Adultery, blackmail, murder – the animal kingdom is bursting with transgressive energy…
BÖSE TIERE
[Nasty Beasts]
by Markus Bennemann
Goldmann/PRH Germany, November 2026
Markus Bennemann loves our fellow creatures. But he also knows they can be anything but loveable.
Following his bestselling « Böse Bäume » (‘Nasty trees’), the nature and science writer sheds light on the nastiest criminals in the animal kingdom, from five-limbed burglars and safe-crackers with jug ears to scaly sharpshooters, feathered serial killers and sexually motivated killer women lurking in the grass.
Blackmailers and adulterers, mass murderers and accomplices – animals are no strangers to true crime. And they’re more sneaky, inventive and bonkers than any crime writer could come up with.
Markus Bennemann couldn’t decide whether to major in literature or biology. In the end, he chose literature, and now writes books about… well, biology. His most recent book is the bestselling Böse Bäume (‘Bad trees’).
No wonder we love trees so much. Even just a short stroll through a park or woodland helps us breathe easier and replenish our energy resources, and looking up into the leafy canopy above your head can help clear your mind. But beeches, yews, etc. also have a darker side: they commit all sorts of nefarious deeds, and are willing to poison, mutilate and kill to gain the advantage over their neighbours. In