Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction)
Contribution
Although primarily known within the history of German literature as an outstanding lyrical poet of the nineteenth century, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff also wrote a novella, Die Judenbuche: Ein Sittengemälde aus dem Gebirgichten Westfalen (1842; The Jew’s Beech Tree, 1914), that ranks among the best of both the novella and the historical mystery genres. Tightly constructed and vividly written, this story of murder, guilt, and the eventual triumph of justice presents a realistic picture of village life in Westphalia, Germany, during the late...
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