What do readers think of The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch? Write your own review.

Part historical novel, part adventure story and part murder mystery, this intriguing book, the second in "The Hangman's Daughter" series by Oliver Pötzsch, is quite the page-turner. Underneath an intricate plot, this is also a none-too-subtle statement about Christianity—the succor and solace it can provide and the harm and injury it can inflict.

It is on an icy cold and snowy day in the winter of 1660 in a small village nestled in the Bavarian Alps that the local priest is found poisoned. And while he was obviously poisoned in the rectory, he managed to drag himself to the church where he arranged his dying body as a clue to a deeper mystery—one far greater and with more importance than just the name of his murderer. With that, the story is off and running as the hangman Jakob Kuisl (just as every town had a blacksmith and a tanner, it had a hangman), his daughter Magdalena, the physician Simon, and the priest's sister Benedikta search for a treasure hidden some 300 years ago by the Knights Templar. Of course, these four are not the only ones who are racing to find the treasure, and their opponents will stop at nothing—even murder and torture—to get there first.

Ingeniously plotted with characters that have real depth and personality, this is a captivating read. And while some parts of the story appear contrived if not actually a bit farfetched, it's all done to further what is, quite simply, a really good tale well told.

A picky historical error: Matches are prevalent throughout this story, which takes place in 1660; however, matches were not invented until 1805.