This was a pacy, gripping, tense + captivating thriller that I flew through. The twists kept me engrossed and the writing style was brilliant. It kept me guessing till the end!

Thank you Netgalley + the publisher for my ARC!

Ann is only a young girl when her father is charged with murdering several children aged between six and ten and imprisoned . The killer’s signature was a red ribbon placed at the scene of each crime to signify another killing had taken place. Ann believes he has been wrongly convicted and sets out to prove his innocence.
This was a very interesting concept which I felt the writer handled very well and I enjoyed reading something a little different.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

When her dad is arrested for the child abductions and murders that have been happening for the last 14 years and dubbed “Professor Death”, Ann begins an investigation of her own to prove it’s all a mistake…

I didn’t feel a connection or really like any of the characters so felt hard to be involved in this story. I liked some aspects of this book more than others like the transcripts, extracts where emotions are described and the meaning behind them as well as one particular POV. I found myself more interested in them than the actual story.

I spent a lot of it feeling confused and not really knowing what was actually going on and even after finishing, I still have questions about what I’ve just read. I feel like a lot of this book felt like an uno reverse, as soon as you thought you had something figured out, the book would then flip that and turn it into something else. Normally these kind of reveals make me shocked but ironically considering one of the conditions that are spoken about in this book, I did not feel anything towards the reveals and didn’t really find them to be reveals. More like things that just happened that a lot of the time failed to build up the suspense and impact that it could have had.

I feel like this book had so much potential but it just wasn’t executed in the right way. I also wasn’t a fan of the ending at all - it just felt like a race to try and wrap everything up.

⚠️ CWs: murder, child abduction, Body injury, vomiting, terminal illness, blood, physical assault, child abuse, alcohol use, cursing, derogatory and ableist language; mentions death of a parent, drug use, car accident, drunk driving, animal death, death by suicide and cancer ⚠️

Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for my eARC!

I liked this then I didn't then it was unbelievable then it wasn't.
I'm not sure about this book, but I read and finished and it was well written.

Good mystery book. Young woman starts an investigation looking for a serial killer who killed 10 little girls, because her father is in jail accused for this crime. I loved the characters and the story line.

I wanted to love this one, but the story was confusing and hard to follow. I found it hard to connect to the main character.

I loved the author last book and was really looking forward to this one. however it fell short for me, set over confusing timelines, it just couldn't keep me engaged. I may pick it up and try again but for now it really wasnt for me.

I do love a new Romy Hausman book and I feel like I’ve been waiting for this one for a while. I found myself pulled into this one by the dramatic opening.

There were times I felt a little lost, however, I quickly became fully engrossed and unwilling to put this one down. I devoured this in just one sitting – with only the regret of not being able to experience this as a first read all over again.

Ann is presented perfectly. As a reader, we experience Ann’s thoughts, feelings and fears. These ooze from the pages and you really feel each aspect. Hausman takes us on an emotional rollercoaster as we go to the depths of the dark.

Ann becomes desperate to prove the innocence of her father which takes us on a journey throughout this one. The multi narrative is an interesting element because it raises questions and keeps you hooked on this one.

This flows at a great pace and is easy to become lost in. I have been sucked in completely. This is a great book and one of my favourites by this author.

I will definitely be recommending this book to fans of the genre.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A gripping but slightly confusing read but one that I couldn’t put down! A good follow up to dear child but perhaps not as good! I

They say he's a murderer.

But how could he be?

Ann's father has been arrested for a string of child murders taking place over the last 14 years.

How could it be true?

Her father, no way! A renowned, highly respected Professor and well known prominent figure, a killer?

Ann simply cannot believe it to be true and she is intent on finding out the truth, at all costs.

A multi pov, whodunit thriller with plenty of twists and turns! This one is quite a dark read, the subject content is a bit grim and I found it very tense at points but, it absolutely kept me on my toes and I was desperate to find out the truth behind the infamous Red Ribbon killer!

Well written, engaging and utterly terrifying! You just don't know secrets people are hiding. People who appear completely normal, those you would and could not ever suspect could actually be capable of such awful things.This one definitely made me think and left me pondering for days.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

I wasn't expecting myself to enjoy this book as much as I did, purely because I found books that are translated quite difficult to read but I was hooked on this story.

Told from 3 perspectives, we meet Ann Lesniak, whose father Walter has been arrested and named as Berlin's infamous 'Ribbon Murderer'. According to the police and media he is suspected of murdering 8 young girls all under the age of 12. However, Ann is convinced that her dad has been set up and she is desperate to prove his innocence. Throughout the book we also hear from young Ann and a sinister 3rd perspective that isn't revealed under the end of the book.

Initially the language felt quite laboured but as I became more intrigued by the book the more I enjoyed it. At times it was very fast paced and confusing as so much was going on and everytime I had a theory I was proved wrong.

I would have preferred a slightly different ending but overall I enjoyed reading this book and found it quite captivating.

This is the second book I've read by Romy Hausmann (her first Dear Child, was also translated by Jamie Bulloch) and I've enjoyed both. I'm conscious though, some might grapple with the subject matter Hausmann tends to tackle - involving complex family relationships with child-centric themes.

Here we meet 24yr old Ann, home one night for dinner with her father when the police come knocking to accuse him of being a serial child murderer - responsible for nine deaths over a spate of a dozen years.

Ann finds it impossible to believe her devoted father - a university lecturer in philosophy and anthropology - is capable of what he's accused of doing. He remains silent in prison however so she sets out with a journalist to uncover the real killer. Digging up the past lives of the killer's victims, as well as her own.

