The Child

By: Sebastian Fitzek

Narrated by: Robert Glenister

My name is Simon. I'm 10 years old. I'm a serial killer.

Robert Stern, a successful defence lawyer, doesn't know what lies in store for him when he agrees to meet a new client in a derelict estate on the outskirts of Berlin. To his astonishment, the defendant is a 10-year-old boy - Simon, a fragile child with a chronic illness who insists that he was a murderer in a former life.

Stern's surprise quickly turns to horror as he searches the cellar Simon has directed him to and discovers the skeletal remains of a man, the skull split with an axe - just as Simon told him he would. But this is only the beginning, as Simon tells Stern where to find even more victims whose bodies have lain undisturbed for years. Suddenly the present feels murderously dangerous as well....

The Child is a darkly twisting thriller that will make your heart pound with adrenaline.

©2014 Sebastian Fitzek (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Weird and twisted. A jaw dropper.

An outstanding work of art. Left me speechless then it all came together. I thought I knew who did what and what was going to happen next but I was wrong every time.

started strong ended weak

I had listened two other books and enjoy them but I struggled same interested in this book to me it was little far fetched

Reincarnation?

I just recently discovered this author. The first book I read by him was The Gift - mind-blowing, thought-provoking, awesome!
Then I read The Package - just OK.
This book, The Child, was meant to be the tiebreaker for me and it's almost as good as The Gift. This book, written by a German author and set in Berlin, is translated into British English (complete with Brit slang and Cockney dialects for some more shady characters). It follows Robert Stern, an attorney whose ex-girlfriend asks him to help a terminally ill 10-yr-old boy, Simon, who claims to have murdered someone 15 years ago. Just as in The Gift, Herr Fitzek then leads the reader on a harrowing, twisty, smart adventure. The book does have some bothersome scenes including child pornography and violence. The MC is depressed and still mourning the death of his son 10 years before. So, it's not a mood-lifting kind of book.
The last paragraph of the book - seriously that one paragraph - took it from a 5 to a 4 for me. I wish I were part of a book club that could help make sense of the ending.... maybe I'll google it.
The narrator is very good, even though I preferred the American English translation of The Gift.
I recommend this one and look forward to reading more by this author.

Not as good as eye collector, but still brilliant.

What made the experience of listening to The Child the most enjoyable?

The atmosphere of the story.

What did you like best about this story?

The way one puzzle pops up after another.

Have you listened to any of Robert Glenister’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not sure. But he's good enough for this one.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Someone always knows.

Any additional comments?

Definitely worth listening!

Well written mystery.

The Child is a good story, well written.

The performance was OK but why did the street toughs all have to have Cockney accents? The story takes place in Germany. Does it really make sense that the criminals would all sound like My Fair Lady? I understand the translation was in English and recorded by a British voice actor but, I found the choice of accents odd.

Overall it is a very good book. A very good story reminiscent of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." and the voice acting was pretty good.