Vollstrecker der Königin - Der Baeldin-Mord

"Vollstrecker der Königin - Der Baeldin-Mord" is a fantasy crime novella by Angelika Diem, the first entry in her Vollstrecker der Königin series. When a maid is murdered at Castle Baeldin, the master of the Black Tower assigns the case to Caitlynn, his most inexperienced executor.

In this world, an "executor" (Vollstrecker) is both investigator and judge in one: they must uncover the truth of a crime and then personally carry out the punishment, storing the pain and suffering of victims in ritual "pain stones" used to deliver justice once the guilty party is found. Caitlynn's inexperience is central to the tension — she has to prove she can handle the responsibility while working through a case with real stakes.

The novella blends a whodunit investigation structure with a dark fantasy justice system, and its reception led directly to sequels continuing Caitlynn's story as an executor.