Death in Delft by Martin Brack is the first in a new series. Set, not surprisingly in Delft in 1671 the plot is based around 3 young girls who have been abducted, one turns up dead and our hero Master Mercurius a protestant protest who is also a secret catholic, is called on by the mayor to try to solve the murder and find the two remaining girls before they are killed.

As a crime novel this might be quite standard fare though well executed, what makes this more interesting is the rich imagery of 17th century Delft, the currents of repressed religion post reformation and the insertion of the painter Johannes Vermeer and the scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek who discovered protozoa into the plot. The novel is in the form of a journal by Mercurius and has a dry humour running through his dialogue with the reader.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this, I’ll give the next one a go.

I had recently read a historical murder mystery and found it to be disappointing. So, going in, I wasn’t expecting much out of this one either. But that was before I encountered the self-deprecating style of the narrator.

The protagonist is a cleric who’s secretly Catholic but owes his job and living to his being ordained as one of the Protestant clergy. He’s sent to the city of Delft when three serial murders — all young girls — take place.

Even though the theme of the book is a gruesome one, the narrator’s humor helps make the book less darker. He’s witty and smart too and willing to keep an open mind while mocking others who don’t.

Aside from a likable protagonist, the smooth flow of the plot and the writing are two other reasons why I enjoyed reading this book. We also have the pleasure of reading about Vermeer and Leeuwenhoek as characters!

Now imagine how big of a dolt you have to be if you read Vermeer and fail to recognize that it isn’t a character named after the great artist but the artist himself! Anyway, it took me quite a while to get there but I did.

I didn’t get we were talking about the Leeuwenhoek either. Not until I read the word, animalcules. That’s when I squeed! This guy was observing blood cells and yeast cells way back in the 1600s. He was partyin’ with Peter the Great as the two geeked out over eel tails! Here’s another interesting write-up on his findings on yeast.

All in all, a really fun read by a new author, which made me see what else they have written. I’m going to try it all!

I requested this book on Netgalley and I’m so glad I did!

A beautifully simple tale told in the words of Master Mercurius, himself a simple soul with a wonderful wry sense of humour. We meet both the artist Vermeer and the father of microbiology Leeuwenhoek in the search for three missing young girls. My only query was the assistance given to the master from a barely two year old child! However, apart from this exceedingly small matter, I very much look forward to reading the further adventures of the very likeable Master Mercurius. A man I would have liked to know!

Meet Master Mercurius, a 17th century Dutch Protestant cleric, although actually a Catholic, who works at the University. He is invited to Delft to help with a mystery - three girls have been abducted, one of whom has been found dead.

The book is well written, with a lovely turn of phrase and inherent sense of humour. The author paints a credible picture of Holland at this time, and takes the reader skilfully through the story, which is believable and different from the standard historical 'whodunnit'. The prejudices of the local populace against those having children out of wedlock, against the Catholics and against anyone different from them is well portrayed.

I really enjoyed it, and hope there are more stories of Master Mercurius to come!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Historical crime thrillers seem a growing industry, particularly those set in the 17th century and featuring such keen minds as Shardlake, Giordano Bruno and Marwood. Our investigator is Mercurio, a minister based in the university at Leiden, who is sent to Delft to investigate the disappearance of 3 young girls.

The first person narrative is engaging and the joking little asides work well in the main. There is very little mystery in the end but the story is well told and I appreciated its relative brevity (particularly in contrast to the bloated narrative of the most recent Shardlake).

In addition, we are introduced to a number of luminaries from Delft society, some familiar like Vermeer, other previously unknown like van Leeuwenhoek, a prominent scientist of his day.

An enjoyable read and I look forward to the further adventures of Mercurio.

In the Mid-17th century three girls disappear in the town of Delft. When one is found dead the town's Mayor contacts the University in Leiden asking for help, Master Mercurius is dispatched. The weather is bitterly cold and there is little hope of survival for the other two girls if he cannot solve the crime.
This is a simple and quite entertaining historical detective novel. The setting is unusual in that it is in a Dutch Republic that is just starting to be prosperous and where religious conformity is everything. The only discordant note for me was the shoehorning of known figures into the narrative, there was no great need to place Vermeer and Van Leewunheok into the story, I felt it was a novel device too far. In fact the story bounces along at a pace and this si a quick and undemanding read.

Any time a new historical detective series becomes available, I love to give it a try. This is a fine opening to Graham Brack's new series. Of course there's only so many directions an Early Modern or Renaissance detective mystery can move in but I was surprised and delighted by some of the twists and turns. I will look forward to more.

An excellent historical mystery with a terrific MC.
I found this story engrossing and entertaining.
The characters are well thought, the historical background is vivid and the mystery is solid.
I look forward to reading other stories in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Death in Delft is a historical thriller set in the 17th century in the Netherlands where Master Mercurius, a Protestant minister, is appointed to solve the disappearance of three girls in Delft. He travels from Leiden to Delft, and there he meets with very interesting characters, which are actually based on real historical figures and who will contribute in solving the mystery.

