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    The Dark Monk
    The Dark Monk
    The Dark Monk
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Dark Monk

    Written by Oliver Pötzsch

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The Dark Monk is the second book in Hangman’s Daughter, the million-copy bestselling series.

    1660: Winter has settled thick over a sleepy village in the Bavarian Alps, ensuring every farmer and servant is indoors on the night a parish priest discovers he’s been poisoned. As numbness creeps up his body, he summons the last of his strength to scratch a cryptic sign in the frost.

    Following a trail of riddles, hangman Jakob Kuisl, his headstrong daughter, Magdalena, and the town physician’s son team up with the priest’s aristocratic sister to investigate. What they uncover will lead them back to the Crusades, unlocking a troubled history of internal church politics and sending them on a chase for a treasure of the Knights Templar.

    But they’re not the only ones after the legendary fortune. A team of dangerous and mysterious monks is always close behind, tracking their every move, speaking Latin in the shadows, giving off a strange, intoxicating scent. And to throw the hangman off their trail, they have ensured he is tasked with capturing a band of thieves roving the countryside attacking solitary travelers and spreading panic.

    Delivering on the promise of the international bestseller The Hangman’s Daughter, Oliver Pötzsch takes us on a whirlwind tour through the occult hiding places of Bavaria’s ancient monasteries. Once again based on prodigious historical research into Pötzsch’s family tree, The Dark Monk brings to life an unforgettable, compassionate hangman and his tenacious daughter, painting a robust tableau of seventeenth-century Bavaria and quickening our pulses with a gripping, mesmerizing mystery.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Translator Lee Chadeayne
    Release dateJun 12, 2012
    ISBN9781455876426
    The Dark Monk
    Author

    Oliver Pötzsch

    OLIVER PÖTZSCH, born in 1970, has worked for years as a scriptwriter for Bavarian television, and is the New York Times bestselling author of The Hangman's Daughter series. A descendant of one of Bavaria's leading dynasties of executioners, Pötzsch lives in Munich with his family.

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    Reviews for The Dark Monk

    3.5/5

    290 ratings22 reviews

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    • 2/5
      This is a reminder to myself not to read any more of this series. The story is too slow moving, the translation is full of anachronisms, and the characters have the emotional depth of teenagers. The book is about 200 pages too long - one long scavenger hunt.
    • 5/5
      I loved it but I see that some people don't care for it. It definitely isn't your run of the mill mystery series.
    • 3/5
      Hangman's Daughter Series #2....1684....small village in the alps....treasure of the Knights Templars
    • 4/5
      A Templar treasure's location is masked within a series of medieval puzzles. The town doctors's son and the hangman!s daughter team up to seek this mythical, or is it sacred, artifact. Good puzzler really bad guys, especially the monks and a spectacular finish drives the second installment in this gritty but good medieval series.I
    • 4/5
      Second in the series, this one is a mystery involving Templar, monks, hangman, medic. Again very entertaining story but what I enjoy so much about these stories is the authors end notes about his hangman family heritage and his trip through Bavaria as he shares his trips by bike or walking to various sites. Audio, good narrator. Fun read.
    • 3/5
      This second in the Hangman's Daughter series opens with the poisoning of the parish priest. The hangman has his work cut out for him in this story featuring a Knights Templar tale, thieves, and more. Once again, the hangman's daughter Magdalena and Simon a doctor endanger themselves in the course of the story. This story lacks the quality the first in the series possessed. It was easily put down. The plot seemed contrived, and there was too much going on. I have at least one more installment downloaded to Kindle, but I may or may not read it. I actually enjoyed the author's comments at the end about his relation to the story more than the story itself.
    • 3/5
      Compared to the first book in the Hangman’s Daughter Series, I have to admit being a little disappointed in this one. Overall it was a good story involving Templar’s Treasure (how could you go wrong with this theme) but I felt this book was a little too long winded & struggled to maintain my interest at times. This may have been because I listened to the story, it might have been better if I read the book. Will try one more as a physical read.
    • 3/5
      Enjoyable but would have benefited from editing to tighten up the writing, shortening the book and eliminating some of the repetitive phrases.
    • 5/5
      I have to say I am really enjoying this series I have read the first and second and working my way through the third.

      I really like that the author is using his ancestors and is diligently researching the time period and then adding in his own mystery and conspiracies.
    • 3/5
      Enjoyed the first book in this series so I thought I'd give it another go. This, the second book of the series brings back all the main characters and the setting but sadly, is a bit off a notch from the first book. If I had to classify it I'd say its a bit more formulaic than the first book.

      Regardless, if you liked the first book you'll like this - just not as much.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book of the Hangman's Daughter series, and a very good book. The plot includes a 17th century hangman, Jacob, his daughter, Magdalena, his daughter's suitor, Zeman, and a woman of some nobility. ***This lady is a matter of a fun plot twist.*** They begin by trying to solve one mystery, the death of a priest, and find themselves wrapped up in the drama of another mystery altogether, finding the treasures of the Knights Templar.

