Mordsmotive 2025 - 05 "Wenn du mein Kind tötest" von Silke Heimes

·28 min·2 clips

The mother rams a kitchen knife into her husband's neck as he tries to drown their screaming infant.

This episode of Literatur Radio Hörbahn presents the fifth installment in the 'Mordsmotive 2025' series, showcasing shortlisted works for the Murderous Sisters scholarship. Host Heike Stepprath interviews author Silke Heimes about her thriller manuscript 'Wenn du mein Kind tötest'. The episode opens with a reading of an excerpt depicting a mother's exhausting struggle with her screaming baby, escalating to a confrontation where her husband, Robert, becomes violent and holds the baby under water, leading her to stab him. Heimes explains she was inspired by a real newspaper headline about a woman threatening her partner with a knife while holding a baby. She notes that domestic violence disproportionately affects women, with 80% of victims being female. The narrative uses three female perspectives: the wife, the sister of the victim, and a journalist, all unreliable narrators to explore themes of truth and victimhood. Heimes, a former psychiatry doctor and journalism professor, emphasizes thorough research, consulting judges, police, and investigating women's prisons for accuracy. She discusses her writing routine, preferring mornings in cafes to avoid distractions, and her focus on concise, skeletal language. The thriller is not yet published, as submissions for the scholarship require unpublished works. Heimes also mentions her young adult thrillers and upcoming projects, including two more YA books, two picture books, and a non-fiction book within 18 months. She advises aspiring scholarship applicants to embrace feedback and collaborative editing, highlighting the loneliness of writing. The episode concludes with Heike Stepprath noting the story's intense impact and anticipation for its future publication.

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