The three kidnapped girls are of the same age, but come from very different backgrounds –from working and poor families to high class. When Mercurius arrives in Delft, the first girl, Gertruyd has been found dead, which further complicates things –and makes it a matter of time finding the other two girls.

Our main character, Mercurius, is an intelligent man, critical yet extremely practical. It is very easy to empathize with him since very early on in the story –he is quite down to earth, sometimes cynical in his own thinking, but one can relate to him in many aspects, including doubts about himself, the work he does, his capacity, etc. All this will contribute to his task of finding the person responsible of the disapparances.

I enjoyed the descriptions of 17th century life in Delft –in fact, I was first attracted to this book because Vermeer is one of my favorite painters and I thought it was a very different approach or remaining of his life. How could such an exquisite painter be involved in a crime? But Brack did it –and found a perfect role for Vermeer within the story and also respecting what is historically known from Vermeer. Overall, we get a very good picture of daily life in a Dutch town of the times, of the back and forth of religion in a reformed country that at the same time, was very practical in terms of religion, and of differences between the lower and higher class.

The mystery itself –I didn’t see it coming! I really had no idea who the suspect would be until Mercurius starts connecting the dots and revealing the mystery. I will only say that the reason behind the crimes was a really sad one and not as gruesome as I expected it to be from a thriller (but this is because I read a lot of crazy stuff from true crime and other twister thrillers). On this aspect, I might have enjoyed a bit more is the reason behind the kidnapping had been a bit “darker”, though by no means this hindered my enjoyment of the book.

I am definitely looking forward to read more of the mysteries Mercurius will need to solve and also get to know more about the Netherlands in this period, including scientific discoveries and art!

17th century Delft, there are three missing girls and then one is found in a shallow grave. Master Mercurius, ordained minister (and secret Catholic priest) is sent to investigate. As an outsider he enlists the help of local Burghers to uncover the secret behind the abductions. And in the midst of a bitterly cold winter, to find the two remaining girls - hopefully alive.

Brack's depiction of life in 17th century is very well done, as is his depiction of some famous historical figures of the time. He introduces us to scientist Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, painter Johannes Vermeer, and physician Reineer de Graaf, all of whom use their various skills to assist Mercurius. Mercurius is a cleric who is not overly pious. He is also practical, logical, intelligent, and humorous. He is truly a very engaging protagonist.

The story is told in the form of memories of past events, and in the first person. It's a form of writing that I'm not a fan of, and while Brack does better than most, in the end I felt it resulted in a longer than necessary narrative.

Delft 1671, a cold and snowy January. A young girl's body is found and two other young girls have disappeared. The mayor requests help in the search from a teacher at Leiden University - Magister Mercurius. As a teacher there he is an ordained Protestant minister but also retains the old faith by being an ordained Catholic Priest - this is important at a time when the two faiths are at odds with the Catholics being driven underground. It also helps hi with his enquiries at times although in this he always has to be careful. He makes methodical and meticulous investigations into the lives of the three girls, all very different from each other except for their red hair - ably assisted by the artist Vermeer and microbiologist (we'd call him now) van Leeuwenhoek - real people interwoven with the novel. An aspect that I found very satisfying. The sense of place felt real, the icy cobbles and dark gurgling waters of the wintry canals. He drew things to a satisfying conclusion with the two surviving girls being found safe and well. I look forward to reading other books by Mr Brack. Thanks to NetGalley and Sapero Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this Dutch period piece. I felt I had been transported back in time and was going through the action with the main character. Looking forward to next from Brack.

I have been in Delft many times, and that is what first drew me to this title. Graham Brack has written a wonderful period mystery which brings back some memories of walking the streets of the old city. His accurate use of the tensions between the Catholics and the Protestants along with his addition of the endearing warm hearted Johannes Vermeer tie this mystery together into a wonderful read.

There is something very fulfilling about a book that you start without intending to actually see it all the way through in that sitting, but end up doing just that it.  This was one such book. I cannot point out the exact reason I enjoyed reading this book that quickly, the cause can be either the smooth narrative voice or even the length of the story. It is sometimes tiring to read something that is extra-long and packs too much detail in.

We meet Master Mercurius, who is officially ordained both as a catholic priest and a protestant one. This is set in a time where the former is required to stay in low profile. It is 1671, and in the town of Delft, there are three missing girls and only one of them was found dead. Master Mercurius is sent as a sort of investigator, and he does a pretty good job by asking the right questions and analysing the people who he crosses paths with. It is a very vibrant group of people and thought processes that he describes, which definitely brings to life a whole other time and place! The mystery itself was straightforward and works itself out in a very satisfying manner. Still, the highlight of the narration has to be the intertwining lives of people as well as how first impressions do not wholly reveal anyone's true colours. If you read this, it has to be for the investigative style rather than the plot and revelation of the mystery itself. 

