Author: Meredith Winter
Publisher: Sommerburg Verlag
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 199
Format: eBook - EPUB
Genre: Crime/Romance (Liebeskrimi)
Source: ARC from Publisher
Sommerburg – eine verschlafene 800 Seelengemeinde, irgendwo im Norden Deutschlands. Ein Dorf, dessen Bewohner so akkurat und tadellos wie aus einer Reklame zu sein scheinen. Bis zu dem Tag an dem eine brutale Mordserie den Ort erschüttert und Jonathan, der junge Pastor, sich in eine Prostituierte verliebt. Während die männlichen Bewohner nach und nach tot mit einem Fleischermesser in der Brust aufgefunden werden, zeigen die Einwohner allmählich ihr wahres Gesicht. Und auch Jonathan muss vor seiner Gemeinde zugeben, dass er bei Weitem nicht so fromm ist, wie alle bisher geglaubt haben ...
A few weeks back Sommerburg Verlag asked me to review one of their titles. Their books--crime romance, or Liebeskrimi in German--are not my usual genre, but I decided to give one a try, and I selected Blutpsalm out of those on offer. For those who can't read the synopsis above, this book is set in a small town where a series of murders take place. Caught up in all this is a young pastor named Jonathan who has recently met and fallen in love with prostitute Marlene. I can't say more on the plot without spoilers.
The first thing I should say is that this book is certainly formulaic. You know pretty much what to expect and when. For genre fiction, that's not necessarily all bad, as readers will go in with certain expectations, and this book will fulfil them. Sometimes I wished things weren't quite so clichéd (e.g. knocks at the door every time things heated up between the characters), and several plot elements seemed too good to be true (I can't say which without spoilers). However, it was entertaining enough, and occasionally I read out bits that amused me to my husband, translating into English for him. It was also, of course, wonderful practice for my German, and I picked up some new vocabulary along the way. So I am giving Blutpsalm three stars. It was highly predictable and full of lucky coincidences, but it was good fun and will appeal to fans of the genre. I understand from the publisher that an English translation is in the works, so keep an eye out for that in the future.
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