A Review of Suspicion by Friedrich Dürrenmatt

 

Cover

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Inspector Barlach is sick and recovering in the hospital. To kill time he flips through magazines. One being a copy of Life Magazine that has a photo of a concentration camp doctor/torturer, Dr. Nehle. Barlach's doctor, Dr. Hungertobel spots the photo of the Nazi doctor and turns pale. The tortuer bears an extremely similar resemblance to an old acquaintance of his, Dr. Emmenberger. Barlach coaxes out the reason why Dr. Hungertobel turned pale and grows a suspicion that Dr. Nehle and Dr. Emmenberger are one in the same. Forced into retirement he is tasked with solving the case and bringing some justice to the world on his own. 

Stutthof Concentration Camp

He puts a call out for his longtime friend, the Jew Gulliver, to come to his room and help him on the case. Gulliver enters his room one night and the inspector and Gulliver speak. Gulliver not only can help the inspector with his case, but also knows the torturer. Gulliver was at Stutthof conventration camp just outside of Danzig. He was not only there but his life was saved by the infamous torturer. The story goes that Dr. Nehle would allow any Jewish prisoner leave Stutthof and return to a different camp if there were to undergo a procedure with no anesthesia. Hundreds of Jews tested fate and were operated on by Nehle but only Gulliver survived. Gulliver was allowed to leave, part of a mass execution that he mirracurasly survived and has lived like a ghost ever since. He also is the one who gave the photo of the torturer to Life Magazine. 

Friedrich Dürrenmatt

Barlach also gets help from his aquantance Fortschig, the owner of a small newspaper. Fortschig is tasked with writing a story saying there is a famous Swiss doctor who was an infamous nazi torturer during the war who now lives a normal life. He does so. 

Barlach is admitted to Dr. Emmenbergers private treatment facility and is on a mission to find out if Nehle is Emmenberger or it was a big coincidence. 

This book is a fun read. Barlach is an old tom cat who can't stop chasing mice. He goes into a hospital run by someone he believes is a Nazi torturer alone. Fun read. Wish more were made.