Description
Springtime in the idyllic town of Furth am See: psychiatrist Raffael Horn has concerns about his marriage and his sons; Criminal Commissioner Kovacs is dreading a visit from his daughter; and life goes on for the unhinged folk of this Alpine outpost, a disturbing collection of criminals and the mentally ill. When a young man falls to his death from scaffolding, murder is suspected. Then a beaten child is brought in to the police, soon followed by others showing similar signs of abuse.
Hysteria breaks out, and the authorities are put under serious pressure to find the perpetrator. But with the child victims too terrified to talk, neither the police department nor Horn seem able to make any headway. The struggle to unlock what lies behind these ritualistic beatings also opens the lid on the thorny issue of the physical punishment of children.
Full of unease and tension, The Mattress House tackles sensitive subjects with finesse and great delicacy. This is another brilliantly accomplished psychological crime novel by the author of The Sweetness of Life, winner of the European Literature Prize 2009, who is regarded by many as one of the most talented writers of his generation.
ISBN:9780857050281
