Lead Review (The Murder of Anton Livius)
- Book: The Murder of Anton Livius
- Location: Basel
- Author: Hansjörg Schneider
This is no. 3 in the Inspector Hunkeler Investigates series.
I read the previous novel in the series, Silver Pebbles, but there is no need to read in order, The Murder of Anton Livius can be read as a stand alone.
The novel has an interesting premise. An appalling murder (a man has been shot and hung up on meat hook puncturing his chin) has taken place in a tiny dwelling in allotments outside the city of Basel. He is deemed to be Swiss (although whether he really has claimed to be comes into question) but the allotments are on French soil.
Peter Hunkeler, a little careworn around the edges, is spending New Year in his holiday home in the Alsace, which is just across the border from Switzerland. The German Border is not far and the location and geography of this mystery is central to the narrative, as two nations have to combine their investigating processes as they aim to solve the murder.
The allotments are governed by an inordinate number of rules and it becomes clear that certain locals were unhappy with incomers from other cultures who disregarded the do’s and don’ts.
Hunkeler travels around the locality to interview known associates of the dead man and invariably takes time to imbibe some alcohol, eat the dish of the day in a guesthouse and chat to friends and colleagues. The area around Basel is beautifully crafted, as the snow falls and the icy winds howl, which lends incredible atmosphere to this gently unfolding story.
The translation by Asrid Freuler is very good. In the previous novel, Silver Pebbles, a different translator clearly struggled to create a honed and credible translation and so it is refreshing not to hear the German rattling along in the background and enjoy a smoothly crafted piece of writing.
Please wait...
