Synopses & Reviews
A bold new thriller from the best-selling author of The Hangmanand#8217;s Daughter seriesIn 1886, Ludwig II, the Fairy-tale King of Bavaria, was deposed after being declared insane by doctors who had never met him. He died mysteriously soon thereafter, his eccentric and beautiful castles his only legacy. In The Ludwig Conspiracy, master of historical suspense Oliver Pand#246;tzsch brings the Mad King back to life.
An encoded diary by one of Ludwigand#8217;s confidants falls into the hands of modern-day rare-book dealer Steven Lukas, who soon realizes that the diary may bring him more misery than money. Lukas teams up with a beautiful art detective, Sara Lengfeld, to investigate each of Ludwigand#8217;s three famous castles for clues to crack the diaryand#8217;s code as mysterious thugs and Ludwigand#8217;s fanatical followers chase them at every step. Just what in the diary could be so explosive?
"This gripping thriller brings together the present and the past with high-action adventure in a bold, entertaining storyline." and#8212;Shepherd Express (Milwaukee)
"Pand#246;tzsch makes clever use of Bavariaand#8217;s equivalent of the Kennedy assassination in this excellent stand-alone . . . Pand#246;tzschand#8217;s sophisticated plotting and good use of a real-life historical puzzle place this far ahead of most Da Vinci Code wannabes." and#8212;Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
“[A novel] with the blissful narrative drive of a high-class mystery....Ruiz Zafón is a splendidly solicitous craftsman, careful to give the reader at least as much pleasure as he is evidently having.” The Guardian
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“The story has heart, menace, torture, kindness, cruelty, sacrifice, and a deep devotion to what makes humans tick.” New York Journal of Books
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“Perhaps his wittiest [novel] and the darkest to date, a stylistic feat that Ruiz Zafon handles deftly....Savor this book.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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“Gripping…suspenseful....The magic of the novel is in the wonderfully constructed creepy and otherworldly setting, the likable characters, and the near-perfect dialogue.” Booklist
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“Invoking the atmosphere of Dumas, Dickens, Poe and Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafon retains his originality and will hold his rightful place among the storytelling masters of literature.” Book Reporter
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“Zafon's storytelling is deft and well-paced, and his vivid prose brings the cultural riches and political strife of Franco-era Spain to life.” Publishers Weekly
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“There is an air of magical realism to Zafón's tales. The prose is robust and the dialogue rich with smart irony. But mostly, reading Zafón is great fun.” Miami Herald
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“A deep and mysterious novel full of people that feel real....This is an enthralling read and a must-have for your library. Zafón focuses on the emotion of the reader and doesn't let go.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Synopsis
"A deep and mysterious novel full of people that feel real. . . .An enthralling read and a must-have for your library. Zaf n focuses on the emotion of the reader and doesn't let go." -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zaf n creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge, set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them.
Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Juli n, and their close friend Ferm n Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades in the city's dark past.
His appearance plunges Ferm n and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940s and the early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that time launch them on a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love, and will ultimately transform their lives.
--Book Reporter
Synopsis
Once again, internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafón creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge, set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them.
Synopsis
Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Julián, and their close friend Fermín Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades in the city's dark past.
His appearance plunges Fermín and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940s and the early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that time launch them on a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love, and will ultimately transform their lives.
Synopsis
From the bestselling author of The Hangmanand#8217;s Daughter, a historical thriller set in contemporary Bavaria, about Ludwig II's mysterious death and the long-lost diary that could unlock its secrets.
About the Author
OLIVER PandOuml;TZSCH, born in 1970, has worked for years as a scriptwriter for Bavarian television. He is a descendant of one of Bavariaandrsquo;s leading dynasties of executioners. Pandouml;tzsch lives in Munich with his family.
Lee Chadeayne is a former classical musician and college professor. He was one of the charter members of the American Literary Translators Association and is editor-in-chief of ALTAandnbsp;News.