''Der perfekte Mord'', published in 1961, is a

detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

written by German author

Frank Arnau Frank Arnau (March 9, 1894 – February 11, 1976) was the pseudonym of a German crime fiction writer, born as Heinrich Schmitt. Biography Arnau was born in Vienna, the son of a hotel manager. He began his literary career as a newspaper journ ...

. "Der perfekte Mord" is German for "the perfect murder".

Plot

To celebrate the successful illegal transaction of weapons to Algerian freedom fighters, Nissim Cordanu is going to organise a dinner for ten people at his house. Walter Reyder, head of the

Hamburg Police The Hamburg Police (german: Hamburger Polizei or ) is the German Landespolizei force for the city-state of Hamburg. Law enforcement in Germany is divided between federal and state (Land) agencies. A precursor to the agency, the ''Polizei-Behörd ...

research force, is oblivious when he is almost struck by Nissim's car. Nissim immediately recognises his old friend, even though twenty-five years have passed since they met. Nissim invites his old friend for dinner, not suspecting that by doing so, he invites the law as the eleventh guest. When it is announced that a very special hypnosis act will be performed at the party, Reyder decides that it is not yet time to reveal his true identity. 1961 German novels German mystery novels Novels by Frank Arnau Novels set in Hamburg {{1960s-mystery-novel-stub