      This book called forward for me the "Harry Potter" series. There are references to several familiar herbs and remedies that can be read in the works of J.K. Rowling. It also brought Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" to mind. The plot is in no way similar, but there are references to the Knights Templar and their lost/hidden treasure. Potzsch has a completely different take on what the treasure may include.

      What you can expect from this story:

      1. Well developed characters
      2. Exciting if not entirely believable action scenes.
      3. Fun plot twists.
      4. Historical facts intertwined with interesting fiction.
      5. A well written story.

      I would recommend this book for individuals who like historical fiction, with a slight touch of romance and drama.
    • 4/5
      In the mid-17th century in Bavaria, when a priest is murdered, Jakob, the local hangman, his daughter Magdalena, and her love Simon, try to figure out what happened. Also, it is dangerous to be travelling at this time, as there are robbers on the road. Overall, I liked it, though there were a few times I lost focus. I didn't like it as much as the first book in the series, but I liked it enough that I'll read the next book. Like at the end of the first book, the author does talk a little bit more about the real Jakob the hangman, the author's ancestor. After that, there was another “extra” in the book that was something different from anything I've seen before – a sort of “walking tour” of the area featured in the book.
    • 2/5
      What I thought would be an atmospheric novel, rich in the sights and smells of 17th century Bavaria turned out to be a hollow retread of The da Vinci Code. The Templar angle should have tipped me off, but since the setting and the connection to a gruesome profession (executioner) was different for me, I took a chance. There are more books in the series, but none will find its way into my library and here’s why.First it’s the language. It’s far too modern. Now, that could be the translation, but I kind of doubt it. Most translators get the nuances right rather than change the tone of the language altogether. Stuff like ‘hitting on her’ and ‘big shots’ and things being ‘screwed up’. It didn’t resonate the time at all for me.Second it’s the characters. Especially Magdalena. She was nothing more than the 1660s version of Nancy Drew. Protective yet permissive father. Independence indulged by everyone. Smart, but still misreads situations and gets into trouble. Reasonably able to get herself out of said trouble, but by some far-fetched means. No girlfriends though and Magdalena’s boyfriend is way less of a devoted dog than ol’ Ned. The other characters were pretty wooden as well, Simple Simon, Smooth Benedikda, Put Upon Anna Marie, Quack Doctor. The writer tried to make Jakob Kuisl a bit more nuanced, but it rang pretty false and the same notes just kept getting hit over and over. Being an executioner is a stigmatized profession and the people who make him and his family outcasts are hypocrites. Simon’s dad is a nincompoop compared to modern doctors and his tinctures of goose poop are hilarious. Magdalena is a jealous shrew who picks fights with everyone around her because she hasn’t found herself yet. Anyway, you get the idea.Third it’s the plot. Lots of narrow escapes, poisoning, highwaymen, corrupt clergy, duplicitous politicians, chases, fires and secret passageways. It read like a James Bond script. Especially when Jakob K gets thrown into the sarcophagus and left to die, unseen and unverified by our villainous monks. Any sane person would have stabbed him and had done with it. But no, we get Blofeld/Goldfinger/Dr. Evil and of course Kuisl escapes and brings their plans tumbling down. And how the heck does everyone get around the countryside so fast? The author kept reminding us of the huge snow drifts, but damn everyone seemed to get places really fast. And be followed everywhere and not notice. What?!And the capper is that Potzsch hit one of my pet peeves. “The bullet hit the robber in the shoulder and threw him back against the wall.” In what universe? Bullets never threw anyone anywhere despite what you see in the movies. Oy.
    • 3/5
      Another Knights Templar tale. I am a bit weary of them. I do, however, enjoy Potzsch's stories set in 1600s Germany. The recurring characters are also enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      "The Dark Monk" picks up right where "The Hangman's Daughter" ended. When a priest dies a horrific death in his chapel, it is up to Jakob, Simon and Magdalena to solve the mystery of his murder. Blending a murder mystery with a search for Templar treasure and a hunt for highwaymen, this novel is a whirlwind of a tale. Potzsch transports his readers into the 17th century with his vivid descriptions of life in the Priest's Corner of modern Germany. His use of narration provides a well-rounded story and offers just enough suspense to urge readers further and further into the mysteries held between the covers.
    • 3/5
      I almost felt like I was in another Dan Brown novel as our heroes followed clues to a hidden Templar treasure. Jakob Kuisle, the hangman and unofficial healer, Magdalena, his bright and beautiful daughter who was also a talented healer, and Simon, the son of the town's physician combined their information and talents as they followed clues left in tombs and churches and fought off highwaymen and other treasure hunters.There was not as much torture (the hangman's other occupation) as the first novel but as much head conking. What made this book interesting for me is that the characters and setting came from the author's own heritage.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyable story set in the mid-1600's solving a murder mystery.

