Three Gifts: Das Geheimnis der Statue, Heiße Spur in München and Gefährliches Spiel in Essen

Before I talk about these books, I’d like to thank my mother’s friend, who was generous enough to send them

to me. Thank you so much, Professor Demleitner!


After I expressed an interest in becoming a translator, she sent me many German-language books from her personal library. I have elected to begin with the shortest books and read longer ones as my comprehension improves. I read the first three books in quick succession: Das Geheimnis der Statue by Janet Clark, Heiße Spur in München by Stefanie Wülfing and Gefährliches Spiel in Essen by Gabi Bier.


The first is about two friends, Max and Yannick, who encounter a discarded statue that they suspect is illegally-obtained ivory. Heiße Spur takes place in Munich, where Paola, an Italian photographer, falls unexpectedly and sinisterly ill. Baier’s Gefährliches Spiel is from the same series and follows Friso Breughel, a Dutch journalist studying Essen’s architectural history. Oddly enough, two of the three mysteries ended up involving drug trafficking. But that’s not the only pattern I noticed.


For one, the protagonists are usually the most naïve characters within the mystery. Max from Das Geheimnis der Statue is a child, while Paola from Heiße Spur and Friso from Gefährliches Spiel are foreign visitors. This is particularly handy because the reader themself is naïve, and their “guided tour” into the mystery allows for plenty of exposition. I’m not sure whether that’s typical of mystery novels, which I’m not very familiar with. Maybe it’s a cultural difference.


Maybe the police in these stories are exceptionally friendly for the same reason. In Das Geheimnis der Statue, a police officer is critical in solving the mystery, and one of the protagonists in Heiße Spur is a detective. Both are amiable-but-serious people interested in pursuing justice. And while every American is familiar with the systematic problems in their police departments, I don’t know whether that’s the case in modern Germany.


The mysteries themselves were very entertaining, and I appreciated the explanations on the bottom of the page. I’m very excited to improve my German as I continue to read the wonderful gifts of Professor Demleitner. Thank you so much again!

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