The Shock

In this horrific thriller from German author Raabe (Cut), a serial killer known only as Froggy stalks Jan Floss, a man from Berlin, and the woman he’s infatuated with, Laura Bjely, while the two are vacationing on the Cote d’Azur with friends. At one point, Laura goes for a drive in the rain and disappears. In his frantic search for Laura, Jan calls on her mother, Ava Bjely, who tells him Laura is “a sickness.” Back home in Berlin, Jan finds the body of a neighbor, Nikki Reichert, stuffed in his freezer with the words “NOT LAURA” written in red letters on her forehead; stuck in her chest is his kitchen knife. Fearful the police will suspect he killed Nikki, Jan goes on the run. Meanwhile, Laura somehow eludes Froggy’s clutches only to end up imprisoned by someone else who may be even worse. Froggy’s real identity, Laura’s past, and the reason for Ava’s hatred of her daughter all emerge gradually in this unpleasant tale. The graphic violence toward women may offend some readers. (Sept.)