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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Period violence including torture and execution depicted as part of the historical setting
Language
Barely any
Mild language; the translation maintains a period-appropriate register
Sexual Content
Barely any
Minimal sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Moderate alcohol use as part of 17th-century Bavarian life
Emotional Intensity
Some
The psychology of a man whose job is killing — and who must use that expertise to save an innocent woman — creates genuine complexity
What this book is about
Oliver Pötzsch's historical mystery, based on his own family history as descendants of the Kuisl family of executioners, follows Jakob Kuisl, the hangman of Schongau in 1659, as he investigates a series of murders that threaten to condemn an innocent midwife as a witch. Pötzsch creates a vivid portrait of 17th-century Bavarian society — superstition, violence, and small-town politics — while telling a propulsive mystery. The execution scenes and period violence are depicted with historical frankness.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Torture and execution depicted historically
Witch trial and mob mentality
Reader Verification
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