The Inmate

From the moment I discovered Splinter I've looked forward to every new Fitzek translation; after a few relative dips, I was delighted to find him back on top form. He's at his best when, as here, he combines the Psychological Thriller genre with a deep dive into the more extreme issues of the mind - producing true psychological thrillers in every sense of the term and the twists and turns here are quite extraordinary. I will issue a warning that the violence levels in The Inmate are high and, at times, it's a disturbing read but I was prepared to forgive that for a first rate read

This is definitely a dark thriller with intense and violent scenes throughout the book. If you're sensitive to graphic content, be aware that there is a lot of gore.The protagonist, Till, goes through a lot, and it's surprising that he manages to endure everything. The ending leaves some suspense, making you wonder what happened to him. Overall, I appreciate that Fitzek immediately grabs your attention from the start. The first chapter had me completely engaged!The story is fast-paced and highly addictive, perfect for binge-reading. I tend to enjoy European authors because they are unafraid to explore darker themes and push boundaries. Rather than focusing on mundane or unrealistic situations, I prefer delving into the mind of a genuinely disturbed psychopath, understanding their motivations, and discovering what makes them different.Fitzek skillfully raises the stakes with each chapter, creating a sense of urgency and making Till's mission all the more important. However, what impressed me the most was how everything unraveled towards the end. While it may not have been entirely original, the twist took me completely by surprise. I can't deny that my jaw dropped!!

I knew when I saw this book description that I had to read it. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.Max has been missing without a trace for a year. Guido T has admitted to two horrific child murder's and has hinted he may be involved with Max's disappearance. The problem is he is locked away in a maximum security psychiatric hospital and is refusing to talk.Max's father convinces a homicide detective to smuggle him into the facility to confront Guido himself to try to find out where Max's body is for some closure for him and his wife. This is where the fun starts and some great twists and shocks. With some blood, gore and great story line this was right up my street.Loved it. Highly recommended.

3.5Guido Tramnitz is convicted of several murders including two children and is now in a high security psychiatric hospital. Till Berkhoff’s six year old son Max has been missing for a year, it’s as if he’s dropped off the face of the earth. Is Guido responsible for Max’s disappearance? The police team certainly think so and they abandon their search for Max. However, Tramnitz has not confessed and a grieving Till needs certainty. How far is Till prepared to go to achieve a confession?First of all, the premise is a good one and has authenticity to it even if what ensues is somewhat far fetched! Till’s point of view is very intense and you feel the burning love for his son and understand the sacrifices he may make. It’s clearly not an easy read, anything featuring a child killer is always going to horrify and shock and it certainly does that. Guido is chilling and makes you shudder. The deadly cat and mouse game that unfolds is a suspenseful mind blowing wild ride with the short sharp chapters perfectly matching the narrative.Whilst there are times when I’m on the edge of my seat the changing perspectives makes it feel disjointed. I do not object to some of the drama becoming somewhat unlikely, this is fiction after all but some sections seem to be implausible and I can’t entirely buy into what occurs. Some of the dialogue makes me wince but this is maybe due to translation issues and probably works better in the original German.Overall though, it’s a good read with a constantly changing plot to keep the focus.

I loved the book. It's so well written psychological thriller that I couldn't put it down until I finished. I admire the author's ability to create excellent book and to present it in such a concentrated manner, that every sentence had an impression being very important and leading you forward through the story until the very end.

The first chapter and our introduction to Guido T is highly unsettling to such a degree that I just had to have a little break before I kept on reading to make sure that all would be well and that life will continue after I turn the last page!With that first chapter the author sets the level of peril that we will find ourselves in for most of this read. There are brief moments of respite when it seems like things are calmer but by the end of the book you realise the truth of those moments, some of which are highly deceptive!I feel that most of this book is written in a way to deceive us as readers but it is done so gloriously that reading it becomes almost addictive. I had idea's about where I was being lead but nothing prepared me for the author's truths in this tale. He is a genius at sneaking in complex twists that make total sense once you know about them but you just cant see them coming!In places this was a difficult read as all works of fiction are that involve missing people, especially when they are children. The times that this is discussed are used to move the story on or for a later plot point rather than to sensationalise or to traumatise readers in any way.Having read the whole book and knowing and understanding everything that happened, I really enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to my next one by this author whenever that may be!

It was funny and so nice to figure out the story, act structure and whole plot could have been a product of my own imagination. Luckily it wasn’t me but my favourite thriller author Sebastian Fitzek putting such a story into a written book. Really enjoyed reading it! Next Fitzek Thriller has already been purchased :)