The Ludwig Conspiracy

by Oliver Pötzsch

Ludwig II, the Fairy-tale King of Bavaria, is today remembered for his beautiful castles—popular tourist destinations that inspired the Disney Castle, but whose origins were much more fantastical than anything Disney could dream up. Also known as the Mad King, Ludwig was deposed in 1886 after being declared insane by doctors who had never met him. He promptly died—mysteriously drowned in waist-deep water—his eccentric castles his only legacy.

Master of historical suspense Oliver Pötzsch brings the Mad King back to life in The Ludwig Conspiracy. An encoded diary by one of Ludwig’s confidants falls into the hands of modern-day rare book dealer Steven Lukas, who soon realizes that the diary may bring him more misery than money. Others want the diary as well—and they will kill to get it. Lukas teams up with a beautiful art detective, Sara Lengfeld, to investigate each of Ludwig’s three famous castles for clues to crack the diary’s code as mysterious thugs and Ludwig’s fanatical followers chase them at every step. Just what in the diary could be so explosive?

Combining contemporary mystery and a gripping historical saga and centered on an ingenious code that can be cracked only with a combination of modern computers and nineteenth-century texts, The Ludwig Conspiracy is a bold new thriller from the best-selling author of The Hangman’s Daughter series.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Germany, Historical, Audiobook

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Oliver Pötzsch is a German writer and filmmaker. After high school he attended the German School of Journalism in Munich from 1992 to 1997. He then worked for Radio Bavaria. In addition to his professional activities in radio and television, Pötzsch researched his family history. He is a descendant of the Kuisle, from the 16th to the 19th Century a famous dynasty of executioners in Schongau.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Just before he's brutally tortured and murdered an elderly gent hides a secret diary in an antiquarian used bookstore in Munich.



The bookstore is owned by Steven Lukas, a young man who just wants to lead a quiet life among his tomes. Before long the old gent's niece, Sara Lengfeld, shows up. She and Steven soon discover that the diary - which is written in code and has some undecipherable passages in an even more mysterious cipher - was written by Theodor Marot, mad King Ludwig II’s medical assistant.


King Ludwig was a well-known 'eccentric' who spent all of Bavaria's money building elaborate castles for himself before he died rather suddenly in 1886 - broke, bloated, toothless, and friendless. Was old King Ludwig murdered? Was he gay? Does the diary explain his sudden death? It seems a lot of people want to know.


Young King Ludwig


Deceased King Ludwig

Thus when Sara and Steve race out of Munich and rush hither and thither looking for clues to decipher the diary they're chased by a variety of cut-throats and gangs who want to grab the book for themselves.



As Steven and Sara decode the diary we learn a bit about King Ludwig's life as well as political machinations in 19th century Bavaria.


Old Bavaria

Though there are a couple of surprising twists, all the clue hunting and deciphering eventually lead to a reveal that's less spectacular than I'd hoped for. Still it's a pretty good thriller/mystery with a little bit of romance, some interesting characters, and some intriguing blather about secret codes.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is the problem with this book: No one does the Da Vinci Code better than the Da Vinci Code, and this book is no Da Vinci Code. My rating is probably only as high as it is because the subject matter is absolutely fascinating. Please, if you enjoy German/Bavarian history, or the history of monarchies in general, the plot of the book will absolutely hold your interest until the end. The problem is that the backstory of Ludwig II is infinitely more interesting that the modern day story of trying to find out what exactly the conspiracy surrounding him is. Odds are you will guess it before the end. The use of secret codes in the book actually gets in the way of the story, and they become more of an annoyance rather than anything that advances the plot. The modern day characters are extremely one dimensional - I don't care much for them, though you will find yourself deeply caring for Ludwig, who (no spoilers here) is quite dead when the novel opens. As I said, if you are a fan of German history, it's worth a read. If you are looking for a true nail biting conspiracy, there are better options.

[Ms. Smartarse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Translated into English, as The Ludwig Conspiracy.

Steven Lucas is out of place in Munich's West End. His dusty little antique bookshop, along with his elegant suits no longer attract many customers, and he's also in need of money to keep his business up.

Since it never rains but it pours, our hero soon finds himself entangled in a murder mystery from over a century ago, whose stakes seem inexplicably high. After finding a diary written by the assistant to King Ludwig II's personal doctor, quite a few people seem to be out to get Steven. Luckily, the smart and pretty art detective, Sara Lengfeld, is on his side, so he might still make it out in one piece.



