Therapy

By: Sebastian Fitzek

Narrated by: Robert Glenister

Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

No witnesses.

Twelve-year-old Josy has an inexplicable illness. She vanishes without a trace from her doctor's office during treatment. Four years later Josy's father, psychiatrist Viktor Larenz, has withdrawn himself to an isolated North Sea island in order to deal with the tragedy.

No body.

Then he's paid a surprise visit by a beautiful stranger. Anna Glass is a novelist who suffers from an unusual form of schizophrenia: All the characters she creates for her books become real to her. In her last novel she has written about a young girl with an unknown illness who has disappeared without a trace.

Where is his daughter?

Can Anna's delusions describe Josy's last days?

Reluctantly Viktor agrees to take on her therapy in a final attempt to uncover the truth behind his daughter's disappearance. But very soon these sessions take a dramatic turn as the past is dragged back into the light - with terrifying consequences.

©2011 Sebastian Fitzek (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Spine-chilling...masterful...brilliant." ( The Times)
"The eponymous killer is even nastier than he sounds in this superior German thriller." ( Daily Telegraph)
"Dazzling." ( The Sunday Times on Splinter)

Didnt like the graphic sadism...

Mistreatment of dogs and children seem to be a crutch when the plot itself is weak. It crosses the line for me. Also, it just seemed slow. Too much minutiae. Didn't seem like a fast paced thriller.

BONE CHILLINGLY AWESOME!!!!!

Any additional comments?

So, like I said in my previous review, I loved this author, and the narrator so much I went and bought another book right away. This psychological thriller thing is so freaking fantastic. The mind trip that Fitzek's books take you on are mind blowing.

Viktor is still mourning the loss of his daughter four years after her disappearance. There is no body, no clues, nothing. Viktor has withdrawn to an Island off the North Sea. Viktor thinks this will help him deal with his tragedy.

That is until he gets an unexpected visit from a novelist by the name of Anna. She has sought Viktor out in hopes he would be willing to take her on as a patient. Odd things have been happening to Anna. Her characters are coming alive and coming to her in real life.

Viktor is intrigued by what Anna has brought to him, but then realizes there are a lot of similarities to Anna and his daughter Josy. Viktor wants to hear more about Anna, and hopes that it will help him find out what happen to Josy.

What unfolds is far more sinister than that. I was so confused during this book, but was so drawn in at the same time. I was totally intrigued by what was wrong with Josy, or what wasn't. No one seemed to know what was was happening to her.

During Viktor's visits with Anna he comes face to face with exactly what happened to his daughter. Something that no one at any time in her life time was able to figure out. Now, Viktor is forced to face his reality. It's chilling. Just chilling.

I still cannot wrap my head around how this book came to an end. It still makes me shudder. This is so, so, creeptastic.....chillingly brilliant. FABULOUS!

If you like psychological thrillers this is another book you should pick up. You will not be disappointed. I want to listen to it again, just to make sure I didn't miss anything. I still might. It was so good.

wow

i dont believe i have ever reviewed an audible purchase but this story deserves it! fantastic

I couldn't finish it.

To many shake my head moments to continue listening. The dog part is what turned me off to it. I returned it immediately.

Unbelievably Suspenseful and Engsging

A book like none other in my library. Kept me spellbound for the entire time it took to listen to the entire production. Creepy doesn't begin to describe this book and I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to have the scariest and most unstoppable listen imaginable. WOW!

Once the pace picks up its hard to stop listening

I really liked this book. This was the first I've listened to from this author and I look forward to checking out more of his work. It was paced well and not at all boring. It ended well also

Fairly predictable but still keeps you guessing

I hadn't heard of Fitzek until Audible released the full cast production of The Child, which was an experience unto itself. Since then I have purchased several of his other books, this being the first I've listened to so far. It wasn't a dramatized production as The Child was, but it was definitely a great listening experience.

Although I had the ending mostly figured out, there were still so many twists and turns that it kept me guessing right up to the very last moment. The story was so smoothly written and performed that I couldn't stop listening. Out of the last 30 or so purchases I have made, this was the first I have listened to the entire way through. Even though Glenister is not what they call a "voice actor" and in some cases it was hard to make a distinction between characters who were speaking, his tone suited not only the story but fit the main character perfectly.

If you are looking for a subtle yet suspenseful mind-bender, this is a safe bet.

Creepy, but I kept listening

I listened all the way to the end and no, this book isn't what you expect and no, I didn't like it. It's not that it's not a good book. It is. It just creeped me out. I like the author and the narrator and will listen to others from them.

Mind.. Blown..

We start out at a psychiatric hospital. One psychiatrist is treating another one, who is never getting out of the asylum because of a murder he's committed. However, we don't know who he's murdered or why. The lead psychologist coaxes his patient to tell him the 'story'- and so we delve into the world of a lonely man grieving over his daughter who was abducted.

Four years after the abduction, 'Victor' shares the story of what's happened and what his thoughts are after his horrible ordeal. Victor lives on a small island off the east coast of the US, but his home is Germany. While he's at his home in the Western World, a young girl knocks on his door and tells him that she's been referred to him by a colleague. This young girl is a schizophrenic, and she has horrible hallucinations. She begs Victor to treat her and he finally caves, because she seems to know something about his daughter.

As the story progresses the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Things are so confusing and so whirlwind unbelievable- we feel so sorry for Victor and we wonder 'Who is this girl really?' The story is fast paced and you have to listen to each word in it's beautiful prose to keep up with the twists and turns.

I am so grateful I read this book, it was a wonderful, titillating, mind boggling experience and I'll never forget it.

Totally awesome.

Wendi

better than expected!

This is the second Fitzek audible title I've purchased and it's better than the last one (Passenger 23) which was also very good. I love the radio play style format which really enhances the listen and I genuinely didn't see the twist at the end. Certain parts were genuinely riveting which is rare nowadays. A well paced story.

Gets better with hindsight

Intense story which demands to be consumed in one or two sittings. Bears some resemblance to a couple of films but a great psychological chiller that actually improves when you think back over it. Only criticisms would be its unnecessarily visceral moments and the French episode.

Ok,

Glenister does his usual and delivers a great performance. The story lets it down, overlong and slightly disappointing compared to the three other books by Fitzek, which are excellent.