Another stunning psychological thriller from one of the very best storytellers.
This fast paced complex plot will keep you in suspense and page turning. With some wild twists and turns it can be a bit hard to follow but I thoroughly enjoyed this book

The Gift by Sebastian Fitzek is the first book I've read by the prolific German author (translated by Jamie Bulloch). I started a little reluctantly, as the book opens as main character, Milan is in prison getting beaten (and sodomised) by some thugs wanting information. It kinda forced me to check-myself a little about suppositions I make about characters - good or bad - in terms of those I prefer as narrators. I often read books narrated by not-good characters. Psychopaths. Lawyers... (haha, just kidding!) Having said that Milan is not at all who I thought he was going to be, and we learn why he lives the life he's been living as a conman.

When I started this I thought it was going down a certain path, but it becomes something far more complex and nuanced than I expected, although I was left wondering if it went a little too far or perhaps became a little too far-fetched as I finished the book a little unsure of its conclusion... but satisfied nonetheless.

Initially Milan's encounter appears to be a scam, as if the adults and girl drove around waiting for someone to care enough to act on the cry for help, but as we move forward it becomes obvious that Milan has been targeted with clues being left in a secret code that Milan used with his teenage girlfriend years earlier. We also get some insight into Milan's tragic life - the fire that killed his mother and left him with a brain injury.

As Milan and his girlfriend (who has her own secrets... from Milan AND us) track down the kidnapped girl they encounter others, including those from Milan's past. Milan learns of secrets his father's been keeping from him, and worse still, he's confronted with the possibility he had a role in his mother's death and inherited his grandfather's psychopathic traits.

In a note after the novel Fitzek talks about why he chose to have his main character illiterate and it's fascinating the impact it's had on Milan's life. 

I got a little muddled by some of the biochemical and forensic neurosurgical science introduced here - combining induced trauma with genetics and experimental treatment to 'eliminate wickedness with a single surgical intervention'... one that may come with unexpected side-effects.

So, for me Milan's backstory and 'why' he was targeted got a little murky but Fitizek does a brilliant job at throwing in a twist or two near the end that he'd very cleverly kept concealed, giving this a breathtaking and explosive conclusion.

3.5 stars

Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch, The Gift (2025) by Sebastian Fitzek is a dark crime tale. It opens with Milan Berg in Tega prison, being made to talk, so he begins his story: Out riding his bike one day, Milan was stopped at traffic lights, when he noticed a teenage girl in the car who holding up a sign saying she was being abducted. This seemingly almost inconsequential observation sets off numerous interconnected people’s versions of what unfolded. A topic warning is given as there are several graphic descriptions, which ultimately detract and seem unnecessary to the unfolding drama with its various twists and surprise reveals. Unfortunately, the enticing premise and generally engaging story have time chronology jumps and bleak descriptions that make for a disappointing two and a half star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given. With thanks to Head of Zeus and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

Really fast page-turner, a psycho thriller, a suspenseful book that you can't put it down.
A bit harsh sometimes but really, every chapter has a twist. You cant let it go.

Thanks Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the copy.

I’m also looking to broaden my reading and regularly see Sebastian Fitzek recommended among international thriller authors.

Milan is a conman, he’s also illiterate, something he keeps hidden. When he sees a girl a distress he is compelled to rush in and try to rescue her…

I found this to be quite a strange and disjointed book, it’s hard to know how much was lost in translation, or whether the style of humour didn’t really come off. Milan was an interesting character, and could be likeable in a less awkward book. I tried but it just wasn’t one for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Head Of Zeus

The premise is clever, with a sense of urgency and danger that keeps you turning the pages. The plot twists, while unexpected, create a sense of intrigue and mystery that keeps the suspense high.

However, at times, the story felt a bit too implausible and stretched my suspension of disbelief. The character development also left something to be desired, with motivations that didn’t always feel entirely convincing. Despite this, The Gift is an enjoyable, fast-paced thriller that will satisfy fans of Fitzek’s work, offering plenty of suspense, though it might not be his best. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with dark twists, this one will still keep you hooked to the end.

Having read several of Fitzek's translated books I was not surprised by its somewhat graphic content. It is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The story was quite complex and we were drip fed bits of the story and where it was going very slowly.
The explanations, as they came, were surprising and unusual. Some very unpleasant characters and some very strange, challenged ones.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Sebastian Fitzek/Head of Zeus for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A shocking start as we discover Milan Berg in prison and getting a welcome of the worst kind, a horrible violation. Zeus is the convict who calls all the shots in Tegel Prison and he knows the reason Milan is behind bars, though the reader doesn’t. Milan is promised a fate worse than he has already experienced, though on similar lines, unless he can convince Zeus to do otherwise. He has to tell the tale of how he got there and make it convincing enough to save his life. Milan now relates his backstory, though parts are filled in third party observations of other characters.

