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The Wolf Trial
In the second half of the 16th century, Paulus Melchior, lawyer, academic, and enlightened rationalist, travels with his young assistant Willy Lessinger to the isolated German town of Bideburg where local landowner, Peter Stumpf, is accused of brutally murdering dozens of people. A society still trapped in a medieval mindset, the townsfolk clamour for the killer to be tried as a werewolf. If their demands are met his blameless wife and children will also be executed in the most barbaric way imaginable as agents of Satan and creatures contaminated by wolf blood.
375 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 9, 2016
Like a lot of happenings medieval times, this tale is brutal and horrifying. It’s also historical fiction at it’s finest! Ripped from 16th century pamphlets, Neil Mackay takes us behind the scenes of a true case, documented as one of the earliest accounts of a serial killer.
William Loos is now 80 year-old historian in England, but that’s not who he has always been. He was once known as Willy Lessinger, an assistant to the solicitor, Paulus Melchior.
In the year of 1563, Paulus and his student Willy, along with representatives from the Church, traveled to Bideburg, Germany to officiate at the trial of Peter Stumpf. Peter Stumpf was a wealthy wood mill owner and timber merchant in the town of Bideburg, who was being tried for brutally killing 68 men, women and children. Here’s the thing…Peter was tried as a werewolf!
Paulus and Willy work painstakingly hard to uncover the facts behind the fiction. Is Peter a werewolf or merely a psychotic killer? Are his wife and children also afflicted by the curse of the devil?
This gruesome recounting of the trial of Peter the Wolf is definitely not for the squeamish. The medieval age was not an enlightened time period. Plague was rampant, religious persecution abounded and tales of the devil in the form of vampires, witches and werewolves were commonly held superstitions. Full of horror, cruelty and uncountable atrocities, this is an unflinching look at the evils of human nature at that time.
I seriously had to take a breather after reading this book! I also went online to read more about this unbelievable but true history. Horror lovers and history buffs will be enthralled reading this book. The writing is absolutely superb and the epilogue is masterful.
I want to thank the publisher (Freight Books) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.
William Loos is now 80 year-old historian in England, but that’s not who he has always been. He was once known as Willy Lessinger, an assistant to the solicitor, Paulus Melchior.
In the year of 1563, Paulus and his student Willy, along with representatives from the Church, traveled to Bideburg, Germany to officiate at the trial of Peter Stumpf. Peter Stumpf was a wealthy wood mill owner and timber merchant in the town of Bideburg, who was being tried for brutally killing 68 men, women and children. Here’s the thing…Peter was tried as a werewolf!
Paulus and Willy work painstakingly hard to uncover the facts behind the fiction. Is Peter a werewolf or merely a psychotic killer? Are his wife and children also afflicted by the curse of the devil?
This gruesome recounting of the trial of Peter the Wolf is definitely not for the squeamish. The medieval age was not an enlightened time period. Plague was rampant, religious persecution abounded and tales of the devil in the form of vampires, witches and werewolves were commonly held superstitions. Full of horror, cruelty and uncountable atrocities, this is an unflinching look at the evils of human nature at that time.
I seriously had to take a breather after reading this book! I also went online to read more about this unbelievable but true history. Horror lovers and history buffs will be enthralled reading this book. The writing is absolutely superb and the epilogue is masterful.
I want to thank the publisher (Freight Books) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.
December 3, 2016
The Wolf Trial is an historical piece of fiction based on an historical case of a real life wolf trial. Peter Stumph was accused of being a werewolf back in 1563, Germany. A serial killer accused of killing 68 men, women and children. A crime he never denied, the only thing he denied was ever being a werewolf. Cut to many years later and Willy Lessinger, now Loos is an old man. An historian who is recounting the story as it unfolded back then. Tasked to investigating the crimes along with his superior, Melchoir, the pair go to Bideburg, Germany, to oversee proceedings.
