The Dark Monk

A Hangman's Daughter Tale, Book 2

By: Oliver Pötzsch, Lee Chadeayne - translator

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

It is 1648, a small village in the Alps: In the thick of a blizzard,a town priest discovers he’s been poisoned. As numbness creeps up his body, he summons the last of his strength and scratches a sign in the frost that will lead the town hangman, his daughter, and the town physician in pursuit of a treasure of the Knights Templar. But the priest’s murderer is already on their trail, and he’s not the only one after the legendary fortune: a dark monk is not far behind,and a band of thieves is roving the countryside, attacking solitary travelers and spreading panic. The race is on, and the stakes are high.

Delivering on the promise of his first book, Oliver Pötzsch takes readers on a whirlwind tour through the occult hiding places of Bavaria’s ancient monasteries, bringing to life the compassionate hangman - who’s destined to join the ranks of literature’s most beloved characters.

©2012 Oliver Pötzsch (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Loved it!

Another fantastic historical thriller from the 1660s in Germany. Oliver Potzsch is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine. I think I may have liked this one even more than the first in the series. There was a 50% off sale at Audible, so I bought the last three in the series and look quite forward to reading/listening to them. I thought the characters had depth and the story kept my interest. It was read by Grover Gardner who did a fine job with the narration. Love this narrator! Story 5 stars. Narration 5 stars.

PJ

I was hoping for more history of the 15th century. The dialogue had a very modern tone to it which was offputting. Things (events) just happened and happened and then it ended. It was fairly light hearted and humorous and I was looking for a more serious effort.

Good but not as good as the first in the series.

The first 'Hangman' was excellent. I felt that this one wasn't as suspenseful or scary. But I still enjoyed it and will be purchasing the next in the series. I really liked his little travel excerpt at the end. He certainly does his research and that is impressive!

Dan Brown better watch his back!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would reccoment this to anyone who is an historical fiction or murder mystery junkie. Great characters, good historical highlights, everything a novel should have to make the story come to life.

Any additional comments?

One of the fastest listens ever. I don't think i stopped for more than ten minutes from start to finish. I could not pull myself away.

A Scavenger hunt for holy relics

I didn't like this one as much as the first. The story was not as exciting without the children involved and without the suspense of the Mid-wife awaiting her fate in the prison. This one was more of a scavenger hunt for holy relics. I had developed strong feelings for the Hangman, his daughter and Simon so it was nice to be with them again even if the story wasn't as good as the first novel. I will read the 3rd.

potxsch goes dark again

Would you listen to The Dark Monk again? Why?

no, i think i got it all the first time

What other book might you compare The Dark Monk to and why?

along the same lines as his " hangmans daughter, he catches you at the start & keeps you in his grip/

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

i would have liked to, but time does not permit.

Another Addictive Hangman's Daughter Book

Would you listen to The Dark Monk again? Why?

Yes, I actually probably would. It's just fascinating and the narrator has such a way of making it come alive.

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Grover Gardner has such a fantastic voice and way of telling this story. Personally, I'm glad I listened to it instead of just reading it because it was excellent and enthralling as he spun the tale and changed his voice for each character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

One of my favorite parts about this book was the epilogue. The Author tells you how he came to write the book using so much history from his family tree and how he actually descends from the Hangman and how he goes back to Bavaria to research all of the locations. He then takes you on a walking/bike tour of the Priest's Corner, and tells you exactly what to look for if you vacation there. I hadn't really thought too much about visiting Bavaria before, but now I really want to go!

Any additional comments?

Another amazing book in the Hangman's Daughter series. I'm really loving this author and his ability to tell a tale that incorporates historical realness with absolute creativity and imagination. This book was another stunning visual in the way he combined his words, and I like how he has the ability to connect his old story without it being related. I would not recommend skipping the first book in the series, but you could easily read this one without having read it and not be lost. The characters and storylines intertwine and the plot has fun up and downs without being entirely predictable.

AWESOME! !

I really enjoy listening to his stories!! I have recommended them to others!! Love the Hangman!!

More of the same...

Overall, I enjoyed the book- but more of the same in the series. Some slow parts.

Did anyone else hear the phone ringing in Chapters 8 and 18?

I’m learning some interesting historical information about subjects I’ve never been interested before. I’m finding some of the wording difficult because of the language differences but I like the story enough to make the effort.