1708: On a freezing Christmas morning, the occultist Conrad Krämer is found dead near Juvdal Stave Church. Five black candles were placed around the deceased, and the snow was covered in split animal tracks.
1963: At the base of the newly constructed church tower lies a fallen chaplain, Pontius Fjeldberg. The sheriff explains that Fjeldberg was terrified and claimed to have seen the devil’s mask “floating under the church roof.”
2015: While working on a book about these deaths, journalist Daniel Lyche is himself killed. The police have no leads. Bjørn Beltø is called to Juvdal as a historical expert and begins to unravel the threads that connect the centuries.
Beltø has established himself as one of our most iconic detectives, smart and human, a knowledge-filled skeptic, who, not least of all, doubts himself.
Ola Hegdal, Dagens Næringsliv
Dark stories, mysterious stories, and good stories. There are few who can master the art better than him.
Geir Tangen, VG
Masterful mystery novel
Sven Gjeruldsen, Tvedestrandsposten
