1590, Nuremberg. Europe teeters on the edge of modernity but, in the shadow of the gallows, executioner Frantz Schmidt has more immediate concerns. Torturer, hangman and—most unusually—a meticulous diarist, Frantz wrestles with a family curse that haunts his every step. When a brash new assistant arrives, tensions ignite and the stage is set for a clash that could tear their brutal world apart.

Inspired by the notorious diary of Frantz Schmidt, Making a Killing plunges into a gritty world of power, betrayal and ambition. With its stark echoes of today, this gripping tale lays bare the dark truths of human nature in a society on the brink of change.