The Collini Case by Ferdinand Von Schirach

The Collini Case by Ferdinand Von Schirach

The Collini Case is Ferdinand Von Schirach’s debut novel to be published in the UK, following his previous collections of short stories, Crime (2011) and Guilt (2012). Already having sold over 1.25 million copies across Italy and Germany, The Collini Case is now available in English for the first time.

Fabrizio Collini walks into the hotel, heads straight to Room 400, the Brandenburg Suite and knocks on the door. The man he’s there to meet, prominent businessman Hans Meyer, answers and invites him in. Collini had worked for Mercedes Benz for years, had never committed a crime and had never been in trouble with the law. Yet twenty minutes later he had shot Meyer dead and stamped on his face until the heel of his shoe came off.  He then walked downstairs and waited for the police to arrest him.

Leinen is a freshly qualified defence lawyer and takes on the Collini case before even hearing the details. Soon he realises that Collini isn’t saying a word about the crime and won’t explain his motive to anyone. He knows the case will be hard but when he’s personally connected to the victim, he has to decide if he can put justice before his own history.

The Collini Case has an explosive and brutal beginning, throwing the violent and passionate crime in your face with some unflinching detail. From there you follow the defence lawyer Leinen and how the case plays out in court. Without ruining the twist with spoilers, the case takes a turn that will leave every reader reconsidering their thoughts on ‘guilty’ and ‘innocent.’ It certainly plays with the emotions you feel for Collini, introducing him as a heartless killer, then turning the tables until you’re not sure what you should feel. Evocative, intelligent and thought-provoking, this understated novel has a haunting quality that will stay with you, making it a fascinating read.

Buy The Collini Case by Ferdinand Von Schirach

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