When F. accepts the assignment to investigate the alleged rape and murder of Otto von Lambert's wife, she becomes entangled in a world of mistaken identity, terrorism, political intrigue, and espionage

Reviews

In the Swiss playwright's wracking, brilliantly conceived new novel (published in German in 1986 and resourcefully translated by Agee), nothing is what it seems. Otto von Lambert, a well-known psychiatrist, gives F., a filmmaker, the "assignment" to follow the trail of his late wife, Tina, and learn why and how she was murdered in an unidentified Middle Eastern country, her raped body thrown to the jackals at the base of a mysterious Shi'ite shrine. F. accepts because she is mesmerized by Tina's journal, which is filled with hatred for her husband and intensified by a charged note: "I am being watched." In Durrenmatt's blasted, menacing landscape everyone is being observed by everyone elseliterally, by field glasses, telescope, camera's eye; and figuratively, by the stealthy, obsessive scrutiny of each by each for purposes shrouded in ambiguity. The closer F. approaches some answer, the more it eludes her as mysteries are further coiled and compounded with false leads and shifting or mistaken identities. Out of these mazes within mazes the author extrapolates an arresting metaphysical mystery in 24 brief chapters, each cast as a single, spinning, convoluted sentence, each leading to further enigmas in the jagged, highly pictorial tale. Kierkegaard, who is cited repeatedly, is a presiding spirit; and philosophical, theological, mythic elements, instead of distracting, add depth and resonance to this remarkable tale.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Tina von Lambert lies violated and dead at the foot of the Al-Hakim ruin. Her husband feels he drove her to this sordid end, and in guilty recompense hires F's film crew to document the mysterious circumstances surrounding Tina's death. Against her better judgment, F pursues the trail to a desert hotel where appearances begin to crumble, testing her ability to distinguish reality from perception. In this tightly crafted thriller, his first American publication in nearly 20 years, Durrenmatt demonstrates considerable virtuosity: each of 24 chapters is a single sentence. We may all be "under observation," but the question is, Whose observation? The answer informs this novel's puzzle. Highly recommended. Paul E. Hutchison, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We are an internet-based bookstore emphasizing used and out-of-print nonfiction works in most Indo-European and Slavic languages, with a mad deviation into American and British detective fiction.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Persephone's Books
NC, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee all material unconditionally. You may return any material within 30 days for a full refund, no questions asked.

Payment: We accept VISA, Mastercard, and American Express cards, as well as personal checks (payable to "Persephone's Books"), money orders, PayPal, or ABE's e-commerce. Please don't tempt the Fates by sending cash.

Business information: Persephone's Books is a sole proprietorship, owned and operated by George Kast, 615 S. York St., Gastonia, North Carolina, 28052, USA.
Te...

More Information

Shipping Terms

Orders normally ship the next business day. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 5.50	US$ 12.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.