Apothecary Melchior and the Mystery of St. Olaf's Church
E-book, Czech
Apothecary Melchior and the Mystery of St. Olaf's Church
A medieval detective story in the style of Eco's The Name of the Rose
At the beginning of the fifteenth century, Tallinn is a dramatically growing city with ambitions to become a major Hanseatic centre. Apothecary Melchior Wakenstede is a controversial figure to the other inhabitants of Tallinn—some respect him for his mysterious knowledge and scientific curiosity, while others fear him for the mystical aura that surrounds him. When a mysterious murder takes place in the castle, Melchior is called upon to lead the investigation. The victim is a high-ranking man belonging to the order of Teutonic Knights who rule all of Estonia. Melchior immerses himself in the investigation, interrogating townspeople from all walks of life in an attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery. Soon, however, the whole situation becomes more complicated—the number of victims begins to rise. Against his will, the apothecary finds himself caught in a whirlwind of lies, intrigue and dangerous practices.
What they wrote about the book:
Melchior is the Estonian version of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot rolled into one!
- Crime Review
If you like crime, mystery and history, then this is a must-read! The book brings medieval Tallinn to life and after reading it you will want to visit the city immediately.
- Waterstones
Hargla is not writing a historical book, but a detective story that pays homage to Agatha Christie. This becomes especially clear at the end, when the apothecary Melchior gathers all the suspects in one room and then, with agonising calm, begins to accuse them one by one.
- Eesti Ekspress
Indrek Hargla
(b. 1970) is one of Estonia's best-known and most prolific authors. For a quarter of a century, he has been publishing speculative fiction (short stories, novellas and novels, often on the borderline of sci-fi, fantasy, alternative history and horror), which he skilfully mixes with detective elements. He made his debut in the detective genre with the book Apothecary Melchior and the Mystery of St. Olaf's Church (2010), which he followed up with six more novels and many short stories featuring the same protagonist.
Specifications
Basic
Format & type of protection
EUROMEDIA GROUP a.s., Nádražní 762/32, Praha 5-Smíchov 15000, Česká republika, www.euromedia.cz
Specifications can be changed without notice. Images are for illustrative purposes only.
