When I began to read Tod und Teufel, I expected medieval investigation work in the vein of The Name of the Rose. I also expected to pick up some historical facts about my home town of Cologne along the way. Neither expectation was fulfilled. Still, as an action-centered work with likable characters and written for a wider audience I enjoyed this well enough.

Jacob, called "the Fox" for his fiery red hair and his slyness, is a prowler living in Cologne. When one night he is trying to steal apples from the Archbishop's garden next to the construction side of the gothic cathedral, he inadvertently becomes witness to the murder of the master builder of the cathedral ("Dombaumeister"). The assassin saw that Jacob witnessed what he did. On the run at first, Jacob and a group of friends begin to unveil a conspiracy of which the assassination of the master builder is only the first strike.

I think it speaks to the strength of the novel that you already feel for the deaths of the people Jacob first socializes with, even though you meet them for only a couple of pages before their untimely death. What I liked the most about the novel was how from this point on it introduces various characters into Jacob's group of friends and supporters. He meets a woman called Richmodis von Weiden, the daughter of a blue-dyer, who helps him out. It's through her that Jacob finds his main supporters.

It was only quite late in the book that I suddenly realized that these characters became integral parts of the story. I guess in retrospect their introduction was quite random, they more or less just begin to offer their help, but this is probably a good indication that the character gathering was mostly natural to the development of the plot. I particularly liked Jaspar Rodenkirchen, who is the uncle of Richmodis and as a dean of the Church and a physician (or physicus), he is kind of the academic among the members of the group. I also very much liked Richmodis's father, Goddert von Weiden, who proves to be more courageous than what you would expect at first.

Jaspar is conducting an investigation into the conspiracy. Through his many connections he is eventually able to get down to the bottom of things. Unfortunately, he often functions as the deus ex machina cause for many important plot threads. For instance, he more or less out of nowhere knows many details about the main villain's past or finds Jacob in the most unlikely situation, just when he needed him. As I've said, the novel is probably more about the well-written action, but since it's marked as "Krimi" it still left me a bit disappointed.

Talking of the main villain, Urquhart, he is one of the best aspects of the book. He is a devious archetype if ever I saw one, but the vivid description of his long blond hair and cruel deeds, you immediately perceive him as tremendously dangerous and ruthless. Late in the book he is portrayed from a fully different angle, as deeply troubled by a trauma inflicted on him in the past, which felt incoherent at best. Similarly, the idea that Jacob is always running away from things, used to motivate why Jakob would save the Archbishop, felt incredibly forced as well.

To a certain degree, the story gives an impression of what it was like at the time in which the story is set. I've read that all the patricians who make an appearance, Archbishop Conrad of Hochstaden, and even Urquhart are documented and indeed there was the conflict between the different parties. It also mentions facts like the building of the second city wall (together with the status muri that granted the homeless to sleep under the arcs) or some other political developments. However, for the most part it mainly just name-drops places like St. Aposteln or the Severinsstraße, without giving any specifics of historical relevance. That being said, a place like the Melaten Cemetery, where the lepras lived at the time, I think I do see with new eyes now.

To be honest, I never quite figured out why they had to kill the master builder. Was this really this relevant to the final resolution? He did say something to Jacob ("Es ist falsch"), but what did they make of it? At about the midway point, I lost interest in this what is presented as the main thread of the plot.

Rating: 3/5

Für geschichtsinteressierte Leser, ideal, wie von Frank Schätzing gewöhnt, sehr
gut recherchiert und in eine Erzählung umgewandelt.
Zeitweise jedoch sehr langatmige Passagen, welche den Lesefluss erschweren.