2021; 400 pages. Translator: Lisa Reinhardt. Book 1 (out of 2) in the series “A Leopold von Herzfeldt Case”. New Author? : No. Genre : Historical Thriller; German
Literature; Historical Mystery. Overall
Rating : 9*/10.
Vienna, 1893.
Inspector Leopold “Leo” von
Herzfeldt has just joined the Vienna Security
Bureau for Blood Crimes. Think “Homicide
Division”. He’s from nearby Graz,
Austria, where he learned his detective skills from the renowned Inspector Hans
Gross.
Leo’s been schooled in a new way of investigating crimes; something called “Criminalistics”. At his first department meeting in Vienna, he uses those Criminalistics methods, along with his Sherlock Holmesian sleuthing talents, to offer helpful critiques of his fellow investigators’ case reports.
Not all of his colleagues were enthralled by his unsolicited suggestions. Inspector von Herzfeldt needs to learn to keep his mouth shut at departmental meetings, unless specifically asked for by the Department Superintendent.
What’s To Like...
The Gravedigger’s
Almanac is the opening book in Oliver Potzsch’s “Leopold
von Herzfeldt” series. It is set
in the closing years of the 19th century; which is about 3½ centuries
after his fantastic “Hangman’s Daughter”
series takes place, of which I’ve read three of its seven entries.
The storyline grabs the
reader’s attention immediately. The
Prologue opens with a man awakening from sleep and discovering he’s in a coffin
that’s already been sealed and buried in the ground. Who is he and how did he get that way? A second storyline soon crops up as
well—someone has been slashing women’s throats and impaling them in a most
grisly fashion. Inspector von Herzfeldt
quickly takes to investigating both of these cases.
I was impressed by the
technological advances that had taken place between the two series. A sample of some mysterious black slime taken
from a victim’s corpse can now be sent out for chemical analysis. And crime scenes can now be recorded via the
use of something called a “camera”. Leo has one and he uses it with an even more
newfangled invention, a “flash”.
I liked the character
development. Leo may be a brilliant
detective, but he’s quite clueless when it comes to interacting with other
humans. The titular Gravedigger is a
walking talking encyclopedia of human interment—he’s writing an almanac—but a
complete nutcase otherwise. And Leo’s new boss may be a racial and religious bigot, but he’s also a very skilled detective.
The ending is both exciting
and twisty. Both Leo’s and my theories
about who’s doing what skullduggery, and why, were completely wrong. Help comes from an unexpected source. An Epilogue ties up most of the plot threads
and the sequel (see below) apparently will address the main remaining
unresolved one.
Ratings…
Amazon:
4.6/5
based on 771 ratings and 55 reviews.
Goodreads: 4.00/5 based on 4,170
ratings and 648 reviews.
Kewlest New Word ...
Revenant (n.) : a person who returns from the
dead.
Others: Puszta (n.); Bon ton (phrase); Dob
(v., British slang).
Excerpts...
Wake: keeping watch at the deathbed until
the funeral. A social gathering with
food and drink, sadly often accompanied by excessive alcohol consumption. Since up to thirty persons gather in the
death room, diseases sometimes spread, leading to further wakes and funerals. (pg. 218)
“Maybe, in another hundred years, people
will have to travel out to Walachia; yes, or maybe there won’t be any
cemeteries at all any longer. We’ll burn
our dead electrically, press their ashes into cubes and tip them into the
sea. Out of sight and out of mind.”
“That sounds rather . . . pessimistic,
don’t you think?”
“Gravediggers aren’t known for their
optimism. If you want to cheer and
celebrate, go find a midwife.” (pg.
387)
Kindle Details…
The e-book version of The Gravedigger’s Almanac is priced at $14.99
at Amazon right now. Its sequel, The Girl and the
Gravedigger, costs $12.99.
The first six volumes in Oliver Potzsch’s “A
Hangman’s Daughter” series cost $6.49 apiece; with the
seventh one priced 50 cents higher.
“I’ve always wanted
to die in a grotto with an aristocrat by my side." (pg. 333)
The profanity is surprisingly
sparse for a Gothic Crime-Mystery; I counted just five cusswords in the first
10% of the book. But be forewarned, this
is not a book for the kiddies.
Beheadings occur, orifices are violated, brothels are visited,
rolls-in-the-hay take place, and child molestation is a major theme.
I didn’t notice any typos, nor
did I notice any clunky translating.
Kudos to the editors and the translator, Lisa Reinhardt. The historical setting felt very “real” and
was obviously deeply researched. The Gravedigger’s Almanac probably won’t stir you
to take up that profession, but you may find you're qualified to go work at a
mortuary.
For me, The Gravedigger’s
Almanac was a great read in all aspects: Intrigue, Pacing, Mysteries,
Historical Setting, Character Development, Plot Twists. Its sequel, The Girl and the Gravedigger, is
sitting on my Kindle awaiting my attention.
9 Stars. One last thing. At one point Leopold teaches his assistant how to set up a darkroom and develop the photographic plates and print the images therefrom. As a kid, I used to do that with my dad, so that passage brought back fond childhood memories.
