Customer Reviews

The Judge and His Hangman/the Quarry: Two Hans Barlach Mysteries (The Verba Mundi Series)

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Like Durrenmatt's other detective novel (The Pledge), The Judge and his Hangman and The Quarry stand alone among the detective fiction that I've read. The police do not catch the bad guy, the cliches are avoided or twisted to suit the novelist's bizarre sense of humor, and the bureaucracy can be as thick as mud. Durrenmatt's characters are well-drawn with subtlety and charm. When it comes to themes, Durrenmatt cuts to the chase, showing just how vicious, pathetic, and, on the other hand, how decent people can be. Importantly, Durrenmatt leaves his characters their humanity, and he reminds us readers how important our humanity and our compassion are.

Hans Barlach is the main character in these two novels. In The Judge and his Hangman, a policeman from another town is murdered within Barlach's jurisdiction. His investigation leads him to a bizarre wealthy man named Gastmann who throws elaborate parties which include some very influential guests. In The Quarry, Barlach checks himself into a hospital so he can investigate a doctor.

Durrenmatt's crime novels are all excellent.

These are pretty run of the mill, but then, virtually all mysteries are structured in similar ways. What sets Durrenmatt apart are his characters, who are quite nuanced and full of surprises. The language is also good, and as I read it in German, not too difficult if undistinguished.

Recommended if you like the mystery genre, which appeals to me only in film.