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The Inspector Barlach Mysteries

The Judge and His Hangman and Suspicion
3.82 goodreads logo

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( 1,028 ratings, 89 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Inspector Barlach Mysteries by Friedrich Durrenmatt is a captivating crime and thriller novel featuring an astute and tenacious inspector named Barlach. As he tackles a series of complex cases, Barlach's sharp intellect and unconventional methods lead him through a labyrinth of deception and moral dilemmas. Set against a background of tension and intrigue, each mystery unravels with unexpected twists, exploring the nuances of crime and justice.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$6800

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by gritty, psychological explorations and complex crime stories wrapped up in philosophical themes. The narratives immerse you in a world of suspense where the ingenious Inspector Barlach navigates moral dilemmas and human fallibility. Ideal for readers who relish in-depth character studies within a thrilling, mysterious atmosphere.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This volume offers bracing new translations of two precursors to the modern detective novel by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, whose genre-bending mysteries recall the work of Alain Robbe-Grillet and anticipate the postmodern fictions of Paul Auster and other contemporary neo-noir novelists.

Both mysteries follow Inspector Barlach as he moves through worlds in which the distinction between crime and justice seems to have vanished. In The Judge and His Hangman, Barlach forgoes the arrest of a murderer in order to manipulate him into killing another, more elusive criminal. And in Suspicion, Barlach pursues a former Nazi doctor by checking into his clinic with the hope of forcing him to reveal himself. The result is two thrillers that bring existential philosophy and the detective genre into dazzling convergence.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Inspector Barlach Mysteries by Friedrich Dürrenmatt is praised for its clever and morally engaging storytelling, characteristic of the author's style. The new translations have been commended for revitalising these short yet impactful mystery novels. Critics appreciate Dürrenmatt's ability to weave complex moral issues into captivating narratives, presenting them as timeless classics that hold substantial weight despite their brevity.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780226174440

Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 November 2006

Country: United States

Imprint: University of Chicago Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Joel Agee
  • Foreword by Sven Birkerts

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 1.0mm

Width: 14.0mm

Height: 22.0mm

Weight: 312g

Pages: 208

About the Author

Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-90) was a prolific Swiss dramatist, novelist, and essayist. His Selected Writings, in three volumes, is also published by the University of Chicago Press. Joel Agee has translated numerous German authors into English.

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    These translations of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's fiction introduce the writer to a new generation of readers. The Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–90) was one of the most important literary figures of the second half of the twentieth century. During the years of the Cold War, arguably only Beckett, Camus, Sartre, and Brecht rivalled him as a presence in European letters. Yet...
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    These translations of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's essays introduce the writer to a new generation of readers. The Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–90) was one of the most important literary figures of the second half of the twentieth century. During the years of the Cold War, arguably only Beckett, Camus, Sartre, and Brecht rivalled him as a presence in European letters. Yet...
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    These translations of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's plays introduce the writer to a new generation of readers. The Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–90) was one of the most important literary figures of the second half of the twentieth century. During the years of the cold war, arguably only Beckett, Camus, Sartre, and Brecht rivaled him as a presence in European letters. Yet...
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  • The Judge and His Hangman
    A genre-bending mystery recalling the work of Alain Robbe-Grillet and anticipating the postmodern fictions of Paul Auster and other contemporary neo-noir novelists. Inspector Barlach forgoes the arrest of a murderer in order to manipulate him into killing another, more elusive criminal. This is a thriller that brings existential philosophy and the detective genre into a dazzling convergence. The Judge and...
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