A young woman is found death in a monastery in Chiemsee - Bavaria region. She is the daughter of a glamorous film making family, a beautiful young lady with a promising career in the movies herself, but she chose otherwise. Who and especially, why, would have intended to harm this innocent creature?
Die Tote vom Chiemsee is the debut novel by Gretel Mayer that I selected for my regular German reading exercises. It is set in the 1930s, which adds a certain historical fiction layer, which is dealt with elegantly, but as the action is mostly set in the countryside, outside of the big cities, the perspective is switched and therefore much more focused on the micro- rather than the macro society level.
Mayer re-creates a very relatable local ambiance, both in terms of historical descriptions as of language and human interactions.
The story builds up piece by piece, although the ending is not suggested in any moments. Although, it remains a good exercise for the reader´s investigative mind. There are so many proofs that both the detectives and the reader can easily gather but in the end, the final verdict is beyond anyone´s expectations.
Die Tote vom Chiemsee is a good krimi, in the well-pondered career of the German genre, and definitely outstanding for a debut novel. I may have some disappointments regarding the course of action and the overall pace of the story, but this does not affect my general appreciation for the book. It also made me curious to explore this part of Germany, that I have on my bucket list.
Rating: 3 stars
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