This book is in no way for the faint hearted. Set in times when religious persecution was rife, superstition hung around every corner and humanity not holding back in any way to mete out justice, it is full of depravity of the highest order. The book is gruesome and does not sway from its descriptiveness of torture and murder. In parts I found this book utterly fascinating soaking up the atmosphere of a bygone age. In other parts, whole passages would bore me as Melchoir would yet again ramble on with political stances or his retelling of his past. I wanted more of Stumph, the psychopath, someone eloquent, the perfect gent, able to perfectly fool all those around him for many years as an upstanding business and family man.
In some ways this book reminded me of works by de Sade. Having similar levels of depravity and gruesomeness. This was a fascinating case and I did read up on what I could find on Peter Stumph, the so called werewolf.
The book itself is a difficult one to rate. In parts I loved it, in others I would find myself skimming big sections.
If your sensibilities can handle it, give it a go, I'm glad I did. It's certainly a book I won't forget.
This book is in no way for the faint hearted. Set in times when religious persecution was rife, superstition hung around every corner and humanity not holding back in any way to mete out justice, it is full of depravity of the highest order. The book is gruesome and does not sway from its descriptiveness of torture and murder. In parts I found this book utterly fascinating soaking up the atmosphere of a bygone age. In other parts, whole passages would bore me as Melchoir would yet again ramble on with political stances or his retelling of his past. I wanted more of Stumph, the psychopath, someone eloquent, the perfect gent, able to perfectly fool all those around him for many years as an upstanding business and family man.
In some ways this book reminded me of works by de Sade. Having similar levels of depravity and gruesomeness. This was a fascinating case and I did read up on what I could find on Peter Stumph, the so called werewolf.
The book itself is a difficult one to rate. In parts I loved it, in others I would find myself skimming big sections.
If your sensibilities can handle it, give it a go, I'm glad I did. It's certainly a book I won't forget.
March 12, 2016
4.5 stars
For those who are fascinated by the imaginative and diverse ways in which human beings can kill each other, this is the historical period for you. It seethes with violence of every variation: religious wars, political uprisings, superstition, magic, witchcraft. It is a treasure trove of brutal savagery.
So, a fertile ground for a novel. The werewolf trial that forms the basis for Mackay's plot was just one of the many legal proceedings that were held throughout the 16th and 17th centuries (primarily). Investigations of witches, werewolves, vampires, heretics, and other 'outsiders' of various types, were rife, and Mackay does brilliant work in using the extant evidence of a small pamphlet to flesh out a possible scenario. It was a violence filled time, and thus, it is a violence filled book. Yet it does not simply read like a gleefully detailed recounting of bloody crimes for the sake of their shock value or morbid curiosity; instead it seemed to question the character of those people who offer themselves as arbiters of behaviour. The 'werewolf', Peter Stumpf, is judged by the officialdom who come to conduct his trial, as well as the people of the small town, Bideburg, in which he lives. He freely admits to killing and eating up to 99 people, but as a man, not a supernatural creature. Despite this, Mackay's representation of Stumpf presents him as one of the more civilised characters in the novel.
It is one of the many ways in which the author sets up, and then destroys reader expectations. It is difficult to describe how adeptly the author does this without ruining parts of the book so i'll just illustrate one, very minor, example that made me smile. It comes early on in the book, as the narrator first arrives in Bideburg, the scene of the werewolf's terrible crimes...
'I could smell wood smoke and cut grass that must have been mown just hours before, though at the back of it all, I was sure, there was the tang and taint of blood and meat. I looked about me and saw that we were passing the town butcher- the hooks hanging from the rafters at the front of the shop.'
Stylistically, thematically, dramatically, again and again Mackay heads in the direction of convention, then veers off and undermines it for maximum effect. It allows the book to be funny as well as suspenseful. It's also clever, using history and philosophy to muse of the nature of humanity, but without losing sight of the fact that it is a novel, and is supposed to be entertaining.
I loved it. I hope others do too, because i'd like to see more from Neil Mackay.
