Blurb; Bavaria, Germany, 1947
At the end of the war, Afra Zauner returns to her parents’ cottage on the edge of Mauther Forest. Unmarried, and pregnant. As she struggles to raise her child, her father’s shame, her mother’s fury and the loud whispers of the neighbours begin to weigh upon her. She doesn’t believe in her sin. But everyone else does.
And someone brings judgement down upon her.
Many years later, Hermann Müller is throwing a drunk out of his tavern. A traveller, who won’t stop ranting about a murder left unsolved, about police who never investigated. Out of curiousity, the file is reopened. And in the cold light of hindsight, a chilling realisation creeps upon the community.
No-one ever atoned for Afra’s death. But her story is waiting to be told.
My Review; This is one I picked up from my library mystery book shelf. I picked up a short one just incase as I didn’t know what I would get and boy I got a good one! I love finding new authors I normally wouldn’t come across or pick up personally.
The Dark Meadow is German Noir and beautifully translated by Anthea Bell. It is a short story at just 135 pages, so it can be read in one sitting. Contains short chapters, so an easy read.
I can’t say much about this story without giving it away with it being a short story but I will say don’t believe everything. A real shocker of an outcome at the end I did not expect. My heart was with Afra and her life boy throughout. Times, views and opinions were diffferent back then (1940s) and Afra just wanted the best for herself and her child against all the odds.
I enjoyed it. Mysterious. Thrilling. Dark. A well deserved four stars from me. Highly recommend. I’ve learnt not to jugde a book by its cover and to try something different.
Between The Pages Book Club 