually remember coming across it) is a likeable hero: an espresso-drinking, cigarillo-smoking, happily-married family man (thank God we don’t get another psychologically scarred, alcohol-dependent loner, oft the way in crime novels). Doing some research Theurillat seems to have written 4 books so I hope that we can look forward to more being translated and published soon, if this one is a success. Much in the style of, say, Camilleri’s Montalbano, this looks a promising series.
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