Hausmann opens the book beautifully with Ann describing her own death (though it's a metaphor of sorts). It's a technique Hausmann adopts a lot. Perhaps too much... in that a scene plays out (potentially a shocking one) but then we learn it's not what happened. It's often Ann's worst nightmare... not realised.

This unfolds via several voices. Ann, of course, as well as someone talking to the children they're (ummm) 'caring' for, and finally an interview with the killer. And in the latter we're not initially told who the interviewer or interviewee are. Hausmann also intersperses the novel with notes written by a young Ann, about feelings and you can see her father has encouraged her to acknowledge and explore sadness, anger, 'ditermination, 'confidens' and 'frite'.

What I particularly liked about this book was that - despite Ann believing her father incapable of such crimes - she sees the obvious connections or coincidences, including her father's anthropological interest in the crimes... wondering if the children knew they were about to die, for example. But Ann asks herself,

'Who would I be - what would remain of me? - if everything I've been up till now turned out to be a lie?'

Dear Child was spectacularly twisty and this is no different. I had a few questions that went unanswered but suspect that's the nature of crimes such as these. Sometimes the 'why' makes no sense at all.

Suspicion and secrets intertwine in this heart-pounding thriller that leads you down a rabbit hole of twists you won't see coming.

A bit of a mix for me. I found the writing style a bit strange to read and not sure if this was the German or the translation. Anyway, the story is good but it's written in quite a strange way. I can't and won't say more than that as it's just not mu cup of tea but I think the basic story is good.

This book was interesting and I liked it. A little harder to read for a person whose second language would be English, but it didn't bother me at all and I could understand the action of the book very well. I also liked the author's way of writing, and the characters were interesting and complex (in my opinion), which helped a lot to create a truly unique story. It is unlikely that you will get bored reading it and I recommend it from the bottom of my heart.

I didnt like that it was set in Germany, However the story was intriging and I didnt really like the characters,

This author is one of my favourites, so I couldn't wait to read this.
I was a little disappointed. and there were one or two things I wasn't keen on.
Anne's father is arrested for the murder of young women over 14 years.
She decides to find the killer herself.
The story is told from different viewpoints which I wasn't too keen on.
Also the flashbacks to Anne's childhood which were essential to the story confused me a little wondering how it all fits together
There is a lot of violence, so be warned!

The characters although well drawn were not always pleasant, so connecting with them was hard for me.
The story is good and as always, the author keeps the tension at a maximum
If you like psychological thrillers, this is a good one to read.
And although I am a fan of the author, this wasnt really one of her best

They call him a murderer...but how could he be...?

Oh my. I was so disappointed with this book sadly. I read and totally loved "Dear Child" so I was thrilled to see this one come up for request. It sounded intriguing. But...

Ann's father is in prison awaiting trial for the murders of several girls over a fourteen year period. Despite the evidence against him, Ann refuses to accept her father's guilt and so embarks on a journey to prove his innocence.

I didn't get that far.

Flipping burgers on Christmas Eve then going home with a customer/friend (still can't work out what he was meant to be) where she got drunk and confessed to the allegations against daddy dearest and her quest to see him free. I honestly couldn't get much past that. I really struggled with the format and the whole story just didn't gel with me. Ann was unlikeable and I found it hard to sympathise much with her. I found her internal dialogue and flashbacks somewhat confusing. But then that could be down to being lost in translation.

I must congratulate the translator as I can't even begin to imagine the task of translating an entire book page by page, line by line, word for word and maintain the integrity of the original. The inclusion of Ann's diary entries that were written phonetically, I think the translator did an astounding job.

At the end of the day, we can't like every book we read. That's never going to happen. You win some, you lose some. I may give this one another go further down the track but as it stands right now I just couldn't get into it. A shame really because "Dear Child" was the bomb. Totally brilliant. But then it was always going to be tough beating that one.

I would like to thank #RomyHausmann, #Netgalley and #QuercusBooks for an ARC of #AnatomyOfAKiller in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Prepare to be swept away on an exhilarating journey with this extraordinary piece of writing. From the opening lines to the final page, every twist and turn is orchestrated with remarkable finesse, keeping readers like myself entranced and eagerly turning pages.

The author's ability to craft unexpected twists is nothing short of brilliant. Just when you think you have the story figured out, a surprising development sends your assumptions spiraling, leaving you in awe of the narrative's ingenuity. These twists aren't mere gimmicks; they are woven seamlessly into the fabric of the story, enriching the experience and igniting your curiosity.

What truly sets this writing apart is its remarkable talent for turning seemingly insurmountable challenges into beacons of hope. The way the characters confront impossible odds and navigate through adversity not only tugs at your heartstrings but also showcases the resilience of the human spirit. It's a testament to the author's skill that they can elicit such a range of emotions, from tension to elation, all within the span of a few pages.

The pacing is impeccable, offering moments of quiet reflection and intense anticipation in perfect harmony. The world-building is richly textured, providing a backdrop that feels vivid and immersive, enhancing the overall reading experience. The characters are multifaceted and relatable, making their journeys even more impactful as you cheer for their successes and empathize with their struggles.

In an age where predictability often plagues storytelling, this writing stands as a beacon of originality and creativity. It's a rare gem that reminds us why we fall in love with stories in the first place - for the excitement of the unknown, the thrill of discovery, and the power of imagination. If you're seeking a literary adventure that will leave you breathless, hopeful, and hungry for more, look no further. This writing is a masterclass in weaving words into a tapestry of emotions that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

I thought this was very unique story and read anything like it before, which is so Important in the popular thriller genre. Creepy story with a dark history. Thoroughly enjoyed this xx