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O Oficial Secreto
Helié, refinado espião, este vários anos ao serviço do inquisidor Bernardo Gui. A sua vida começa a transformar-se quando se retira e procura esquecer a sua vida passada de decepção e intriga. Mas, o destino mais uma vez trá-lo de volta ao mundo da Inquisição: é obrigado a infiltrar-se num grupo herético e descobrir o que aconteceu ao último espião enviado. Terá sido assassinado ou terá simplesmente desaparecido?
Helié depressa se vê apanhado no meio de uma perigosa conspiração envolvendo convicções de fundo do estatuto dos seres humanos.
Tendo como palco a França religiosa e opressora, O Oficial Secreto é um livro profundo sobre a reflexão das últimas verdades sobre a Inquisição.
Helié depressa se vê apanhado no meio de uma perigosa conspiração envolvendo convicções de fundo do estatuto dos seres humanos.
Tendo como palco a França religiosa e opressora, O Oficial Secreto é um livro profundo sobre a reflexão das últimas verdades sobre a Inquisição.
275 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
1 person is currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Jinks
62 books538 followersCatherine Jinks is the Australian author of more than thirty books for all ages. She has garnered many awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award(three times), the Victorian Premier’s Award, the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction, the Australian Ibby Award, and the Davitt Award for Crime Fiction. Her work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Thailand.
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 29, 2010
This is a deceptively simple narrative, told in the first person (via the 'diary' which constitutes the main text of the book) kept for 'safety' reasons by a secret familiar (a special counterespionage spy) for Bernardo Gui, the Inquisitor-General of the Roman Catholic Inquisition. The period is early 1321 CE in France. The heretics the spy is checking on are the Beguins.
The writing is spare and precise, much as one would expect from a Spy. We learn what such a spy does, and how he does it, how his experiences have taught him what to do, what to look for, how to interpret certain signs, actions, words. The world he spies on is historically accurate (a similar quality that is found in Jink's other historical works such as the excellent 'The Inquisitor' and 'The Notary' — both well worth seeking out). The reader is made privy to the thoughts and feelings of our special spy, and provides a kind of primer into the attitudes of the Church towards those it considered its potential enemies. On that level, the novel is educational as well.
What is particularly clever is the way the first-person narrative gradually ensnares the reader into the secretive world of espionage. Much of the tension and suspense come from this, and the novel is certainly a page-turner, as one wonders exactly what could happen. Where the work is subversive lies in the fact that subconsciously, as events accumulate, we begin to be able to see just how destructive and paranoid the world of the spy becomes, a world that includes good people as well as bad, and that those who might be thought to be good may not necessarily be all that good after all. It does not take long before paranoia takes over, then desperate actions aimed at survival. The spy starts his inquiries in search of the evil and depraved heretics; the reader is the one who is left wondering who or what is the real evil here, and where true depravity lies.
The writing is spare and precise, much as one would expect from a Spy. We learn what such a spy does, and how he does it, how his experiences have taught him what to do, what to look for, how to interpret certain signs, actions, words. The world he spies on is historically accurate (a similar quality that is found in Jink's other historical works such as the excellent 'The Inquisitor' and 'The Notary' — both well worth seeking out). The reader is made privy to the thoughts and feelings of our special spy, and provides a kind of primer into the attitudes of the Church towards those it considered its potential enemies. On that level, the novel is educational as well.
What is particularly clever is the way the first-person narrative gradually ensnares the reader into the secretive world of espionage. Much of the tension and suspense come from this, and the novel is certainly a page-turner, as one wonders exactly what could happen. Where the work is subversive lies in the fact that subconsciously, as events accumulate, we begin to be able to see just how destructive and paranoid the world of the spy becomes, a world that includes good people as well as bad, and that those who might be thought to be good may not necessarily be all that good after all. It does not take long before paranoia takes over, then desperate actions aimed at survival. The spy starts his inquiries in search of the evil and depraved heretics; the reader is the one who is left wondering who or what is the real evil here, and where true depravity lies.
January 6, 2019
Un libro entretenido que engancha, nos adentra en esa oscura época en que la Iglesia Católica asaba a diestro y siniestro a la gente que no comulgaba con sus ruedas de molino; en este caso son los beguinos, que simplemente morían quemados por creer en la pobreza de la iglesia.
Afortunadamente ya no tienen tanto poder en esto que ahora llamamos democracia.
Afortunadamente ya no tienen tanto poder en esto que ahora llamamos democracia.
November 1, 2012
A very nice study on human nature and faith in the dangerous times of Inquisition. The most curiou thing is that the author wrote this based on a real Inquisitorial process.
January 6, 2024
"Esta novela es como intentar resolver un acertijo complicado que resulta ser una broma pesada. 😒 Catherine Jinks nos lleva por un laberinto de intriga y misterio, solo para dejarnos más perdidos que un gato en un cuarto oscuro.
El protagonista, que pretende ser un héroe, es tan efectivo como un paraguas en un tornado; solo sirve para dar vueltas y no te protege de nada.
La trama se enreda más que mis auriculares en el bolsillo, y los giros inesperados son tan forzados que podrías hacer ejercicio de contorsionismo literario.
En resumen, si buscas una lectura que te haga cuestionar tus elecciones de vida y te deje con más preguntas que respuestas, 'El Secreto del Inquisidor' es el libro perfecto. ¡Ojalá alguien me hubiera inquisido antes de leerlo!
El protagonista, que pretende ser un héroe, es tan efectivo como un paraguas en un tornado; solo sirve para dar vueltas y no te protege de nada.
La trama se enreda más que mis auriculares en el bolsillo, y los giros inesperados son tan forzados que podrías hacer ejercicio de contorsionismo literario.
En resumen, si buscas una lectura que te haga cuestionar tus elecciones de vida y te deje con más preguntas que respuestas, 'El Secreto del Inquisidor' es el libro perfecto. ¡Ojalá alguien me hubiera inquisido antes de leerlo!
September 24, 2019
Es un libro que me ha apasionado, tanto por como ambienta esa Francia medieval, por como detalla a cada personaje, cada lugar, te hace sentir uno más en ese ambiente. También resalta mucho una religión muy extremista, que en algunos momentos llega a dar miedo.
July 12, 2013
An intriguing murder mystery set in 14th century when the Catholic Church was actively seeking out and killing so-called heretics such as the Cathars and Beguins. The story unfolds around a secret agent who is required to investigate a group of Beguins. As the story gradually unfolds notions of trust and faith are explored and we are challenged to think about why we cannot accept those who believe differently to us.
November 17, 2015
Catherine Jinks é uma escritora notável que consegue capturar, tanto física como psicologicamente, o ambiente medieval. A atenção aos pormenores nas descrições, as crenças religiosas, a identificação da profissão das pessoas pelas marcas físicas que essas ocupações implicam... tudo é credível.
Mas, para além do ambiente, a história está muito bem pensada e executada, desde o início até ao final.
Mas, para além do ambiente, a história está muito bem pensada e executada, desde o início até ao final.
November 1, 2015
Genial, la historia de uno de los familiares de la inquisición, si bien un tema muy escabroso, entra a la sala de los que prácticamente se encargaban de dar nombres al alto clero.
August 7, 2016
I great book which shows the terrifying way in which lust for power can corrupt peoples religious views to devastating effect
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews