Charlotte Link - Harbour Front Literaturfestival

The bestselling author talks with Jürgen Schmidt, former head of the criminal investigation department, about investigative work and criminal psychology

As a thriller writer, Charlotte Link delves deeply into the workings of the police force while researching her books in order to portray her investigators’ methods as authentically as possible. Jürgen Schmidt looks back on 45 years of service, including nearly 25 years as head of the criminal investigation department in Gifhorn, Lower Saxony. He knows the day-to-day work of the criminal investigation department from personal experience and can speak about investigations into real criminal cases, as well as the psychology of perpetrators.

To mark the release of Charlotte Link’s new book, *Kalte Tage* (*Cold Days*), we’re bringing both worlds together on one stage: Charlotte Link and Jürgen Schmidt will discuss how far reality and fiction can diverge in a thriller, where strict adherence to facts reaches its limits, and where artistic license begins. What must a thriller include to be credible? And what must it invent to turn a case into a story?

Charlotte Link is one of the most successful contemporary German-language authors. Her psychological thrillers combine precise observations of social settings with great narrative suspense; many of her books have topped the bestseller lists and been adapted for the screen. With the Kate Linville series, she has created an investigator whose cases deal not only with crime, but always with fear, guilt, loneliness, and the darker sides of seemingly orderly lives.

The discussion will be expertly moderated by Giuseppe Di Grazia, deputy editor-in-chief of *stern*.