Description
In this twisted debut thriller, a reclusive author sets the perfect trap for her sister’s murderer — but is he really the killer?
For eleven years, the bestselling author Linda Conrads has mystified fans by never setting foot outside her home. Haunted by the unsolved murder of her younger sister — who she discovered in a pool of blood — and the face of the man she saw fleeing the scene, Linda’s hermit existence helps her cope with debilitating anxiety.
But the sanctity of her oasis is shattered when she sees her sister’s murderer on television. Hobbled by years of isolation, Linda resolves to use the plot of her next novel to lay an irresistible trap for the man. As the plan is set in motion and the past comes rushing back, Linda’s memories — and her very sanity — are called into question. Is this man a heartless killer or merely a helpless victim?
About the authors
MELANIE RAABE was born in 1981 in Jena, Germany, and grew up in a 400-person village in Thuringia and a small town in North Rhine-Westphalia. She has worked as a journalist, scriptwriter, blogger, performer, and theatre actress. The Trap is her first novel and is being published in fourteen countries. She lives in Cologne.
IMOGEN TAYLOR is a freelance literary translator based in Berlin. She is the translator of both The Trap and The Stranger Upstairs, as well as Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango and Fear by Dirk Kurbjuweit.
Editorial Reviews
A page-turner with a plot that surprises . . . the storm that The Trap generates is as big as its charm.
Die Welt (Germany)
You won’t be able to resist.
Elle UK
The Trap by Melanie Raabe enthralls with its unexpected twists and turns.
Stern (Germany)
This one has everything: intriguing characters, a great sense of place that grounds the action, and a devious and enthralling plot...a perfect by-the-lake book.
Globe and Mail
A fascinating psychological thriller.
Bild (Germany)
The Trap had me hooked from the start. Linda’s story unravels so cleverly, and Raabe keeps you questioning what’s fact and what’s not right to the end, ratcheting up the tension at the same time . . . A genuinely gripping debut: I had to keep reading until I was finished!
Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You
A smart and enthralling psychological thriller . . . splendidly entertaining.
WDR (Germany)
An extraordinary suspense novel.
Für Sie (Germany)
Suspenseful . . . taut storytelling.
Publisher's Weekly
A real literary phenomenon.
Mía (Spain)
Intricately constructed . . . nicely done twists and turns
Kirkus
The Trap is a page-turner... It's clever, devious, and driven, and twists the reader inside out until it reaches a terrific ending. What a great start to a writing career for Melanie Raabe.
Ian Hamilton, author of the Ava Lee novels
...a clever, creepy and lively tale...
Toronto Star
This German journalist has come up with a superb psychological thriller with a storyline that will have you hooked. Not suitable for sensitive constitutions.
AR (Spain)
A fast twisty read for fans of Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn
Booklist
