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A review by marco5599
The Vanishing by Tim Krabbé
4.0
On the thriller shelve it goes. Reluctantly though. It belongs there, but I wouldn't recommend it as such. That seems to raise expectations the novella doesn't (want to) meet. A crime drama is perhaps a better description. One with themes as its main fuel. Both men are driven by ignorance. Obsessively. Rex Hofman desperately wants to know what happened to his girlfriend who suddenly disappeared, the kidnapper wants to figure out if he's capable and is very determined in finding out. I preferred Raymond Lemorne's side of the story.
Tim Krabbé's distant, almost methodical writing style suits this character better. A cold and calculated man with a simple motive and a more or less random way of picking targets. I find that a hell of a lot scarier than all those vile serial killers that murder in the most creative ways. This guy is real. He could be out there. A terrifying thought. Just as it is terrifying when he contacts Rex 8 years after the fact. How things turn out is no real surprise, there are clues, but it doesn't make the ending less powerful. In the end, both men know.
Tim Krabbé's distant, almost methodical writing style suits this character better. A cold and calculated man with a simple motive and a more or less random way of picking targets. I find that a hell of a lot scarier than all those vile serial killers that murder in the most creative ways. This guy is real. He could be out there. A terrifying thought. Just as it is terrifying when he contacts Rex 8 years after the fact. How things turn out is no real surprise, there are clues, but it doesn't make the ending less powerful. In the end, both men know.