Crime author Eva Almstädt: Why Hamburg is not her location

Crime author Eva Almstädt: Why Hamburg is not her location

Eimsbüttel, Deutschland - in Hamburg the crime literature blooms, and not only on the pages of the books, but also in the most creative minds in the city. Two multifaceted authors bring a breath of fresh air to the genre and ensure conversation in the literary scene.

Eva Almstädt, known from the NDR 90.3 podcast "Feel Hamburg", has made a name for itself. However, her crime novels do not play directly in the Hanseatic city, as she finds the urban jungle as a backdrop for her stories as not very attractive. "There are many people in Hamburg and no closed communities," she explains. These properties make it impossible for you to hide a perpetrator well. Despite their choice of rural backdrops, the connection to reality remains a central concern in their books. Some police officers read their works, which Almstädt considers important to convey a realistic view of the work of the investigators. She is particularly interested in concrete criminal cases, but rather in the values and motivations of the investigators, which she wants to humanize in her stories.

The creative everyday life in Eimsbüttel

in Eimsbüttel, her place of residence, Almstädt enjoys the quality of life that the district offers. She appreciates the ambience with many cafes and green oases that inspire and often also distract you while writing her stories at home. Her training as a interior decorator helped her to create pictorial scenes and emotional atmospheres.

Another interesting crime writer who leaves his traces in Hamburg is Eberhard Michaely. The regular bus driver has settled the main character of his novels, "Ms. Helbing", in the popular Grindelviertel. It helps the police with murder reconnaissance. Michaely draws his inspiration from the different passengers who get on his bus. Originally worked as a casting form model maker, he found his passion for the music and studied in Cologne. After a time as a musician in Hamburg's musical orchestras, he and the music decided, and he switched to bus to go to go to his passion for writing.

realistic crime novels and human stories

Both authors attach great importance to realistic proximity in their stories. Similar to Almstädt, the author Simone Buchholz also emphasizes that a good crime novel should feel committed to reality. Topics such as dignity and dealing with loss, both in interpersonal relationships and in everyday life, are in the foreground. The emotional core questions what it means to be a person and how to deal with brokenness are central in their stories. The shades of gray between light and shadow make a crime novel, according to Buchholz, which is an important voice in the current crime literature.

With their different backgrounds and narrative methods, Almstädt and Michaely enrich the literary landscape of Hamburg, while they are immersed in the readers: inside in exciting and human stories. The "Feel Hamburg" podcast offers a platform to share your thoughts and inspiration with a wider audience and is available free of charge on various channels.

Further information on Eva Almstädt can be found on ndr and more in his interview on podcast.de . For deeper insights into current topics of crime literature, a look at süddeutsche.de .