Death in Summer is a crime novel about the death of a notable banker, whose body is found on a golf course. There are the usual twists and turns you'd expect from a crime novel, the factual - none emotional dialogue you get from the police, the dead ends, the assumptions that prove to be incorrect and take the investigation down the wrong road.
For me, the success of this novel comes from the human characterization of the main character: Eschenbach. He isn't an Agatha Christie Poirot character, but a man with a wife, a daughter who isn't biologically his, but who he raises as his own. We learn about the struggles of his work life balance - he has to cut short his holiday with his family due to an unexpected turn in the investigation. The dialogue with his wife has a different tone to the dialogue with his colleagues which makes the relationship believable, it is messy in the way many modern relationships are, but ultimately successful.
At work Eschenbach has hunches and get things right, but also forgets himself sometimes and is a little harsh with his long-suffering secretary who he fails to thank on a number of occasions. His realization of his failures just slightly after the event adds to the sense of humanity that the author builds.
An excellent translation, well written and an enjoyable read.
I was provided with a free copy of Death in Summer in exchange for an unbiased review of the novel.
For me, the success of this novel comes from the human characterization of the main character: Eschenbach. He isn't an Agatha Christie Poirot character, but a man with a wife, a daughter who isn't biologically his, but who he raises as his own. We learn about the struggles of his work life balance - he has to cut short his holiday with his family due to an unexpected turn in the investigation. The dialogue with his wife has a different tone to the dialogue with his colleagues which makes the relationship believable, it is messy in the way many modern relationships are, but ultimately successful.
At work Eschenbach has hunches and get things right, but also forgets himself sometimes and is a little harsh with his long-suffering secretary who he fails to thank on a number of occasions. His realization of his failures just slightly after the event adds to the sense of humanity that the author builds.
An excellent translation, well written and an enjoyable read.
I was provided with a free copy of Death in Summer in exchange for an unbiased review of the novel.