DARK SUMMER – Only One Knows What Happened That Night

  • 50,000 copies sold!
  • A top-notch thriller: The gripping new atmospheric suspense by bestselling author Vera Buck.
  • 140,000 copies sold of her 3 thrillers by Rowohlt altogether.
  • Wolfskinder won The Prize for the Best European Crime Novel 2025 (Le Point) in France.
  • English sample translation available.

A house in an old ghost village in Italy, a dream that turns into a nightmare ...

A house in Italy for one euro: For German architect Tilda, the dilapidated villa in Sardinia seems like a stroke of luck. She decides to leave everything behind and dive into the renovation. However, the quaint village's charm is deceptive. Is the ghost town really as deserted as it seems? On Sundays, the bells ring, and strangers claim that a curse is on her house. Teaming up with journalist Enzo, who is researching the village's history, Tilda seeks to uncover the truth. The only resident who knows more is the old man Silvio, but he remains tight-lipped. When Tilda’s younger brother Nino unexpectedly shows up at her door, she reluctantly lets him stay, bringing with him memories she desperately wants to forget. Then Nino mysteriously disappears. Driven by the desperate search for him, Tilda and Enzo uncover a truth in the island’s rugged hinterlands that is darker than any ghost story – and closely tied to Tilda’s own past.

Contact Foreign Rights
Rights sold to

France - Gallmeister | Italy - Giunti

  • Publisher: Rowohlt Polaris
  • Release: 13.05.2025
  • ISBN: 978-3-499-01685-1
  • 384 Pages
  • Author: Vera Buck

Awards

  • 2026: Vera Buck mit «Der dunkle Sommer» für den GLAUSER Krimipreis nominiert

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Buchcover von DARK SUMMER – Only One Knows What Happened That Night: Nur einer weiß, was in jener Nacht geschah.
Vera Buck DARK SUMMER – Only One Knows What Happened That Night
Portrait von Vera Buck
© Asja Caspari
Vera Buck

Vera Buck  was born in North Rhine-Westphalia, and studied journalism, European literature and scriptwriting in Europe and Hawaii. Her debut novel  Runa and her first thriller Wolfskinder were both nominated for the Friedrich Glauser Prize. Her book Das Baumhaus reached the bestseller list and is up for a Crime Cologne award. Now living in Switzerland, Vera Buck draws inspiration for her thrillers from her exciting adventures.