I Am Your Judge: Bodenstein & Kirchhoff, Book 4

This the fourth book I have read. I have been having a hard time finding an American author that I like and found Nele Neuhaus. Her books keep you guessing. It took me only 2 days because I could not put it down! If you want to read a good mystery, please, try this author. You will not regret it. I will not go into the details because it is hard to put into words. Enjoy!!!

Another great read by Nele Neuhaus. This is a multilayered thriller with meticulous attention to detail. Neuhaus challenges the reader throughout the book by dropping small clues. In this particular book, both medical procedures as well as investigative protocol are fueled into the intricately structured plot. I am convinced that Neuhaus plays with the reader's head. Characters are introduced as the story unfolds and play a pivotal role in atructure of this gripping story. This is fast paced and intense forcing the reader to pay attention. At times, the complexity of the plot appears to be helper skelter, Dispite the unexpected twists and turns, the narrative is brought smoothly to a riviting conclusion.

This book in the series is an excellent read. It rivals the others in the plot and “who done it”. I hope she writes more books with these detectives soon

Nele Neuhaus' Detective Pia Kirchhoff mysteries are intricately plotted, and I AM YOUR JUDGE is no exception. Pia is just about to go on a honeymoon trip with her new husband when a sniper kills a woman walking her dog. Pia gets the call, and since she has finished packing and has the time, she jumps in to help her boss and partner, Oliver von Bodenstein, by showing up at the scene until he can arrive. Bodenstein is short-handed, given Pia's vacation and a flu that seems to have decimated his staff.While it wasn't clear at the outset whether the shooting was a random affair or a deliberate assassination, at least to the police, a pattern soon emerges as another sniper attack takes place. Pia struggles with deciding whether to stay to help with the case or go on her honeymoon, with the former winning out. Once she has decided to stay and join the investigation, she takes a lead role in untangling the complicated motive behind the shootings. Additional shootings take place and the sniper starts leaving clues as to his choice of victims in obituaries.Throughout the book, Neuhaus offers a great deal of information about the medical and legal processes and consequences of organ donation. She does not do any favors for those who need transplants and are waiting for an organ donor with the correct blood type to die. Having read the book, some may reconsider signing their own organ donor cards. In addition to this theme, Neuhaus deals with the issue of privilege as Bodenstein tries to make a decision about whether to remain in the police force, and she handles a variety of family situations sensitively.The intricacies of the plot and of the relationships make for slow reading. At just about 400 pages, the book is overlong to maintain suspense. Pia, Bodenstein, and their team are exhausted throughout the book, and realistic mistakes are made in questioning suspects. The exhaustion carries over to the reader, however, making the reading of the book as much of a trudge as the police work at times. The book would have benefited from a little less detail and a little more speed. Nonetheless, the underlying theme was fascinating, and Neuhaus does manage to make the reader care about Pia and Bodenstein, and even some of the more transitory characters.This review first appeared at reviewingtheevidence.com.

More fool me for not double checking. This is the American printing of "To Catch a Killer", not a new book.

This is probably the best of the series so far. Excellent story and the translation is well done - in terms of the words not getting in the way of the story. I'm hoping they translate the rest of the series - I don't know that my German will ever be good enough to read them in the original form.

Well written page turner. God plot and character development.

Love Neuhaus. However, this had some plot holes. Still a good book!

Good read fast delivery. Many thanks

Great book, BUT I had already read it under the title To Catch a Killer. Both of these books I purchased from Amazon so very annoying.

Great book. Had me hooked from start to finish.

Not as good as earlier ones

very well written.