The Poisoned Pilgrim by Oliver Potzsch

The Poisoned Pilgrim by Oliver Potzsch

The Hangman's Daughter Series, Book 4

Publisher: AmazonCrossing (July 2013)

512 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing and Violence

Simon and Magdalena embark on an ill-fated pilgrimage to the monastery on the Holy Mountain, only to become involved in the sinister things going on there, dragging their two young children and the hangman along with them for the ride. Another great murder mystery unraveled by the hangman and his family, meeting a couple other hangmen along the way. I always find the relationship between hangmen interesting in these novels. Despite being married, Simon and Magdalena continue to spar as always, Magdalena is not exactly finding motherhood a bed of roses, and the hangman's weary yet loving interaction with his grandchildren all providing an interesting realistic quality to their relationships. And as always the hangman's blunt, sometimes crass way of putting things is endlessly entertaining. Enjoyable read, despite the sad ending. I hope to see more of Magdalena's brother, Georg, as he grows into adulthood in any books that follow.

The Beggar King by Oliver Potzsch

The Beggar King by Oliver Potzsch

The Hangman's Daughter Series, Book 3

Publisher: AmazonCrossing (January 2013)

514 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing and Violence

This time the hangman is off to visit his ill little sister in the big city of Regensberg, having had a letter from her husband requesting his presence, and due to unfortunate circumstances Magdalena and Simon soon follow thinking to start a new life together in the metropolis where they aren't known. But, their plans are all ruined when the hangman is quickly ensnared in a devious plot of revenge by an adversary from his past. Great mystery involving the numerous powerful groups at work in the large city of Regensberg, as well as providing an opportunity to learn a good deal more of the hangman's personal history. Also a bit of evening of the playing field between Magdalena and Simon, when Magdalena puts her trust in a Venetian man in the city and Simon finds himself just as jealous as Magdalena had been in the previous book. I loved the banter and the interesting relationship that developed between the two hangmen! The next book in this series is The Poisoned Pilgrim.

The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch

The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch

The Hangman's Daughter Series, Book 2

Publisher: AmazonCrossing (June 2012)

516 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars
Content Note: Includes Swearing and Violence

With a band of robbers reeking havoc near Schongau and a dead priest found poisoned, the Hangman, his daughter Magdalena and Simon are launched into a mystery surrounding some monks and a treasure hunt of sorts involving the Knights Templar. With the arrival of the dead priest's attractive sister, Benedikta, Magdalena goes into a jealous snit, while Simon spends the greater part of the book investigating with Benedikta instead of Magdalena at his side, the hangman and Magdalena going off on adventures of their own. I didn't care much for Benedikta, but probably mainly out of sympathy for Magdalena in the beginning. I'm not sure what a hangman's daughter sees in a little dainty man like Simon other than his intellect, but I didn't care for his flirtations or his lustful thoughts about Benedikta, and I wished Magdalena could go for Philipp Hartmann (the Augsburg hangman), because he seemed so nice and a much better match, but apparently she must torture herself with Simon. Other than that, the mystery was great and I liked how all the different plots come together so nicely in the end. The next book in this series is The Beggar King.

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

The Hangman's Daughter Series, Book 1

Publisher: AmazonCrossing (December 2010)

448 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars
Content Note: Includes Swearing and Violence

Despite the title, this is a story more about the hangman, Jakob Kuisl, then the hangman's daughter, Magdalena, but she and her suitor, Simon (the physician's son), do help the hangman in his quest to exonerate the town midwife of the charges of witchcraft and murder that have been wrongly leveled against her. A great murder mystery with a bit of social commentary leads to an interesting partnership that develops between two men who have been pushed to the fringes of society, the hangman because of his occupation and dabbling in medicinal elixirs and the physician's son because of his interest in controversial modern medical theories and practices as well as his interest in the hangman's daughter. The hangman was a great character, stoic, introspective and largely free to do as he likes due to his social outcast status, yet holding a position in society that grants him access to many places without question and a fearful respect that avoids needless hassle. Great read and I can't wait to read his next adventure! The next book in this series is The Dark Monk.