The Hangman's Daughter

A Hangman's Daughter Tale, Book 1

By: Oliver Pötzsch, Lee Chadeayne - translator

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Germany, 1660: When a dying boy is pulled from the river with a mark crudely tattooed on his shoulder, hangman Jakob Kuisl is called upon to investigate whether witchcraft is at play in his small Bavarian town. Whispers and dark memories of witch trials and the women burned at the stake just seventy years earlier still haunt the streets of Schongau. When more children disappear and an orphan boy is found dead - marked by the same tattoo - the mounting hysteria threatens to erupt into chaos.

Before the unrest forces him to torture and execute the very woman who aided in the birth of his children, Jakob must unravel the truth. With the help of his clever daughter, Magdelena, and Simon, the university-educated son of the town’s physician, Jakob discovers that a devil is indeed loose in Schongau. But it may be too late to prevent bloodshed.

A brilliantly detailed, fast-paced historical thriller, The Hangman’s Daughter is the first novel from German television screenwriter Oliver Pötzsch, a descendent of the Kuisls, a famous Bavarian executioner clan.

©2011 Oliver Pötzsch, Lee Chadeayne (translation) (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Too Much Reality

I started trying to listen to "The Hangman's Daughter" a while back, then had to stop for a while, to prepare myself emotionally for a subsequent attempt. Yikes! This audiobook opens with a scene so horrific and gut-wrenching that I couldn't bear it. Having now finally finished listening to the entire audiobook, I feel a bit shattered. If you have a gentle heart like mine, I warn you away from this novel. Perhaps its scenes of cruelty, torture, and bloodthirstiness establish a reality true to seventeenth-century Germany. Perhaps modern people everywhere would behave that way under similar conditions and circumstances. I hate to think so, and I have insurmountable difficulty understanding such human behavior. In any case, I don't look for those kinds of scenes in my entertainment, and I doubt that I will muster the courage to listen to "The Hangman's Daughter" again any time soon. If you have enough emotional toughness to disregard my warning, then you may find some merit in this novel. It does offer a pretty good mystery and pretty good writing -- although I have some suspicions about the translation. Pötzsch does provide good character development; only I'm having a little trouble believing the main character (who, by the way, is not the hangman's daughter, but the hangman, himself). Can a person who performs torture, dismemberment, and murder for a living really have a warm, loving, compassionate heart, with the gift of healing? As an herbalist, I do appreciate Pötzsch's apparent knowledge of herbs and their healing properties. Grover Gardner, the narrator of "The Hangman's Daughter," has an odd, throaty, but not unpleasant voice. He does an adequate, if undistinguished performance of this novel, lacking drama. In summation, I would recommend against this audiobook, unless you take an interest in medieval superstitions and torture techniques.

Was tired of it by the end

Was The Hangman's Daughter worth the listening time?

I wouldn't listen to it again. I was over it before the story was done but kept with it just in case it got better. It didn't.

Intense, disturbing, great read.

well-written period piece. Dark action, no boring lulls. I rarely venture outside of my nonfiction or classics but this risk was well worth it. Seemed pretty accurate, time-wise. Reaffirms my atheism with all the superstitious nonsensical beliefs of that era. Narration was pleasant.

Great start to a great series

What made the experience of listening to The Hangman's Daughter the most enjoyable?

The historical setting and personal connection of the author to the characters are all part of what make this so enjoyable. There is something about these characters that immediately hooked me. Grover Gardner's performance is, as usual, flawless.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes; lots of little twists and turns and surprises.

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

One thing most people will notice is his correct pronunciation of names, places and other things like herbs and weapons. If I had read this, I would have mispronounced just about every name. Gardner's voice is just awesome, though. Probably my favorite narrator out there.

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

"Hangmen have feelings too."

Any additional comments?

The series only goes up from here. Seriously, as good as this first installment is, the rest only get better and better.

Best Series!

I really don't have room to write all the things I love about this series. Truly excellent and the narrator is perfect. I am listening to them again. Please Mr. Potzsch, write another series just like this! I'm Catholic with German ancestry, I love herbs and mysteries. Literally this series was written for me.

Great book

Nice mystery. Will be reading the rest of the series. A bit like the Ellis Peters Cadfael series
My only problem with finding a good book series is that it has to end.

Great Historical Fiction

I really enjoyed this intriguing mystery with great glimpses into history. Combined with the fabulous narration it a win-win!

Overall an excellent mystery

Though sometimes slow moving with a disappointing, indirect delivery of justice in the end, overall an excellent mystery. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Rich in medieval medical lore.

The narrator's performance made this tale rich and lively, especially the Hangman's voice. I loved the information on medical treatments, from doctors to midwives, blood letting and herbal remedies. It was a good mystery with a devilish villain. However, if you don't enjoy an jncredible amount of detail, this story is not for you.

Real good book!

I just liked the whole book. Well read!
Very good reader.
I will send it to my twin brother. We always share ones good book.
We like to read the same thing.