Don't Forget Me (Levi Kant #1) by B.C. Schiller
Genre: Crime fiction, thriller
Read: 11th February 2020
Purchase: Amazon
(publication date: 12th December 2019)
★★★★ 4 stars
German author B.C. Schiller is the combination of husband and wife writing team Barbara and Christian Schiller. Together they belong to the most successful crime authors in the German speaking world, and it isn't hard to see why. They have written dozens of crime novels but DON'T FORGET ME is the first I have come across by the authors that has been translated into English.
At just over 200 pages long, DON'T FORGET ME is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller that I found to be an incredibly enjoyable and easy read. I was intrigued by the premise which outlined two separate storylines - the first of which is the death of a teenager while the other was the disappearance of a husband and daughter 5 years ago...incidentally around the same time as the teen's death. Coincidence?
The story begins with psychiatrist Dr Olivia Hofmann, whose husband and daughter mysteriously vanished five years prior without a trace. She is fraught with grief and plagued by her own guilt and the mystery of what could possibly have happened to them. She lives alone, takes in private patients as well as working at the clinic her father, also a psychiatrist, once used to head...before Alzheimer's took away his memories.
Every year on the anniversary of her family's disappearance, Olivia receives an anonymous postcard with just two words "I'm sorry". Today is that day. And without fail, the postcard arrives. There is nothing to identify who is sending them which frustrates Olivia even further. Does someone know something? Could it be her husband? Or is this a killer's sadistic way of taking pleasure in her grief?
Unaware of the floodgates she is about to open, Olivia's patient that day confides to her during their session that he has seen a young teenager he knew during his time at the clinic. Only problem is, this girl was murdered five years ago...around the time Olivia's family had disappeared. But Jonathan is adamant. The girl was Lisa and he can prove it - he took her photo with his mobile phone. The photo, however, is blurry and could be anyone...although it does bear some resemblance to Lisa Manz. Jonathan also claims to have Lisa's rucksack that she left behind which was easily identifiable as belonging to her. He begs Olivia to come to his flat so that he can give it to her and she agrees to visit the following morning. Then before Jonathan leaves, he thrusts something into Olivia's hands with obvious fear in his eyes, claiming it was also Lisa's but that it frightened him. It was a pendant with two snakes interwoven together with distinctive ruby red eyes. It was a little disconcerting to look at but a stunning piece.
When Olivia arrives at Jonathan's flat the next morning, she finds him hanging out the window screaming words that don't make a lot of sense. She sees a shadow behind him the instant before Jonathan falls to his death. The police arrive and question her but after searching his flat and finding Lisa's rucksack believe they have found Lisa's murderer who, in a wave of guilt, jumped to his death and now they can finally close the five year old case. But Olivia is sure Jonathan didn't jump. He was pushed. But the police are just as adamant. The evidence speaks for itself.
Enter Levi Kant. Levi was in charge of the investigation into Lisa's murder before a bullet ended his career, leaving him now teaching at the police academy. When a former colleague calls Levi to inform him of this development in the Lisa's case, Levi drops everything and rushes to the scene. There he meets Olivia and together they join forces to find out the truth of what really happened to Lisa Manz. Who murdered her? Or is she still alive and someone else had been burnt beyond recognition in her place five years before? And is there a connection between Lisa's case and Olivia's missing family?
By re-opening the case, Olivia and Levi are then put in mortal danger as the killer is onto them and will stop at nothing to remain hidden. Olivia finds herself in hospital after being rammed by a 4WD on her bicycle, her flat is broken into and Lisa's files are stolen and her father is also put in danger when his place is also ransacked. What went on at the clinic five years ago that someone wants to keep secret?
The unfolding of the case at hand threw up lots of questions, doubt and had me second guessing just about everyone. For everyone, it seemed, had secrets but uncovering them proved to be a difficult, if not dangerous, task. Even the murderer escaped my detection!!
I did find the scene where Olivia's father's flat was being searched and ransacked somewhat distressing. Having a father with dementia myself, it was confronting to witness Leopold's confusion at the events taking place before him with no idea what was happening although he still had the nous to call his daughter and alert her. For a psychiatrist to be so insensitive to someone with dementia and their failing memory by taking advantage of it was both abhorrent and distressing.
The action was non-stop in this fast paced thriller which was totally binge-worthy. I could not turn the pages quick enough and thoroughly enjoyed the storylines that were interwoven together. Despite it not being the smoothest of translations, making some of the dialogue a little stilted and awkward, it didn't detract from the book as a whole because it was so well-written in its simplicity despite the story was a complex one. It didn't need the WOW factor to impress or intrigue - the way the author engages the reader through their skilled writing was enough. It was quick, enthralling and entirely compelling that I cannot wait for the translation of the second book!!
DON'T FORGET ME is essentially a German-written book and while sometimes things can be lost in translation I don't think that should be the focus. The story is both complex and simplistic making it an intriguing and thrilling read.
The one thing that I felt let it down was the premise promised more in the way of Olivia's missing family that I thought it may have featured just a little bit more in the story. Having said that, the cliffhanger left us with the promise of more to come on that front and I hope Book 2 features the mystery surrounding their disappearance a little more.
Overall, if you are looking for a quick, easy read that is both intriguing and binge-worthy then look no further than DON'T FORGET ME!! I certainly recommend it.
Bring on Book 2!!
I would like to thank #BCSchiller, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #DontForgetMe in exchange for an honest review.
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