The Hangman's Daughter cover art

The Hangman's Daughter

A Hangman's Daughter Tale, Book 1

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The Hangman's Daughter

By: Oliver Pötzsch, Lee Chadeayne - translator
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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About this listen

Germany, 1660: When a dying boy is pulled from the river with a mark crudely tattooed on his shoulder, hangman Jakob Kuisl is called upon to investigate whether witchcraft is at play in his small Bavarian town. Whispers and dark memories of witch trials and the women burned at the stake just seventy years earlier still haunt the streets of Schongau. When more children disappear and an orphan boy is found dead - marked by the same tattoo - the mounting hysteria threatens to erupt into chaos.

Before the unrest forces him to torture and execute the very woman who aided in the birth of his children, Jakob must unravel the truth. With the help of his clever daughter, Magdelena, and Simon, the university-educated son of the town’s physician, Jakob discovers that a devil is indeed loose in Schongau. But it may be too late to prevent bloodshed.

A brilliantly detailed, fast-paced historical thriller, The Hangman’s Daughter is the first novel from German television screenwriter Oliver Pötzsch, a descendent of the Kuisls, a famous Bavarian executioner clan.

©2011 Oliver Pötzsch, Lee Chadeayne (translation) (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc. Historical Mystery Fiction Magic Witchcraft

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All stars
Most relevant
This was a fantastic read and is well worth the audible read. Throughly enjoyed it.

Fantastic!

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I wasn't sure I was going to like this at first. Not even sure why I downloaded this. As it turned out once started I found it difficult to stop listening. Perhaps the fact that the story is based upon a real family history made it so believable. Certainly Grover Gardner delivers the performance that I have come to expect - just the right voice for this story.

different

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This story is fantastic a sort of ancient Bavarian murder she wrote although there is actual history and events written into the book. The narrator is perfect for this series and makes the books even better.

Amazing

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If you could sum up The Hangman's Daughter in three words, what would they be?

Unusual ...Medieval ...murder/mystery

What did you like best about this story?

The fact the Hangman, who fulfils the traditional role of 'investigating detective' in a crime/thriller model, isn't 2-dimensional 'squeaky clean' - he's a hangman and also a torturer. So the usual tired formula of crime/thrillers doesn't apply here - he even has to torture completely innocent people, and yet remain a character that you think of positively.

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

His narration is very appropriate for the type of story and the timescale. I think possibly without Grover I don't know if I would have got through the book simply reading it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not particularly - it's a crime/thriller, probably in the genre of a Cadfael novel except the setup is with the Hangman as the investigator rather than a monk.

Any additional comments?

It has been a light, interesting insight into germanic medieval history. The author was inspired to write the stories after researching his family history and discovering he was descended from a medieval hangman. So, it is interesting to note the true-life historical elements of the story.

A very unusual take on the usual crime/thriller ..

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Excellent - don't pass this one up! I wish I could find more historical novels like this. Having grown weary of novels set in Tudor times, I found this little gem while browsing historical crime/thrillers. Set in seventeenth century Bavaria it involves a reluctant executioner, a midwife accused of witchcraft, a young physician and, of course, the hangman's daughter. The plot involves a village with with a less than scrupulous town council and the lengths some would go to in order to cover their greed. The characters were well drawn and the author made me feel I was right there living the story.

If you like historical novels you will love this book. I do not know if the author has written any other books, but I will definitely be searching. Don't forget to listen to the author's notes at the end. Very revealing!

The Hangman's Daughter

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