Many thanks to the author, Freight Books, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
For those who are fascinated by the imaginative and diverse ways in which human beings can kill each other, this is the historical period for you. It seethes with violence of every variation: religious wars, political uprisings, superstition, magic, witchcraft. It is a treasure trove of brutal savagery.
So, a fertile ground for a novel. The werewolf trial that forms the basis for Mackay's plot was just one of the many legal proceedings that were held throughout the 16th and 17th centuries (primarily). Investigations of witches, werewolves, vampires, heretics, and other 'outsiders' of various types, were rife, and Mackay does brilliant work in using the extant evidence of a small pamphlet to flesh out a possible scenario. It was a violence filled time, and thus, it is a violence filled book. Yet it does not simply read like a gleefully detailed recounting of bloody crimes for the sake of their shock value or morbid curiosity; instead it seemed to question the character of those people who offer themselves as arbiters of behaviour. The 'werewolf', Peter Stumpf, is judged by the officialdom who come to conduct his trial, as well as the people of the small town, Bideburg, in which he lives. He freely admits to killing and eating up to 99 people, but as a man, not a supernatural creature. Despite this, Mackay's representation of Stumpf presents him as one of the more civilised characters in the novel.
It is one of the many ways in which the author sets up, and then destroys reader expectations. It is difficult to describe how adeptly the author does this without ruining parts of the book so i'll just illustrate one, very minor, example that made me smile. It comes early on in the book, as the narrator first arrives in Bideburg, the scene of the werewolf's terrible crimes...
'I could smell wood smoke and cut grass that must have been mown just hours before, though at the back of it all, I was sure, there was the tang and taint of blood and meat. I looked about me and saw that we were passing the town butcher- the hooks hanging from the rafters at the front of the shop.'
Stylistically, thematically, dramatically, again and again Mackay heads in the direction of convention, then veers off and undermines it for maximum effect. It allows the book to be funny as well as suspenseful. It's also clever, using history and philosophy to muse of the nature of humanity, but without losing sight of the fact that it is a novel, and is supposed to be entertaining.
I loved it. I hope others do too, because i'd like to see more from Neil Mackay.
Many thanks to the author, Freight Books, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2016
In all honesty The Wolf Trial is not a book I would normally pick up automatically, in this case it was the cover that got me. Actually that happens a lot and more often than not its a good thing. With “The Wolf Trial” it was DEFINITELY a good thing – I would have missed this one and that would have been a shame.
Utterly gripping with atmosphere dripping from every page, this novel takes you on a brutal and no holds barred journey back to a time when superstition was rife, brutality expected and tells the tale of Peter Stumpf, accused of murder, suspected of being a werewolf. The fact that he is responsible for the deaths is not challenged, but his status is – if guilty he faces an unimaginable fate as do his wife and children. Narrating the tale is Willy Lessinger, from a distance of many years, through him we see events unfold, the author having a highly imaginative and clever style to his writing that just puts you right into the action.
This is not for the faint hearted – it is violent, descriptive and doesnt pull punches – brutal honesty is the name of the game here, but it is utterly fascinating throughout and has the advantage of being multi layered to have a huge appeal. If you like a horror story you’ll love it, if you are serial killer thriller fan you’ll love it, if you like novels with a deeply ingrained historical flavour you will REALLY love it, assuming of course that you don’t faint at the sight of blood. Or the thought of it. Actually to be fair blood is probably the least of your worries. Brilliantly done.
An intelligent perfectly paced plot that challenges belief systems, makes you thankful that you live in an enlightened society (even if there are still things to fix) and most of all gives you a banging story that will stay with you long after turning the last page – what made it even more alluring for me personally was the fact that it was very different from anything I’ve read before and was executed with a tone and sense of feeling that engaged me completely.
Definitely recommended.
Utterly gripping with atmosphere dripping from every page, this novel takes you on a brutal and no holds barred journey back to a time when superstition was rife, brutality expected and tells the tale of Peter Stumpf, accused of murder, suspected of being a werewolf. The fact that he is responsible for the deaths is not challenged, but his status is – if guilty he faces an unimaginable fate as do his wife and children. Narrating the tale is Willy Lessinger, from a distance of many years, through him we see events unfold, the author having a highly imaginative and clever style to his writing that just puts you right into the action.