      This story originates with the author digging into bis family history and he was surprised go find his ancestors were all hangmen.
    • 5/5
      The Dark Monk, like The Hangman's Daughter, is a dark novel surrounding the mysteries of a small German town. In The Dark Monk, a local priest is found murdered by poison. His sister arrives into town shortly after, and the chase begins. The priest was killed because of his discovery of an ancient relic, and it's the job of his sister, the hangman and his daughter, and the young medicus to find out why.In addition, the novel progresses through many small towns and monasteries, and the author has included his recollections of his trips to these locations. It's a neat addition that isn't normally seen in many books, and I really enjoyed learning some of the actual history of the locations visited in the story!Overall The Dark Monk is a great read, and based off of the sneak peek into the next book, I'm sure I'll fall in love with that too!
    • 5/5
      It hasn’t been more than a few days since I finished book two in this series and I’m going through withdrawals. Book three is out and four is on the way. If you haven’t read any of The Hangman’s Daughter series, I advise making sure you have ready access to all the books before starting. If you’re anything like me, once I get into a good story and set characters, it’s hard to give them while waiting until you can get a hold of the rest of the books.As much as the first book was primarily a mystery, this one definitely has more of a thriller aspect which made it difficult to set aside for any length of time. It is well over 400 pages, but it never felt like it.Also, don’t let the mention of the Knights Templar scare you off. It seems they have been done to death by Dan Brown and others, but they are merely part of the tale, not all of it. It is about religion itself, and the divides it causes – as well as how it can connect and comfort people during a dark time.Unlike the first book, I guessed correctly about some of the mysteries. But as I said, this reads more like a thriller. The action is fast-paced and always remains pertinent. There are sub-plots to be sure, but all are directly related to the main plot, never going off-track or becoming distracting. As a good series should, it continues to develop the characters and their stories so that you get to know them better, like or hate them, and look forward to reading more about them in the books to come.All in all a positive experience leading me to state without hesitation that this writer, and his books, are getting a permanent place in my library. I’m sure I will be re-reading them. Loaning them out? Probably. If I can find a chain long enough to make sure they don’t go far or get lost.
    • 4/5
      I have previously read the first entry in this series, The Hangman's Daughter, and enjoyed it enough to want to read further about hangman Jakob Kuisl, his family and the inhabitants of Schongau, a hamlet in 17th century Bavaria. The novel begins with the poisoning death of priest, Andreas Koppmeyer. Simon, the physicians son and beau to the hangman's daughter Magdalena, soon finds himself investigating the death with the help of Koppmeyer's beautiful and wealthy sister Benedikta. Of course this does not sit too well with the jealous Magdalena who soon finds herself considering other romantic prospects with the rich hangman of Augsberg, Philipp Hartmann. While Magdalena and Simon reconsider their future as a couple, Simon and Benedikta pursue a treasure hidden by the Templar Knights. It's all very reminiscent of Indiana Jones as the two race from church to church to search for clues to the location of the treasure. Meanwhile Jakob Kuisl, the hangman is left to deal with a band of thieves who are terrorizing and killing the traveling merchants of the area. I always find it fascinating to read how Kuisl who is presented as a moral man is able to torture and ultimately kill people he likes. Even though he would rather be healing people he functions admirably in his role as executioner. I am really enjoying reading this series. The mystery aspect of the story is always very interesting and historical detail is never boring. Kuisl is a bit of a riddle. He is a hardened veteran of the battlefield but is also a devoted family man with a soft spot for his children. At the same time he is also a cold blooded killer and torturer when his job demands it. He would hang the children of bandits if the town demanded it although he tries to negotiate around it if at all possible. The dichotomy of his character makes for fascinating reading. I look forward to learning more about the background of the hangman in the next novel in this series, The Beggar King.
    • 4/5
      The Dark Monk is the second in the series and the follow to The Hangman's Daughter. This book is well plotted, with a maze of riddles and clues, which test the wit and skill of all those trying to beat each other to the treasure. I enjoyed reading The Hangman's Daughter and all of the characters, and the author brings many of them back to life in The Dark Monk.Simon, the town physician, is a short dandy, whose description and manner remind me of Lord Farquaad in Shrek. I'd be interested to compare to the image the author had in his head.The story begins with the murder of a priest, and a clue he leaves behind. The mystery takes us into the secretive world of the Knights Templar, and all over Bavaria in search of their hidden treasure. Excellent sequel, although I preferred The Hangman's Daughter.
    • 5/5
      Although I didn't particularly like all the riddles and what a mess the characters got themselves into, it wouldn't be a story without that mess. The action scenes were still well-thought out and this book kept the mystery and intrigue that I was so fond of in the first book. I almost wish this book had preceded the first, however, especially since we learn a lot more about the hangman's daughter in this tale. I loved the character of Benedikta and her story had an amazing background. Speaking of backgrounds, that's another thing I loved about these books--Potzsch includes his background of the novel in a way that is neither boring nor seemingly irrelevant. If you loved the first novel, you'll be sure to find yourself swept up by this one as well. And be sure to read the notes at the end!