Even if you've never heard of King Ludwig II (a.k.a The Fairytale King), you've most definitely heard of his castles. The most famous one, Neuschwanstein, is considered to have been the inspiration for the Disney castle(s). Other than that, the king was a lousy politician who made all the wrong choices, which led to the Kingdom of Bavaria (now a German land) being annexed to the Prussian Empire.

The King's death is shrouded in complete mystery even now, and that's where Oliver Pötzsch's current novel enters the scene, giving the reader a fairly plausible explanation.



Those who compare it with The Da Vinci Code are quite accurate: we have a book-smart guy who's tasked with decrypting a diary written in code, a smart and pretty art detective out to avenge her uncle's death, and of course numerous bad guys who're also forced to rely on our hero's code breaking ability.

As Cara's review states:

Here is the problem with this book: No one does the Da Vinci Code better than the Da Vinci Code, and this book is no Da Vinci Code.

While Dan Brown has chosen to reveal 'shocking' details about Jesus, this novel focuses on a Bavarian king whose only merit seems to have been a great imagination, along with 3 tourist attractions: Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee Palace. All very nice indeed, but other than including visits to these castles in my holiday plans, I can't say I cared a lot about the mystery itself.



To be fair, I did want to find out how it all ended, and obviously rooted for poor confused Steven to have his well-deserved happy ending. Nevertheless, when comparing the stakes of the two books, this one can't really compete.

3/5 stars for a decent murder mystery, and an excellent inspiration for a holiday destination.

[Donnelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Note: This review will include minor spoilers, but nothing earth-shattering.)

I read the summary of the book and was immediately intrigued because it seemed to include so many aspects that sounded absolutely fascinating: a mysterious murder; a diary full of codes and secrets; main characters on the run from deranged killers; and of course, the fairytale king and his fantastic castles. In fact, I'd say that Ludwig II was the hook that drew me in the most - he wasn't someone about whom I knew all that much (okay, actually, I hadn't known anything at all about him), but the tidbits included in the summary piqued my interest and prompted me to start reading as soon as I got my hands on a copy of the book.

To the credit of the book and its author, I found all of the information about the king to be, by far, the best parts of the story. He was someone who came into immense power but soon found himself disillusioned in and disappointed by the goings-on in the world and those who sought power heedless of the cost. He found refuge in turning his dreams into reality, in terms of building his opulent (to the point of sometimes being ostentatious) castles. He was someone for whom it was easy to feel sorry at times, but also someone who could be a petulant child with a frightful temper and ideas that would lead others to reasonably question his sanity. The scheme to depose him ended in tragedy, of course, with not only his death but also that of the doctor who declared him insane. The exploration of the various conspiracies regarding their deaths - he supposedly killed the doctor and then himself, but the doctor's pocket watch stopped almost 1.5 hours after the king's; the idea of him drowning himself though the water was only waist-deep and there wasn't any water found in his lungs; the witness(es) who heard gunshot(s); the portrait of his body showing what looks like dried blood near his mouth; and the list goes on and on - was incredibly interesting and I think that Oliver Potzsch did a wonderful job of exploring the myriad theories as fully as one could in a work of fiction.

Along those lines, I have to say that my favorite of the book was actually the glossary for conspiracy theorists that Mr. Potzsch included at the end of the book: it included entries about every historical figure, event, and term surrounding Ludwig II, his death, his castles, and his followers. In fact, this captured my interest so much that I think I'll be looking for nonfiction works about the fairytale king so that I can learn more about him, and I think that is a testament to the skillful job the author did in really delving into the intrigue of that subject matter.

Unfortunately, that's where my enthusiasm for the book (mostly) ends. The whole running-from-deranged-killers bit had its moments of suspense, and the way that the mystery played out did have one decent twist and compelled me to want to read on to find out exactly how it would be resolved. So, those were two pretty big pluses. However, the main characters - Steven and Sara - I found to be little more than ciphers. They were simply there to keep things going and explain things, but their dialogue was clunky and ran much more toward exposition than any kind of conversation that actual people would have. I suppose a relationship was inevitable, but that particular "journey" was painfully obvious and not so well-written, since they went from constant bickering and Steven being annoyed by her, to kissing and then the declarations of love started flying.

The villains of the piece were cartoonish, at best, and suffered from the desire to talk endlessly to their intended victims rather than carrying out their plans with anything resembling deliberation and timeliness.

The overall pace was on the slow side, the length could have (and should have) been edited down a bit, and some of the passages were clunky, which can be attributed to the translation. Those issues, in and of themselves, weren't deal breakers, but they certainly didn't help matters. Further, as other reviewers have mentioned, the action was propelled forward not by brain power or an organic progression of events, but by a never-ending series of very-forced coincidences. The code-breaking - which could have been immensely entertaining and interesting - was actually kind of boring and repetitive. Also, I have to say that the super-huge secret that people were willing to kill for? Was something that readers could guess from very, very early on in the piece. Also, from the beginning, Steven had a mysterious connection with the diary that he didn't understand until someone clued him in near the end. The problem? That, too, was relatively easy to figure out.

All in all, I very much appreciated all of the information about the king, his death, his castles, and the conspiracy theories, and there was enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages until the very end. However, it was very slow-going at several points, and when I couldn't find anything in the main characters to care about, it made the reading much more of a chore than it otherwise would have been. Maybe the story would have been better served had the author removed the modern day aspects entirely and focused solely on Ludwig II and his death. Since that wasn't the case, though, I can say that I would recommend the book to those with any interest in the historical subject matter and Potzsch's fictional take on some aspects thereof, but anyone with his or her heart set on a tale filled with pulse-pounding suspense where the pages just fly by may want to temper those expectations before deciding to give this one a read.

[Steven Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

King Ludwig II of Bavaria is one of the most enigmatic figures in world history. Assuming the throne in 1845 at the age of nineteen the monarch known as “mad King Ludwig” or the “fairy-tale king whose castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein was the model for Walt Disney’s company logo died on June 14, 1886 probably by suicide, but the actual cause of death remains a mystery. Novelist Oliver Potzsch makes Ludwig II the centerpiece of his novel, THE LUDWIG CONSPIRACY, a historical thriller that centers on an encoded diary of one of Ludwig’s confidants and a love story that follows diverse historical periods.

If you are a fan of Robert Harris, Steve Berry, William Martin and others of the genre that alternates between the past and the present providing historical lessons and context as a means of solving a contemporary mystery, Potzsch’s effort should be right up your ally. Employing Dan Brown’s vehicle of ciphers and codes, and in this case German legends and poetry as literary tropes, Potzsch returns the reader to late 19th century Bavaria as he develops his story.

Potzsch is best known for his HANGMAN’S DAUGHTER series set in 17th century Bavaria, which is based on his ancestors, the Kuisls, a notorious dynasty of German executioners. My favorite Potzsch book is THE CASTLE OF KINGS set during the German Peasants Revolt of the 16th century which features an iconoclastic noblewoman with a flair for falconry. Potzsch states he wrote the book to move away from torturing and killing and focus on castles, knights, secret chambers and hidden treasure . In THE LUDWIG CONSPIRACY he delights his readers with a tale that deals with political machinations, monarchial intrigue involving Bismarckian Prussia and Bavaria under Ludwig II as he focuses on how the “mad monarch” may have died.

The format is a contemporary one in which Munich rare book seller, Steven Lukas becomes involved in a conspiracy related to Ludwig’s death when he becomes in possession of evidence that Ludwig may not have committed suicide. As the story develops Lukacs becomes the target of the Cowled men, a secret order who are bent on proving that the monarch was in fact murdered.

Ludwig’s life is an ostentatious spectacle in which he lived in his own dream world. This approach to life saw him build castles as his raison d’etre for living but resulted in bankrupting the Bavarian treasury and produced numerous enemies among the Council of Ministers who are out to depose him by declaring him insane. When he died on June 14, 1886 probably by suicide, a method we cannot totally confirm numerous questions arose surrounding his passing.

Potzsch once again has proven himself to be a master of the historical thriller as Lukacs must navigate his possession of evidence that Ludwig did not commit suicide and the Cowled Men who seek to retain and purify the king’s historical reputation. The vehicle for Lukacs’ involvement is the discovery in his bookshop of the memoirs of Theodor Morat, the assistant to Doctor Max Schleiss Lowenfeld, royal physician to Ludwig that is hidden on a shelf in his establishment. The memoirs are located in a wooden box and once discovered the novel gains speed as the bookseller is teamed with Dr. Sara Lengfeld, an art historian and detective. The author creates a mystery anchored in reality, sophisticated plotting, and makes good use of a real historical puzzle that is equal to the Da Vinci code.

As with any historical fiction one wonders how much is factual. In the present case it is accurate to state that when it comes to Ludwig’s death nothing can be definitively proven. His death is wonderful fodder for conspiracy theorists and Potzsch includes a separate glossary that is meant for those who like to delve into that arena. Numerous characters are included, some figments of the author’s mind and others actual historical figures. Among the wonderful individuals that are created include Theodor Morat, Maria, a peasant girl who is a servant and confidante of Ludwig, Albert Zoller, an eccentric expert on the Bavarian monarch, Luise Manstein, the mad industrialist, and of course Lukacs and Lengfeld. Among hitorical personages is Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of the recently unified German state, the Cowled Men, and Ludwig himself.

All in all, Potzsch has written a fascinating yarn with a firm grounding in history. It is a fascinating story that should satisfy conspiracy theorists, and historical fiction aficionados. It is a book that is worth picking up when one wants to become engrossed in a story and watch their reading pastime fly by.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I bought the paperback on a whim for $1 several years ago and this book just surprised the heck out of me this week. Simon Vance's audio narration enhanced it all, as he usually does.

Comparisons to the Da Vinci Code are inevitable, but I will make the argument that this is the better of the two. It's better plotted, it's based on actual historical fact, and the main character's childhood trauma is relevant to the story. Hear that, Langdon? Yeah, I bet you do.

I'm a big history and genealogy nut, but for some reason I've mainly been drawn to my dad's family's roots - Irish, English, Scottish, Italian, and a dash of Danish. My mom's family are German, Swiss, and English, and I've never felt a strong connection to that. Dunno why, because Germany really is fascinating. Hello, Grimm's fairy tales?? And don't get me wrong, I've done the research going back centuries, as far as I can plausibly go. Nothing about it speaks to me.

This book spoke to me. It's made me more interested in German history than anything else. And now I'm absolutely psyched to pick up the Hangman's Daughter series too.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 to 3.5* I knew nothing about King Ludwig II until reading this book. However, found it fascinating to know that he's the king who built the famous Neuschwanstein castle. This book involves an antiquarian book seller, Steven Lukas, who was roped into the mystery when an old book was left in his store by a gentleman who was murdered. Of course he's accused of said murder and has to go on the lam with a beautiful woman, art detective, Sara. For a thriller, this is slower-paced. But I like reading the history involved in the plot.

[Grumpus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The grumpus23 (23-word commentary)
Interesting thriller surrounding the mysterious death of the Bavarian King Ludwig, reknown for his fairy tale castle, Neuschwanstein. Simon Vance's narration is A+

[Ghost of the Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

- minor editing done -


I wonder if Dan Brown is America's answer to Mr. Postzsch here...the similarities are there, much to my amusement because i kept having weird deja vus all over the book.

But first things first -
A rare journal once belonging to a member of the entourage of King Ludwig II- falls into the hands of geek/nerd/fish out of water Steven Lukas, a book dealer in whose store the book is conveniently left by some mysterious person who then naturally proceeds to die.....

Before going further, i have to admit a sense of disappointment with this one, which makes me kind of sad, since i loved Potzsch's The Hangman's Daughter and considered it a fantastic read.
Here however, although the idea is interesting and with merits, - after all these years the death of King Ludwig remains a mystery - the fact is the execution of the plot turns out to become...it hurts to say it...boring as hell.

Yes Lukas is a geek, an antisocial, a dam near hermit or just about, happy to let his store remain deserted so he can keep peering over his precious books without fear of interruption by mere mortals.
Into this well ordered world comes the chaos the book brings in its wake and the lovely - and mysterious- Sarah, who seems to always know just what to do, and how to do it.
So, suddenly, the geek looses his fear of his own shadow and off he goes on an adventure with Sarah.
There's a code to break, a journal to read, some mystery villains to defeat at this search game for whatever clue "Mad Ludwig " left behind and of course a romance blooming.....
See what i mean about serious Dan Brown deja vu?....

However, in all honesty, the book as a whole is not without its merits, and it does present an interesting possibility as to the demise of King Ludwig and his doctor that day on the lake.
There's also a tiny little detail i admit to having never considered over the years....Ludwig the myth is a huge attraction to people the world over and a substantial source of income...so either it really was just a bizarre accident, or "the powers that be" will never really allow the myth to be shattered by something as prosaic as solving the enigma of his death.

Anyways...highly recommended for the conspiracy theorist in us all and the hardcore fan of the period/characters discussed.
Still....to fully enjoy the author's talent i would say try Castle of Kings or The Hangman's Daughter....those are worthy of your time and trouble ;)

Happy Readings!

[Elli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ludwig Comspiracy by Oliver Potzasch. Excellent book I thought. It went through to separate times through two different eyes, but was not in the least confusing. It was fantasy, the fantasy of people who believe in a different side of reality, and this realty reflects a love of a golden age of myth, literature, and all based on it. Current, probably including Naziism, democracy and republic or no, really were far secondary, also to what degree some would go to preserve the memory of the monarch and what he represented to them. Rather Illuminati style, but different yet. And how far "different priorities and thought" were to just different way of looking at things. Or truly insane. The what and who and the how of the people, years past, and similar with people living during the time represented. I read The Hangman's Daughter by this author, too, who had a vested family interest in the life and the life of families in the executioner business. And the good translation of these really helped. Not all of us can read in German to get the full nuances of this. I also read a collection of mysteries by this author which impressed me so very favorably....a first rate member of the literary scene. And one when a new work comes out, I will be looking to read it!

[Marnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was more The Da Vinci Code and less The Hangman's Daughter

The good parts. It opens fast and captured me from the beginning. Some books start slow and build this started with a bang. I was in Munich last month and visited two out of the three castles mentioned . I think this helped me visualize the story better and the author didn't make any setting errors ( which drive me crazy in a book).

This book is broken up into two stories. The historical fiction story from King Ludwig's time and present day. I found that I was very interested in the historical story and not so interested in the present day. The present day seemed very repetitive - go to a castle find one clue, fight  with some bad guys...repeat. The present day plot twist were quite obvious.

If I rated this book on the historical story it would be 4 stars. The present day mystery 2.5 stars but the entire book gets 3 stars.

[Gail Baugniet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fairy-tale King of Bavaria led quite an unusual life. I found chapters about him in a 1930s biography of the Wittlesbachs fascinating. Had I not already read other thrillers involving encryptions and secret societies, this book would have been a 5-star novel for me. But I couldn't help thinking, often, that I had "read that somewhere else before" in so many of the detection scenes. For the amount of research and thought that went into the weaving of The Ludwig Conspiracy, and the knowledgeable virtual tours of the king's castles offered by the author, I am still tempted to go with 5 stars.

My favorite chapters involved interactions with the king, but these came all too seldom. I did appreciate the argument set forth that the king was not mad. I enjoyed the idea of eliminating negative elements from one's life. Ludwig did stretch his fairy tale existence far beyond the pale, however, at the expense of many.

[James (JD) Dittes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code gets the most attention of his books, but to my mind, Angels & Demons was Brown's groundbreaking book, inventing as it did a whole new genre, the "travel thriller."

In The Ludwig Conspiracy, Bavaria gets its own travel thriller, from one of its most widely read writers, no less. As with Brown, the characters are clunky (villains, a romance) and plot points depend upon solving puzzles and decoding obscure text.

But the settings...oh, the settings! Our hero, antique book dealer, Steven Lukas, follows the clues to "Mad King Ludwig's" castles, strewn throughout southern Bavaria. Does the climactic scene take place at Neuschwanstein? OF COURSE IT DOES! That's the point of the travel-thriller after all.

Pötsch has written better thrillers in his Hangman's Daughter series. But the purpose of this book isn't the thriller, it's the landscape, and Pötzsch aces this aspect, taking the readers on tours of each castle and pointing out unique aspects of each.

This book suffers from a poor translation. I don't blame Pötsch for that. Some similes and descriptions were laughably awkward.

But still, as a person planning a trip to Neuschwanstein next summer, I enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it to anyone planning a visit to Bavaria--or someone who would enjoy a fanciful return to that beautiful land through Pötzsch's book.

[Anne Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and will probably read it again some time. I visited Bavaria a number of years ago and saw the castles, so it was easy to picture the setting. I also did a lot of research about Prince Ludwig II just because he was an interesting and complex person. He is Germany's most famous king and he actually helped the country in providing work for the people surrounding the castles when they were built and in the present. Thousands of people visit these castles and immerse themselves in his legend providing the German government with a substantial income.

Before I read the book I had already formed the opinion that he was an artist and a dreamer and totally unsuited for the militaristic government that was being formed around him. It is sad that he was overthrown because he continued to build castles that he couldn't afford. The militaristic German governments have cost the German people so much more, both in money and in lives.

This work of fiction is based on the idea that there was a diary kept by someone loyal and close to Prince Ludwig and that the diary told the real story of his death. What was interesting is that this fictional journal was written in the same shorthand that Samuel Pepys used for his diary and Pepys' journal was untranslated for 200 years. The main characters are trying not only to translate the diary, but also to follow a code interspersed between the chapters.

I can sympathize with the main characters because my family was left with more than 1,000 old family letters and some of them were written by my grandfather and his brother. They both learned a form of shorthand in college and it is no longer used. It's frustrating to look at those letters and not be able to read them, especially because there is a family mystery about why my great uncle suddenly left school and those letters probably refer to it.

[Charles van Buren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not up to Mr. Potzsch's usual standard.

By Charles van Buren on February 26, 2018

Format: Kindle Edition

I have an interest in Imperial German history and have really enjoyed Mr. Potzsch's Hangman's Daughter series so naturally I downloaded The Ludwig Conspiracy via Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately this novel is not up to his usual standards in writing, plot or research. In too many instances, his main characters behave like idiots. And the ending? It just goes on and on.

I will also give him a piece of advice which I've given to many authors of Westerns. If you don't know anything about firearms and are not willing to do the research, avoid specifics. The .41 rimfire cartridge is an anemic, underpowered round. The two shot derringer chambering the round is quite inaccurate except at close range. Glocks don't have manual safeties - the safety is part of the trigger group. The Walther PPK is not chambered for a powerful cartridge suitable for use on wild boar. Both the .32 (7.65 Browning) and.380 (9mm Kurtz) in which that pocket pistol is chambered are likely to seriously annoy a boar.

The thrust of this novel seems to be sympathetic to King Ludwig but it just doesn't work. He still comes across as a feckless lunatic or fool who abdicated his duties and responsibilities until he lost his crown and his life. His problems were of his own making not because of some conspiracy. Those who opposed the King could not have been successful if Ludwig had done his duty and lived up to his responsibilities.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Ludwig Conspiracy" - written by Oliver Potzsch, translated by Anthea Bell and first published in 2011 by Ullstein Taschenbuch Verlag. Potzsch set himself a difficult task with this book since many details of the life of Ludwig II of Bavaria are unknown or contested. In his Afterword he writes, "The subject of Ludwig II of Bavaria is a morass, both bewildering and fascinating." In this historical fiction novel he plants a wooden box containing photos, a lock of hair and a diary written in code and sets his characters free to encounter mayhem and confusion as they try to decode the diary, all the while being chased by bad guys who also want the diary including the Cowled Men, a real-life Bavarian secret society. The plot, the history and the setting were all appealing - one of Ludwig's castles, Neuschwanstein, was the inspiration for Disney's iconic castle - but I felt the book was spoiled by the abrasive, frivolous interactions between the characters, especially the two protagonists, bookseller Steven and art detective Sara. I enjoyed Potzsch's Hangman's Daughter books and intend to read some of his others, as they usually feature German history, but this one was not a favorite.

[David Schwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this 3 stars but 3.5 stars is a better match. The story is based on the famous mad king of Bavaria. A mysterious book is secretly left in an antiquarian book store. Others are looking for this book and are determined to get the book. The book is known to be about Ludwig of Bavaria. What ensues is a search for a secret document allegedly about Ludwig's death. All of the castles built by Ludwig as visited in the search. There are some nice surprises in the story, but mostly the plot is predictable so what you read for is how that story is presented. Fun read.

[Bryce · Rating 2 out of 5]

After visiting Ludwig's Residenz and two of his castles, and hearing the tragic/amazing story of his life, I really wanted to read more about him. But not, like, hard and thoroughly-researched nonfiction about him. Just some fun historical fiction. I thought Pötzsch's novel would be perfect; a little history, a little lurid conspiracy, and written by a German!

Pölzsch really, really wants to be Dan Brown. In The Ludwig Conspiracy, he incorporates every trope that is found in a Brown novel: bookish professor-man as hero, long forgotten conspiracy with implications to modern times, a villain known only by a sinister title, a female companion that is younger and more attractive than the nebbish hero, secret codes, secret societies.

But when comparing Pölzsch to Brown, I realized Dan Brown is actually a pretty talented guy. It's a hack talent, to be sure, but he writes some enjoyable books. Sure, his characters are cartoonish and predictable, his dialogue is filled with exposition, and his plots are ridiculous. But they're enjoyable! Pölzsch's characters are cartoonish, but they're also a little bit offensive. His dialogue is filled with exposition, but it's also just stilted and bad. This plot was outrageous, but also predictable and - much worse - slow. Pölzsch wants to be Brown but can't quite pull it off.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fascinated by the death of King Ludwig the second since a trip to Germany about four years ago and while this is a fictional book, many of the facts are true and the story is interesting if a bit predictable.

Ludwig was the last castle builder in his country and it seemed that he was more focused on creating a world that had already past, rather than governing his country. So was he mad? Did he drown?

In this tale, it's because of his refusal to rule and the financial ruin he was putting the country in that appears to have driven many of the acts that lead to his death. And could you fault his ministers in that?

Oliver Potzsch has created a creditable situation and story. The characters are OK ... I didn't think the heroes were drawn as well as the scenes and the villain -- truly a memorable adversary -- but still a good read.

[Tory Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those who are fascinated by conspiracy theories will enjoy this novel about the life and death of Ludwig II, known as the Fairy Tale King of Bavaria. His famous castles are now the inspiration for the iconic Disney castle, but many may not know the strange story of Ludwig's life and death. Potzsch mixes fact and fiction to create a plausible account of Ludwig's death.

[Demi Morsink · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook

I really wanted to learn more about Ludwig II after visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, so I was really excited to start this book! Maybe it isnt the best book ever, I really enjoyed it and Im fascinated about the fairytale king! If anybody knows more good books about him, please let me know!!
The plot was really predictable, but that didnt bother me :)

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story from a great writer. SO different from the "Hangman's Daughter" series...the story was great and I couldn't guess anything coming up. It definitely made me want to learn more about Ludwig the Second and all the conspiracies surrounding his death. Good book!!

[Karrie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Oliver Pötzsch's books! It's so refreshing getting a historical fiction novel not set in jolly ole' England. This was my first book outside of The Hangman's Daughter series and it's just as good. It has a total Da Vinci vibe to it and I loved it. I also listened to this and you just can go wrong with Simon Vance as your narrator.

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

AAAAAAAAA MY GOD THIS WAS AMAZING HELP

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book that's hard to rate for me. The weakest parts of the book were definitely the parts set in the past. I don't know if it's the author or the translator, but the historical chapters were beyond boring, despite being about a very interesting subject. The similarities to Da Vinci Code are multitudinous, and maybe the world as a whole doesn't need more DVC knockoffs, but I'm always down for a good conspiracy thriller. 2 stars for the nineteenth century chapters, 4 stars for the modern chapters. And don't expect any surprises if you've read a few books like this already. This one provides very little new material except Ludwig as the historical focus.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun story, but I think the writing style might have suffered a bit in translation. Took forever to read because I had to keep stopping to Google historic figures and Bavarian geography.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Oliver Potzsch’s historical mystery series about a 17th Century hangman and his family. So when I discovered the galley to his new historical thriller, I jumped at the chance to read it. It did not disappoint. So much so I stayed up too late reading it. I like the way he combines the present with the past, and fact with fiction. In fact, the Voltaire quote before the novel begins informs the whole novel, “History is the lie that is commonly agreed upon.”

The Ludwig Conspiracy is about the past and its repercussions for the present and the future. It is the story of a Munich rare book dealer, Steven Lukas, Mad King Ludwig II of Bavaria, and the hunt for a diary and its secrets. Steven finds an encoded diary by a confidant of Mad King Ludwig, the one whose beautiful castles inspired Walt Disney and draw thousands of tourists every year. This diary may explain the mysterious death of Mad King Ludwig, but it comes with a lot of baggage, including people who will do anything to possess it, including murder.

The story begins with the torture and death of a professor who found an encoded diary by one of King Ludwig’s confidants. However the professor outsmarted his torturers and left it in a Munich antiquarian book shop. Its owner, Steven Lukas, discovers it, but as he begins to decode the diary he discovers how dangerous the past can be. He meets the beautiful art detective, Sara Lengfeld, who helps him in his journey to decipher this old text. It takes Steven’s 19th Century knowledge and Sara’s computer savvy to crack the code. Their journey takes them to Ludwig’s three famous castles searching for clues to crack the diary’s code. Every step of the way they have strange and scary people following them. They race to discover the clues that will unlock the diary without losing their lives.

I enjoyed the back and forth between the present and past. Not only did I get a contemporary page turner, I got a historical one as well. Potzsch makes good use of the history and legend of King Ludwig to come up with a thrilling story of how and why King Ludwig died and why his mysterious death continues to fascinate to this day. With one Poztsch novel down this year, I've got one to go - the next novel in the Hangman’s Daughter series, The Poisoned Pilgrim. And I can't wait.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Ludwig Conspiracy
Oliver Potzsch
Read it in Hardback at 464 pages, they smelled wonderful.

Despite how the pages smelled, Potzsch failed to truly captivate me with this pretty basic tale. Ever read a Dan Brown book? Good then you get the formula. Instead of Robert Langdon professor we have Steven Lukas, antiquated book seller. Add initial intrigue, mystery, a scary and formidable evil thug, and a plot that revolves around an interesting character and events of history and we are off to the Lost Symbol…wait, I mean the Ludwig Conspiracy.

The last Bavarian monarch was an interesting guy, and probably legitimately crazy. In an era of industrialization and gun powder, Ludwig was building fairy tale castles in the Bavarian mountains and really doing his best not to get dragged into Prussian/Germany politics. He was spending vast amounts of money on what his constituents believed to be a complete waste of money. These things we know to be true. At some point though the vassalages of power switched to the various more modern establishments and Ludwig was headed straight down the path of disposition. It is never easy to dispose of royalty and the means in which it was done are still hazy to this day. These hazy bits are the vehicle used to propel the story.

Mr. Lukas is sitting in his abandoned book shop enjoying a book when all hell breaks loose, through some hazy circumstances he finds himself in the possession of the plausible one true source, a diary, of the events directly leading up to the disposition and events that happened after Ludwig had been captured. Of course there is more to the story, but you get the idea. Lukas has to run about the country decoding the journal and advancing the plot to the next big discovery. Along the way lays danger, intrigue, love, and everything else you would expect in a Dan Brown book. Mr. Potzsch is capable but obviously looking to a well-established formula for some success.

While I am fascinated by Ludwig, the castles that he built in the era he built them, and the general state of affairs of Bavaria in the late 1900's; the story was forgettable and the puzzles that his characters face where not all that interesting to me.

Nice try Potzsch but I'll refrain from your future work until I see something more original come from your type writer.

[Judah Kosterman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An antiquarian bookseller in Germany has a male customer with a very specific ask-to-purchase followed by multiple other strange customers looking for the first customer, including a cute and adventurous art detective who claims to be his niece. The uncle meets a sticky end at the hands of a leader using the royal “we” and employing “knights.”

Why all the fuss? In the bookshop, the uncle left behind a diary written by one of King Ludwig’s (fictional) loyal confidants, inconveniently written in code and containing a riddle besides. This leads our modern characters on a decoding adventure across Bavaria, hitting all four of Ludwig’s castle sites and meeting various Ludwig experts, aficionados, and fanatics - some more dangerous than others.

Was the king an interesting character? Yes. Arguably the first modern royal, Ludwig was born when kings still wielded armies, but he regretted the battles he got sucked into. He was happy to leave the actual governing to elected officials in Munich and become an entertainer and inspiration-in-chief. Ludwig didn’t care that his castle building was bankrupting Bavaria. He didn’t have a wife or a legitimate heir, and very definitely had two relatives who were declared mentally ill. Ludwig’s last days are a mystery, including how he and his psychiatrist ended up dead in a lake. The diary offers one possible explanation.

The diary ties the Ludwig history and the modern thriller together in ways not immediately obvious at the outset. But it literally makes for two books in two different genres – neither of them fantastic examples of their genres - spliced together inside one cover. The titular conspiracy is a kind of faint and sprawling mess for most of the book; only a portion of it is satisfactorily resolved by the end of this very, very long tome.

[Andrea Larson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Ludwig Conspiracy has a terrific premise: an antiquarian bookseller in Munich suddenly finds himself in possession of a strange old volume, written in code, that dangerous people will kill to get. The little book contains the truth about the passing of Bavaria’s King Ludwig II, whose mysterious death in 1886 has been the subject of speculation ever since. To decode the diary, the bookseller, Steven Lukas, teams up with art detective Sara Lengfeld on a hunt for clues through all of Ludwig’s fairytale castles in Bavaria, all while being pursued by murderous thugs on the quest for the old book.

The narrative shifts back and forth between Steven’s present-day adventures and the account contained in the diary. The plot provides twists and surprises, as well as surprising revelations about all (yes, ALL) the main characters, but it just didn’t feel suspenseful to me. When I read Dan Brown or Steve Berry, whose plots are constructed similarly, I can’t wait to get to the next chapter – but that was not the case here. Part of the issue may have been the translation: the writing often felt stilted to me, so the plot didn’t flow as smoothly. Some of the character interactions seemed forced, too, like the budding romance between the two protagonists.

In short, it's a good story with a mediocre execution. It’s filled with fascinating Bavarian lore, but if you’re looking for a page-turner, this isn’t it.