The story arc moves back and forth as the tale is told, starting from two years previous with the fateful introduction of Milan to Andra, to whom proves to be an instant hit and is to become his girlfriend. The more it is told, then it will also revert to a terrible day fourteen years previous. There is much to be revealed and lots to understand about Milan’s life and the way he has been manipulated.

The key aspect of Milan’s life is he is illiterate, no matter what help he has been given he is unable to make sense of words and letters. As with any disability (in its broad sense) coping mechanisms are learned and develop to allow him to navigate some kind of life. He is constantly mindful of this inability, and it has restricted his opportunities and enjoyment of life. Even after two years he still hasn’t plucked up the courage to be honest with Andra, something he realises is cowardly, but he fears losing her. Milan does have one compensation in that he possesses a photographic memory, such that his doctor believes he could be a savant.

Any reader familiar with the author’s work will have a good idea what to expect and The Gift doesn’t let you down. It’s slick and stylish with a great grasp of what would work visually, such that one would expect this will come to the screen. Then there is the violence, which appear in short sharp interludes that are bloody and visceral, but boldly imagined and recounted almost with glee. This is one author who possesses the power to shock the reader be it by revealing the completely unexpected or by a sudden injection of brutality.

The plot is tight and complex, revolving around surprisingly few characters. The supporting characters are entertaining and nicely drawn, with few being as straightforward as they first appear. Expect to feel in the dark for great periods as the significance of the kidnapping is played out. This is a story of secrets and hidden motivations, with the final third providing surprise after surprise with reveal after reveal. Just when you think you understand where the story is heading the rug is pulled out from under you. It is certainly creative and imaginatively put together, but at times it does push credibility and those readers obsessed with detail on reflection may spot some ‘holes.’ However, it is written with total conviction with that I must keep going vibe that the best thrillers possess. The translator Jamie Bulloch has done a fine job in keeping it a pacy read.

The themes and motivations revolve around the well-trod nature versus nurture debate, in this case can one be born evil or does it develop from life experience, and can some disabilities be overcome. To over elaborate would spoil the story but it questions the ethics of medical and psychiatry professions, the damage done by secrets and how a simple lie or deception can lead to a cycle of more. That these are carried out with the best intentions makes it seem more damning.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to review in exchange for a fair review.

Content warning - Sexual Violence.

Sebastian Fitzek delivers an electrifying psychological thriller with The Gift, a gripping tale of deception, desperation, and a haunting pursuit of the truth. With its non-linear narrative and chilling twists, the novel plunges readers into a harrowing odyssey that will keep them guessing until the very end.

Milan Berg, a con artist with a photographic memory, harbours a devastating secret: he cannot read. His inability to interpret the written word has forced him to develop cunning ways to navigate the world, concealing his alexia even from those closest to him. However, his carefully constructed facade begins to crumble when he encounters a terrified young girl in the back seat of a car. She presses a handwritten note against the window, pleading for help, but Milan is unable to read it.

Haunted by the encounter and fearing for the girl’s life, Milan embarks on a desperate search to uncover her fate. His journey leads him into a labyrinth of increasingly dark and horrifying revelations, each tied to his enigmatic past. When Milan finds himself imprisoned for a crime he insists he didn’t commit, the stakes escalate further. To survive the brutal conditions of his cell, he must recount his tale to his fellow inmates—offering a suspenseful, unreliable account of the events that brought him there.

Fitzek expertly weaves a web of suspense, blending Milan’s fractured narrative with psychological depth and unnerving tension. The novel explores profound themes, including the nature of truth, the burden of memory, and the painful realisation that ignorance may, at times, be a merciful gift.

The pace is relentless, with every chapter uncovering new layers of deception and fear. Fitzek’s masterful storytelling keeps readers on edge, leaving them questioning Milan’s reliability and motivations. Is he an innocent man caught in a nightmarish conspiracy, or a manipulative con artist orchestrating the ultimate scheme?

For fans of Chris Carter and Lars Kepler, The Gift is an exceptional psychological thriller that deftly balances intricate plotting with emotional intensity. Fitzek’s ability to craft a non-linear, edge-of-your-seat narrative ensures this novel will linger in the minds of readers long after the final page. A dark, unsettling exploration of the human psyche, The Gift is a must-read for thrill-seekers and mystery enthusiasts alike.

