Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Hello fellow Crime, Mystery & Thriller readers,


Welcome to our discussion about Death in Delft (Master Mercurius Mysteries #1) by Graham Brack which is set in the Netherlands, your discussion leader is PattyMacDotComma.
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about spoilers

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Summary

Three missing girls. Only one body. Where are the others?

1671, Delft.

Three young girls have been abducted from their homes. The body of one has been found in a shallow grave. The other two are still missing. The murder has shocked everyone is the peaceful city of Delft and the mayor is desperate to catch the perpetrator before panic can spread any further. With the bitterly cold January weather intensifying it is doubtful that the other two girls are still alive. But whoever took them is still at large. The mayor requests the help of Master Mercurius, a gifted cleric from a nearby university, and local artist Vermeer, who uses his skills to sketch the crime scenes.

Can they find the missing girls before it’s too late? Will Mercurius be able to track down the killer?

Or will more victims succumb to Death in Delft…?

Welcome to the first book of one of my favourite historical mystery series! Who knew an investigation by a 17th century Dutch priest could be so entertaining?

I enjoy all of Graham Brack's books - great sense of place, memorable characters, and informative history. I hope you find this fun, too. 😊

I agree, Patty! I’ve only read the first book in the series (this one), but I really loved it.

Barbara wrote: "I agree, Patty! I’ve only read the first book in the series (this one), but I really loved it."

Great! Let's hope some other readers find it.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I agree, Patty! I’ve only read the first book in the series (this one), but I really loved it."

Great! Let's hope some other readers find it."

I'm looking forward to this!

Hi Patty,
I concur 100% with you on the story, characters and writing. I really enjoyed reading it. I thought that Master Mercurius had a great sense of humour and found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. That's the great thing about a journal, you write what you think and you can be as honest as you like. I was a bit afraid about the outcome, how justice would be achieved for the dead girl and her family but I was happy that it turned out well. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Rubena wrote: "Hi Patty,
I concur 100% with you on the story, characters and writing. I really enjoyed reading it. I thought that Master Mercurius had a great sense of humour and found myself laughing out loud on..."

That's great, Rubena. You should write that as your review so that the author and others can see what you liked. It's not giving anything away to say he solved the mystery to your satisfaction. I love reading other readers' opinions.

Hi Patty, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Death in Delft. Master Mercurius is a very likable hero. I don't read a lot of historical mysteries, and at first, I found it disorienting to be in a strange time and place, but after I got the hang of it, it was fun. Graham Brack did a great job of inserting little details of 17th-century life into the narrative. Mercurius shaves using cold water unless someone else heats water in the kitchen and brings it to him.

I wrote a short review with a few more thoughts here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Patrick wrote: "Hi Patty, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Death in Delft. Master Mercurius is a very likable hero. I don't read a lot of historical mysteries, and at first, I found it disorienting to be in a strange ..."

The link goes to the book, not your review, Patrick, and I can't find it. Can you post it again?

I felt the same way about Delft, and if I hadn't already enjoyed the author's current-day series that takes place in Poland (Lying and Dying is the first), I might never have visited Delft. Now I feel a little at home in both places and times!

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Patrick wrote: "Hi Patty, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Death in Delft. Master Mercurius is a very likable hero. I don't read a lot of historical mysteries, and at first, I found it disorienting to ..."

Patty, my bad. I have edited the post to include the correct link to my review. Here it is:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Patrick wrote: "..Patty, my bad. I have edited the post to include the correct link to my review. Here it is:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I have to laugh because I've done that so often myself, Patrick! Thanks for fixing it! Good review, too!

I loved this book as well. I went to the author's website, found the map, and imagined the characters moving around Delft. I loved the humor. I'd definitely read more books in this series. Thanks for the suggestion!

Nancy wrote: "I loved this book as well. I went to the author's website, found the map, and imagined the characters moving around Delft. I loved the humor. I'd definitely read more books in this series. Thanks f..."

Great, Nancy! I believe the latest one has just been finished, so we've got more to look forward to. I never thought I'd enjoy this period of history from this point of view, but they are wonderful books.

I'm going to get this and read it. You all have made it seem very interesting and well written.

˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜ wrote: "I'm going to get this and read it. You all have made it seem very interesting and well written."

Do it, Sheri! Graham Brack is an excellent writer who makes sure his historical references are accurate while also making sure his characters are entertaining and the mysteries are mysterious. Great combination!

👍