Schattengrund – Ein Harz-Thriller (2018)

Nicola Wagner (“Nico”) unexpectedly inherits a house, Schattengrund, in the village of Siebenlehen in the Harz Mountains, along with a few other belongings from her aunt Kiana. She had spent happy holidays there in the past. But something terrible also seems to have happened there nearly twenty years ago, something Nico cannot really remember. Her aunt’s letter says: “Bury the past or live with it […] It was never your fault.” Nico promptly drives to Siebenlehen to look at the house. Since the roads into the village are snowed in, a local man named Leon gives her a ride in his car. Nico learns from Leon that the villagers know who she is and what happened in her past. At Schattengrund, Nico finds a cat, as well as traces of human activity. Later, while tidying up the house, she finds a book belonging to her aunt, but one page is missing. Nico had intended to stay only briefly, but because the village is cut off, she has to settle in for a few days. Over the next few days, Leon repeatedly looks after Nico, whether by helping her maintain Schattengrund or by answering her questions about the past. The villagers shun Nico and treat her like an outcast. The baker refuses to give her any baked goods, and Maik, the coal seller, also refuses to deliver firewood to her. She is threatened, and an attempt on her life fails. Someone burns the book she found. Gradually, Nico learns that she is being blamed for the death of Fili, who was six years old at the time. Nico and Fili had run away during one of the coldest winters. Nico was found half-frozen and rescued, while Fili was found frozen to death in the Silberstollen mine. Nico sets out to find the truth. In a hotel room that has not been changed since Fili’s death, she finds the missing page from the book. It shows a drawing of a black man beside a crying child sitting on a bed—Fili. There is blood beneath the bed’s mattress: someone must have abused Fili. From Maik—the somewhat simple-minded but kind-hearted coal seller—she learns that he found Fili in the mine back then, and that Fili had used burnt matches to draw something on the wall. They go into the mine and find the word “Papa” beside the drawing of a black man. Fili’s father had abused her repeatedly, which is why Fili ran away one day, and Nico followed her all the way to the mine. Fili was happy to have finally escaped the traumatic situation, believing that no one could hurt her anymore. But Nico saw the danger posed by the freezing cold and promised to get help; however, she could not find her way back. Some people in the village knew about the abuse but looked the other way. Kiana had suspected something, and for that reason Fili’s grandmother badmouthed her around the village. Now the grandmother regrets keeping silent and wishes she had had the courage Nico has. Fili’s father is led away by police officers.