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.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

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!

Unfortunately I ended up DNF'ing this. There was a lot going on and it was too confusing to keep my attention. I do normally love this authors work.

Wont be reviewing anywhere else as I DNF

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this eCopy to review

The Gift follows Milan Berg, a con man with a photographic memory who harbors a significant secret: he can't read. One day, while stopped at a traffic light, he sees a girl in the back seat of a car holding up a note. Unable to read it, he senses that she is in danger and decides to follow the car. This decision plunges him into a dark and twisted journey, uncovering clues that lead him deeper into a nightmarish reality. As Milan navigates this perilous path, he is forced to confront his own past and the secrets he has kept hidden. The story is filled with suspense and psychological twists, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The Gift is a masterclass in psychological suspense, with Fitzek expertly weaving a complex and gripping narrative. Milan's character is deeply compelling, and his struggle with alexia adds a unique and fascinating dimension to the story. The plot is fast-paced and filled with unexpected twists that keep you guessing until the very end.

Fitzek's ability to create a tense and immersive atmosphere is unparalleled, and the way he delves into the human psyche is both thrilling and thought-provoking. The secondary characters contribute significantly to the overall tension and intrigue of the story.

Overall, The Gift is an outstanding psychological thriller that will captivate fans of the genre. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and surprises, making it a must-read for anyone who loves a good, mind-bending mystery.

⭐⭐
The Gift by Sebastian Fitzek is... I don't know... It's a complete madhouse!
Really sadly this book didn't work for me. I tried so hard but I could not connect with the story or characters. I was drifting away constantly and I needed to push myself to get through this story. I kept expecting some big BOOM but it didn't happen. The end took me by surprise but that didn't save the book overall.
Milan's illiteracy caught my attention as I never came across anything like this so it was interesting to learn something new.
Some violence could be avoided without affecting characters so it felt like it was done for drama purposes.

In general, I would say - read it and make your own mind up! As I always say, what 2 ⭐ for me could be your next 5 ⭐ read.

This book had a lot going on. I liked the idea that the main character, Milan, is illiterate and trying to navigate his way through the world and the situation he finds himself in. The story felt like a great big knot that just wouldn't untangle. It's filled with despicable characters and murky motives, which I would normally really love.

Unfortunately, I didn't gel with the writing style. It felt like the author was trying too hard to keep the main character and the reader in the dark. Whenever characters said they couldn't tell him something, or that he'd find out later, it felt like a clumsy gimmick to keep you reading.

Overall, the plot became bogged down with all the over the top and unrealistic events and twists, and started to become absurd.

I did enjoy it, and it had some great ideas, but it was a frustrating read.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of the English translation.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

The Gift has an intriguing premise: an illiterate man, Milan Berg, sees a distressed girl holding a note he can’t read. It’s a setup with huge potential, but the execution is overwhelming. The story is packed with so many twists that it becomes difficult to follow, turning what could have been a gripping thriller into a chaotic maze.

The translation doesn’t help either—it feels clunky and unnatural, making it even harder to stay engaged. Milan’s illiteracy adds an interesting layer, but the endless plot twists and characters overshadow any meaningful character development or emotional depth.

While Fitzek is great at building tension and atmosphere, this one missed the mark for me. It’s a thriller that tries to do too much and loses itself along the way.

Anyone familiar with Sebastian Fitzek's work will know they are in for a scary, thrilling, slightly bonkers ride when they pick up one of his books and The Gift is no exception.

The book starts with Milan (male) in prison for a yet unknown reason. On the threat of death (or at least serious disfigurement) Milan is forced to tell the story of how he ended up in prison. It involves a girl, a message which Milan can't read (as he can't recognise the written word), a potential kidnapping, burglaries, crime and a whole host of other shenanigans which will keep you reading.

A really good page turner which I would recommend (but there are some trigger warnings so discretion is required)