Fear is written extremely well. It is written from the point of view of Randolph, who moves into a flat with his wife, Rebecca, and their two children. Not long after moving in, Rebecca begins to receive “love letters” and poems from Dieter, who lives in the flat below. These letters then progress to make serious allegations against Randolph and Rebecca, who obviously feel threatened and unsafe.

The book jumps between this current turmoil and exploring Randolph’s childhood and relationship with his father, and later his relationship with his wife.

Fear held so much promise and, during the first half of the book, I could really feel the tension building and was expecting some hugely fearful act from Dieter. However, it never really got going for me. I felt there was so much more that could have been given.

The translation is excellent, and I do think this book could have had so much more potential. The writing is, however, exceptional and the fact that Fear is based on a true story makes it even more disturbing.

Thank you to Orion Publishing for a review copy of this book.