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This book is wild. So wild I think it could only be German - because it is a translation from what I understand. It is a mystery, a psychological thriller, and while I'm not too prone to readig these, it was a great time. It really threw me at every turn, even if there is very good abd clear foreshadowing, as is customary in the genre.
So i the beginning we meet Milan, who is being tortured in prison by another inmate and starts retelling the tale that brought him to his point as a means to stop the torture. Milan is illiterate and lost his mother in adolescence in a fire back in his hometown that left him crippled and with some memory loss. One day, after a fight witth his girlfriend, hw gets sucked into a crazy plot that brings back his past in unexpected ways. In all of this madness, Milan is forced to uncover and face his past and the qyestion of whether evil is inherent and unavoidable or not.
The book is written in many perspectives, but all of them are clearly different and useful. They all help build the picture of the events fully. They add details and sometimes confuse us as well. They are always full of foreshadowing and brilliantly wruten.
I really had a hard time putting this book down once I started. The translation makes sence even with my very limited German and never having read the original. It is a very solid 5 star.

This book gave me whiplash!
There were so many revelations throughout, and many came with new parameters you had to remember which I loved. This was great for the core 70-80% of the book, but then I just started getting sick of it towards the end.

Couldn't find this English version of the book on Goodreads.

The atmosphere was so intense that I felt like I was right there with the characters. The suspense built to a chilling climax.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review an early copy of this book. Unfortunately it was a DNF for me. I tried several times to get into it but it was too confusing. There was so much going on I couldn't settle into the narrative. A great shame as I have enjoyed the authors previous works.

Normally I really enjoy Sebastian Fitzek,s novels but I found this one ‘The Gift’ difficult to follow, the story is okay but it didn’t flow and was disjointed, jumping here there and everywhere and I just wanted to get to the end, I think sometimes authors try too hard at being cryptic and this one definitely missed the mark for me.

When I hear of a new Sebastian Fitzek book I always feel a need to read it even though I know that when I turn the last page I will feel as if I have been ripped to pieces and those pieces left to blow around in the winds and this book really was no different.
It starts in the now for Milan where he is cornered into a position where he has to tell his story. We then travel back in time and learn what happened around the time when he saw the girl with the message and from then until now. There were many twists and turns and plenty of misdirection and it's only now I've finished it that I realise that Milan must have found out almost all of the truths before we meet him as the story that he is telling his interrogator is at times told to us by others involved in the actions that got him to where he starts this wonderful book!
This was an incredibly story with interesting and at times complex characters who all together make for a wonderfully diverse group. It was very easy to read and difficult to put down with the pages almost seeming to turn themselves at times as I tried to keep up with what was happening.
I really enjoyed this book, Sebastian Fitzek gets better with each new one I read, I can't wait for his next story!

This complex twisty thriller is very good. Milan is a con man who can't read so when at traffic lights he sees a young in the back of a car holding a note up, he follow's the car. Good characters though not all likeable, well plotted and well written. Thanks to head of Zeis and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Milan is a con man hiding a secret, which is that he is illiterate. He has managed to cope with this for years but then spots a distressed girl in a car with a sign held up. Fearing she’s in danger he searches for her and then ends up in a nightmare situation.

I have heard a lot about this author and having been meaning to read one of his books, I found myself compelled to read. This was definitely an interesting story, however it must be said that it was quite brutal with some very violent scenes. I liked the main character and could get a picture of his struggles.

Unfortunately I found the overall story quite disjointed and hard to follow at times. There are a lot of different voices to keep up with and it also felt overly slow at times. This may be due to something being lost at translation. Even though I found it hard to engage and connect with this story, I would certainly give this author another chance as his plot lines usually seem creative and a bit different. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

It's another well-written psychological thriller by Futzek. Once again we have a world full of action, secrets and twists. Although the story gets a bit complicated, you can't stop reading. However, it has several scenes of violence, but a psychological thriller also contains such scenes.
Overall, I recommend it!

Not as keen on this book as some of the authors previous work. It was very slow to start with and then you just get hit with all the information in one go.
I can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't enjoy this one.

It would t stop me from reading this author again though.

This book is incredibly interesting. While not a single character in this book is completely sane, there are still good characters and bad characters, and the boon clearly shows that it isnt all so black and white, most characters here are morally grey, they make mistakes, do bad things, but with good intentions, etc. It is really ijteresting to read about that. I think sebastian fitzek is generally really good in adding in crazy twists youd never expect and he definitely has a talent for keeping you on the edge of your seat. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review!