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

The story is set in the beautiful city of Delft during the Golden Age of the Netherlands . Three eight year old girls are missing. One of them is found buried in a field just outside the city. The city council of Delft asks Master Mercurius of the University of Leiden to assist them in recovering the girls and solving this crime.
Mercurius is a far from perfect character. For one thing ,he is a protestant minister and an ordained catholic priest which is not always an easy marriage in the 17th century low countries. But he is very likeable, intelligent and disarmingly naive. He also meets some very interesting people among which Johannes Vermeer,the painter,and Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek,the founder of modern microbiology. And there is the city of Delft in the background of course.
You know with some books that as soon as you start reading them that they are going to be alright (or more than alright). Historical mystery fiction is not always a perfect blend between the different parts. Sometimes there is not enough historical data,sometimes there is just too much and the mystery story just disappears in a swamp (or in this case perhaps a canal) of titbits and not relevant facts. But here it really ticked off and all the boxes.
The setting,in the dead of winter,was both enchanting and a bit eerie.
Sometimes it felt as if I was walking through one of Vermeer's paintings. The slippery cobblestones,the dykes,the wind mills and the endless sky hovering over the frost covered fields.
Perhaps one little remark,nothing to do with the quality of the story,but the frozen fields,icy sleet and biting wind makes this a perfect read for the winter.

If you like a crime novel and you enjoy an historical novel Death in Delft is a wonderfully satisfying read. This is the first time I had read anything by Graham Brack and apparently he has a very successful series featuring Josef Slonsky, a Prague policeman.

That would explain why the sense of pacing in the novel is excellent and the main protagonist, Master Mercurius a worldly delight. In some ways this is closest to a police procedural in that Mercurius gets to the truth via deductive reasoning.

The novel is a delight in the way it creates a sense of place, weather and what life might have been line in the 17th Century Netherlands.

Another way this above the regular cut of crime fiction is the sly humour in the book, the embedded history, and the asides he makes to the reader.

An extremely enjoyable read. I'm definitely going to read the author's other work.

Mecurious is an odd man. He is a Protestant priest in order to maintain a role at the University but secretly an ordained Catholic priest. He is dispatched to Delphi to find out what has happened to three missing girls, one of whom has been found dead. The book is set in the 17th century but much of it reads like a historical police procedural. I found his explanations of his religious beliefs when questioned to be intersting and unusual in a novel. The end is satisfying and this is a quick read.

Well this was hugely enjoyable. My first read by this author. To be honest the thing that drew me in, apart from the crime genre of the piece was the setting of Delft. I’ve been to the town many times as have friends there and was surprised to see it as a backdrop for a novel.

This is a historical crime novel set in the 17th century. When 3 young girls go missing in Delft the mayor sends for help from the university of Leiden. The gifted cleric Master Mercurius is sent to investigate.

Mercurius is the narrator of this book and a fantastic character to spend time with. Both witty and smart, he makes a great narrator and story teller.

This book is as much about the characters as it is the story and crime. It’s an absolute joy to read. So many well written and vivid characters(a couple of them real life characters) make this an effortless read.

The story itself is intriguing and the conclusion wholly satisfying. Well paced, the story is kept moving along but not at the expense of character development. There’s a lot packed into the 200+ pages here and you never feel short changed.

Hopefully we see more in this series. I’m not particularly a fan of historical fiction but this one had me hooked. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Sapere Books and Graham Brack for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Saphre Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Death in Delft’ by Graham Brack in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first in Brack’s Master Mercurius Mysteries series set in late 17th Century Europe.

1671, Delft. Three young girls have been abducted close to their homes. One body has been found in a shallow grave and the others are still missing.

The people of the usually peaceful city of Delft are panicking and the mayor is desperate. He requests the help of Master Mercurius, a gifted cleric from a nearby university. Assisting Mercurius is local artist, Jan Vermeer, who uses his skills to sketch the crime scenes.

This was a very satisfying murder mystery and I felt that Brack brought his 17th Century setting vividly to life.

The story is written by Mercurius in the form of a journal written later in his life to preserve his memories. He conveys this in his opening, addressed to ‘Whom It May Concern’: “I am vain enough to believe that at least some of my activities will be of interest to my fellow men, and if I have not glowed as brightly as others at least I have reflected some brilliant lights.”

I enjoyed the use of quite formal language as it added to the sense of reading an account from this period. In addition, I love the art of Vermeer and appreciated how elements of his works were integrated into the story.

Having enjoyed this first outing for Master Mercurius, I am now looking forward to further books in this series.

Before I requested this book from Netgalley I had never read anything by this author. I was mainly attracted to this book by the historical setting in Delft, a town about 20km from my home town and my place of work for about 2 days a week.

The protagonist of the book is Master Mercurius, a Protestant minister and scholar of the university of Leiden, who secretly is also a Catholic ordained priest. Mercurius, a fictional character, is called to Delft to investigate the disappearance of three girls. In this search he is assisted b some historical figures, like the painter Johannes Vermeer, the microbiologist and discoverer of the microscope Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek and doctor / anatomist Reinier de Graaf, all famous sons of Delft who indeed lived in Delft during the same time.

I really liked the descriptions of historical Delft and while reading the book the old time came to life in my mind. The plot was interesting and I liked the way the author let all the historical characters play a part in the story.

Maybe not quite 4 stars, but I will give it the benefit of the doubt, Definitely going to give the next episode a try if it's going to be a series.