This is not for the faint hearted – it is violent, descriptive and doesnt pull punches – brutal honesty is the name of the game here, but it is utterly fascinating throughout and has the advantage of being multi layered to have a huge appeal. If you like a horror story you’ll love it, if you are serial killer thriller fan you’ll love it, if you like novels with a deeply ingrained historical flavour you will REALLY love it, assuming of course that you don’t faint at the sight of blood. Or the thought of it. Actually to be fair blood is probably the least of your worries. Brilliantly done.
An intelligent perfectly paced plot that challenges belief systems, makes you thankful that you live in an enlightened society (even if there are still things to fix) and most of all gives you a banging story that will stay with you long after turning the last page – what made it even more alluring for me personally was the fact that it was very different from anything I’ve read before and was executed with a tone and sense of feeling that engaged me completely.
Definitely recommended.
February 19, 2017
This is a highly entertaining piece of historical fiction, though there are several particularly bloody and violent passages. Those were the times though, in a medieval town in rural Germany.
An esteemed and experienced lawyer and his 16 year old assistant are sent by the Prince-Bishop to conduct a trial of a multi-murderer. The townsfolk believe the murderer to be a werewolf and want him tried and executed as such, along with his wife and children. Mackay gives his readers an insight into the barbaric life at that time. The novel is wonderfully researched and day to day life in Bideburg comes alive. Though it is his collection of characters that are the novel's real strength.
This is wonderful story-telling and it builds to a compelling climax which is the highlight of the book.
An esteemed and experienced lawyer and his 16 year old assistant are sent by the Prince-Bishop to conduct a trial of a multi-murderer. The townsfolk believe the murderer to be a werewolf and want him tried and executed as such, along with his wife and children. Mackay gives his readers an insight into the barbaric life at that time. The novel is wonderfully researched and day to day life in Bideburg comes alive. Though it is his collection of characters that are the novel's real strength.
This is wonderful story-telling and it builds to a compelling climax which is the highlight of the book.
December 9, 2016
Germany, 1563. The worlds first serial killer is captured but tried as a werewolf. The Wolf Trail is an imaginative novel. A historical crime fiction. In 1563 Paulus Melchior, lawyer, travels with his young assistant Willie Lessinger hunting for the warewolf staying in the village of Reissen in an inn. The village people began to arrive at the inn they wanted to see what the warewolf hunters looked like. In the inn the drummer played a tune called The Warewolf Ballad.
The wolf he ran by the moonlight
And he ate the virgins fair
He slipped them in his belly
And he licked their bottoms bare.
It was a ridiculous song, terribly composed. As the singing went on Paulus drank some more.
The wolf he ran by the moonlight
And he ate the virgins fair
He slipped them in his belly
And he licked their bottoms bare.
It was a ridiculous song, terribly composed. As the singing went on Paulus drank some more.
July 10, 2016
Sheer breathtaking brilliance ... a near perfect 5 ... Oh why not...the perfect 5 !
Where do I start with this one ? There is just so much going on in this 16th Century historical fact based novel. I kid you not, here is a teaser of what's going on in this blockbuster:
Gothic horror, cruelty and debauchery
circus freak shows
witch, and dog trials, including graphic execution scenes
vampires and werewolves
serial murder of women, men, children and babies
cannibalism
anti-semitism
torture and more executions
oh and a smidgen of romance !
Written in the 1st person narrative, Neil Mackay's 'The Wolf Trial' is an uncomfortable, absolutely compelling tale set in Bideburg, Germany during the 16th Century about the first documented case of a serial killer who was also believed to be a werewolf.
Peter Stumpf, the accused, makes no bones about his guilt of the murders but as a man and not as a werewolf. However, his crimes are just too horrific for the townsfolk to accept that a human being could commit such crimes that they choose to believe in the supernatural and for him to be a werewolf.
Paulus Melchior and Willy Lessinger are to be witnesses to this trial and subsequent punishment of Stumpf. It is from William Loos' (the scribes) documentation some 60 years later that we hear about Paulus' childhood and events that shaped him into the man he became; such as his first public execution and watching his father beheading a woman found guilty of being a witch. The horrific scene unfolds and he watches as other children delightedly play football with the severed woman's head.
Many scenes in this book are shocking and vividly depicted, another of which includes the accused's rendition of a game he played as a child called 'frogging', which again is pretty horrific, especially for the frogs. Frog lovers be warned!
There is however, a touching, love affair between Willy and a young girl from the town, albeit with a tragic outcome.
The punishment is brutal, torturous and unbelievably barbaric, the unnecessary violence metered out to Stumpf is almost unbearable to read. It is hard to feel pity for a person who has committed such horrendous crimes but it is abhorrent and frightening to believe the extent humans will go to inflict pain on each other. The crowd's vengeance and excitement is whipped up to such a crescendo, and to the point of sheer boredom, that they finally lose interest when nothing more can be done to prolong the agony of dying a slow, brutally degrading death.
The real horror for me is that we all have the potential to be monsters and that in today's world where videos are frequently uploaded showing the most horrific scenes of violence, torture and murder, with a majority in the name of religion or honour, I fear that we've not moved much farther forward than our medieval predecessors and that these practices are still all too evident in today's world.
The Wolf Trial is hugely rich in historical detail and also a coming of age tale during violent medieval times. I thoroughly enjoyed all it had to tell me and found it to be an engrossing read. It is brutal, blood thirsty and bloody brilliant ! Definitely not for the squeamish but if you have a strong stomach you'll definitely not want to miss out on this one.
Perfect for fans of atmospheric reads such as Umberto Ecco's, In The Name of The Rose.
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced readers copy (ARC) of 'The Wolf Trial' by Neil Mackay from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Where do I start with this one ? There is just so much going on in this 16th Century historical fact based novel. I kid you not, here is a teaser of what's going on in this blockbuster:
Gothic horror, cruelty and debauchery
circus freak shows
witch, and dog trials, including graphic execution scenes
vampires and werewolves
serial murder of women, men, children and babies
cannibalism
anti-semitism
torture and more executions
oh and a smidgen of romance !
Written in the 1st person narrative, Neil Mackay's 'The Wolf Trial' is an uncomfortable, absolutely compelling tale set in Bideburg, Germany during the 16th Century about the first documented case of a serial killer who was also believed to be a werewolf.
Peter Stumpf, the accused, makes no bones about his guilt of the murders but as a man and not as a werewolf. However, his crimes are just too horrific for the townsfolk to accept that a human being could commit such crimes that they choose to believe in the supernatural and for him to be a werewolf.
Paulus Melchior and Willy Lessinger are to be witnesses to this trial and subsequent punishment of Stumpf. It is from William Loos' (the scribes) documentation some 60 years later that we hear about Paulus' childhood and events that shaped him into the man he became; such as his first public execution and watching his father beheading a woman found guilty of being a witch. The horrific scene unfolds and he watches as other children delightedly play football with the severed woman's head.
Many scenes in this book are shocking and vividly depicted, another of which includes the accused's rendition of a game he played as a child called 'frogging', which again is pretty horrific, especially for the frogs. Frog lovers be warned!
There is however, a touching, love affair between Willy and a young girl from the town, albeit with a tragic outcome.
The punishment is brutal, torturous and unbelievably barbaric, the unnecessary violence metered out to Stumpf is almost unbearable to read. It is hard to feel pity for a person who has committed such horrendous crimes but it is abhorrent and frightening to believe the extent humans will go to inflict pain on each other. The crowd's vengeance and excitement is whipped up to such a crescendo, and to the point of sheer boredom, that they finally lose interest when nothing more can be done to prolong the agony of dying a slow, brutally degrading death.
The real horror for me is that we all have the potential to be monsters and that in today's world where videos are frequently uploaded showing the most horrific scenes of violence, torture and murder, with a majority in the name of religion or honour, I fear that we've not moved much farther forward than our medieval predecessors and that these practices are still all too evident in today's world.
The Wolf Trial is hugely rich in historical detail and also a coming of age tale during violent medieval times. I thoroughly enjoyed all it had to tell me and found it to be an engrossing read. It is brutal, blood thirsty and bloody brilliant ! Definitely not for the squeamish but if you have a strong stomach you'll definitely not want to miss out on this one.
Perfect for fans of atmospheric reads such as Umberto Ecco's, In The Name of The Rose.
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced readers copy (ARC) of 'The Wolf Trial' by Neil Mackay from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
November 10, 2018
What a struggle this was. Well-written but so many tangents and chapters that felt entirely pointless and didn't really advance the plot. You could have cut a good 50+ pages from this and it would have been all the better for it. I was fighting to finish this at the end, which is really sad because I had really high hopes for this.
April 20, 2016
I would like to thank NetGally and author Neil Mackay for my copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is a novel based on the worst serial killer ever recorded, Peter Stumpf. His true crimes and this novel take place in the mid 1600's in the part of the world which is now Germany. In his old age this man tells his memoir of a young legal assistant named Williy lessinger.
Peter Stumpf's crimes were so gruesome people believed only a were wolf could do such horrific things to a human. There was also here say on what went on during his capture that added to the were wolf label. These things are true. The legal system requires an attorney to investigate, represent, and decide on the fate of criminals. The story starts here. Paulus Melchoir is that attorney. Willy, his assistant, along with a contingent of other people are sent to this small town to sort out what is what.
Nothing is black and white. Especially in the days when people truely believed that were wolfs exsisted. Peter Stempf/were wolf is a prominent member of the town and a wealthy land owner. It is a surprise that he can commit such horrific crimes. This story gets graphic. It does so to show the extent things went to back then.
This book is very thought provoking. Paulus, in his roll as an University educator, brings up conversations with Willy that are meant to be a learning experience for Willy. This draws the reader into that thought process also. The epilogue written by Willy continues this dialogue with himself and the reader. It's a refreshing experience to think along with the characters. This is a page turner.
Peter Stumpf's crimes were so gruesome people believed only a were wolf could do such horrific things to a human. There was also here say on what went on during his capture that added to the were wolf label. These things are true. The legal system requires an attorney to investigate, represent, and decide on the fate of criminals. The story starts here. Paulus Melchoir is that attorney. Willy, his assistant, along with a contingent of other people are sent to this small town to sort out what is what.
Nothing is black and white. Especially in the days when people truely believed that were wolfs exsisted. Peter Stempf/were wolf is a prominent member of the town and a wealthy land owner. It is a surprise that he can commit such horrific crimes. This story gets graphic. It does so to show the extent things went to back then.
This book is very thought provoking. Paulus, in his roll as an University educator, brings up conversations with Willy that are meant to be a learning experience for Willy. This draws the reader into that thought process also. The epilogue written by Willy continues this dialogue with himself and the reader. It's a refreshing experience to think along with the characters. This is a page turner.
December 20, 2016
Diesen Historischen Roman zu beurteilen und zu bewerten fällt mir unheimlich schwer. Er hinterlässt bei mir einen zwiespältigen Eindruck. Gute und inhaltlich interessante Abschnitte wechseln sich mit langatmigen und eher verzichtbaren Kapitel ab. Die sehr finstere Stimmung legt sich wie eine Glocke über der Geschichte und lässt kaum freundliche Lichtstrahlen für stimmungsaufhellende Passagen zu. Dies spricht für eine konsequente, man könnte auch sagen zeithistorisch authentische Umsetzung des ausgehenden Mittelalters andererseits hat mich diese Düsternis auf emotionaler Ebene zunehmend von der Geschichte weggetrieben und ich war heilfroh, als ich das Buch endlich ausgelesen habe und ich mich einer neuen, freundlichen Lektüre zuwenden kann. Das dunkle Cover und die Kurzbeschreibung stehen sinnbildlich für den schweren Inhalt.
Der Schreibstil von Neil Mackay ist gefällig und ist auch für Gelegenheitsleser gut zu lesen. Im Genre der Historischen Romane ist dieses Werk meiner Meinung nach eher ein Nischenprodukt. Er ist weder für Leserinnen die leichte Historische Romane à la "Die … in" mögen noch ist es eine Historischer Kriminalroman. Ich weiss ganz ehrlich nicht, welchen Konsumenten ich dieses Buch ernsthaft empfehlen könnte. Am ehesten geschichtlich interessierte Leser die ein Gemüt haben um die bleierne Schwere ertragen können und Durchhaltevermögen besitzen. Dennoch hat das Buch etwas ansprechendes, was wenigstens teilweise interessant ist aber es reicht nicht um den Spannungsbogen über 540 Seiten hoch zu halten.
Der Schreibstil von Neil Mackay ist gefällig und ist auch für Gelegenheitsleser gut zu lesen. Im Genre der Historischen Romane ist dieses Werk meiner Meinung nach eher ein Nischenprodukt. Er ist weder für Leserinnen die leichte Historische Romane à la "Die … in" mögen noch ist es eine Historischer Kriminalroman. Ich weiss ganz ehrlich nicht, welchen Konsumenten ich dieses Buch ernsthaft empfehlen könnte. Am ehesten geschichtlich interessierte Leser die ein Gemüt haben um die bleierne Schwere ertragen können und Durchhaltevermögen besitzen. Dennoch hat das Buch etwas ansprechendes, was wenigstens teilweise interessant ist aber es reicht nicht um den Spannungsbogen über 540 Seiten hoch zu halten.
June 1, 2016
This book is brutal. The "werewolf" Peter Stumpf is a serial killer who has tortured and killed nearly 70 people passing through the isolated town of Bideburg. He has killed many more during his travels and military service. If he is tried as a supernatural being in league with Satan, his lands and the lives of his family are forfeit. But Paulus Melchior, sent to investigate and prosecute him, is convinced that Stumpf is a man. A monstrous man, but only that.
It is difficult to understand the minds of people who lived then. I think it was only possible for the book to make sense of the vicious mess that was Europe in the 1500s through the character of Paulus Melchior; as a scholar and something of a heretic, he could be given a more modern world view.
The brutality of the priest, the officers and soldiers of the empire and the townspeople leave you doubting that there was anything particularly unusual about Stumpf. Our modern concept of a serial killer perhaps can only exist in contrast to a civilised population who are not habitually torturing, raping and murdering each other.
The rapid escalation into betrayal and savagery is gripping, but many readers may find parts of it disturbing.
It is difficult to understand the minds of people who lived then. I think it was only possible for the book to make sense of the vicious mess that was Europe in the 1500s through the character of Paulus Melchior; as a scholar and something of a heretic, he could be given a more modern world view.
The brutality of the priest, the officers and soldiers of the empire and the townspeople leave you doubting that there was anything particularly unusual about Stumpf. Our modern concept of a serial killer perhaps can only exist in contrast to a civilised population who are not habitually torturing, raping and murdering each other.
The rapid escalation into betrayal and savagery is gripping, but many readers may find parts of it disturbing.
July 31, 2016
The Wolf Trial is destined to become a modern classic. Haunting, intense, dark and (at times) shocking, it tells the story of a lawyer and his assistant, sent to oversee the trial of a 16th Century landowner accused of committing murder while in werewolf form.
The fate of the landowner's family hangs in the balance. If he is found guilty, his family will be put to death alongside him.
The Wolf Trial is beautifully written and well researched - images of macabre plague ships, menacing forests and dank cells stay with the reader long after the book has been put down.
16th Century Germany is vividly brought to life as the book's heroes encounter ignorance, the power of superstition, and religious cruelty.
This book should be on everyone's reading list. Just be prepared to sleep with the light on for a few nights.
The fate of the landowner's family hangs in the balance. If he is found guilty, his family will be put to death alongside him.
The Wolf Trial is beautifully written and well researched - images of macabre plague ships, menacing forests and dank cells stay with the reader long after the book has been put down.
16th Century Germany is vividly brought to life as the book's heroes encounter ignorance, the power of superstition, and religious cruelty.
This book should be on everyone's reading list. Just be prepared to sleep with the light on for a few nights.
November 2, 2024
In 1563, Peter Strumpf (also spelled Stumpp) was executed for killing approximately 70 people. This would have been remarkable enough except for one other detail: Strumpf was believed to be a werewolf. How else to explain his prolific and extremely violent crimes? The Wolf Trial, by Neil Mackay, tells the story of Peter Strumpf through the eyes of William Lessinger, who assisted during Strumpf’s trial. The Wolf Trial is a story about when justice has to do battle with revenge in an age when executions could be day-long tortures...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
June 3, 2016
Omg going slow was the way to go this was so amazing!!!! so blessed i got this omg!
April 16, 2016
Germany, 16th century: The people of the small town of Bedburg are terrified by a series of bloody murders. Over a dozen women and children lose their lives in the woods and rumor has it that a werewolf is haunting the place. In 1589, the farmer Peter Stumpf is arrested for these killings and later confesses to having slaughtered 14 children and two pregnant women, claiming that he had engaged in the art of black magic at the age of 12 and had received a magical belt from the Devil himself that allowed him to take the shape of a wolf in which he then committed all these bloody murders over the course of 25 years. Stumpf is not only accused of being a serial murder and a cannibal but also of having an incestuous relationship with his daughter and even admits to having had intercourse with a succubus that the Devil sent to him. The murderer and his daughter are sentenced to death and are eventually executed on October 31, 1589 – his daughter is flayed, strangled and burned and Stumpf has to suffer severe torture before he is being decapitated and burned as well.
A novel based on the first account of a serial killer in world history
The story above is not a piece of fiction but happened just like this in the late 16th century in Western Germany and the case of the „werewolf“ Peter Stumpf became known as (one of) the first documented account of a serial killer in world history. More than 400 years later, this case now has inspired Scottish author Neil Mackay to write a novel which deals with the trial of the serial killer Stumpf, even though Mackay made a few modifications to the historical facts. The city of Bedburg is now called Bideburg, Peter Stumpf is a wealthy landowner instead of just a common farmer and the murderer is not only accused of having killed 14 victims but the shocking number of almost 70 people – men, women, children and even babies. After being caught in the act of killing his 69th victim – a little boy which he murdered in the woods of Bideburg just like most of his other victims –, Stumpf is now facing his trial and the lawyer Paulus Melchior is sent to the small town to decide whether Stumpf is to be tried as a human being or as a werewolf. The story is narrated by Paulus’ young assistant Willy Lessinger and sets in at their arrival at Bideburg when Peter Stumpf has already been arrested and even confessed under torture to being a werewolf.
Human serial killer or werewolf?
I have to admit that usually I’m not really interested in historical fiction that is set in the Middle Ages because most often those stories are dominated by religious issues and if it’s not Harrison Ford searching for the Holy Grail or Tom Hanks trying to save the Vatican then I actually couldn’t care less about church-related stories. Therefore a novel like „The Wolf Trial“ in which the church plays not an unimportant role since it’s one of the parties that are involved in the Peter Stumpf trial might not seem the perfect book for me but the prospect of getting to read a bloody serial killer story which is different from the typical modern thrillers won me over quite fast. And when I met the fictional version of historical Peter Stumpf for the very first time I was quite optimistic that I had made the right choice because in some ways this man appeared like a medieval version of Hannibal Lecter: a serial killer who can be incredibly violent and murder his victims like a beast but also one who is able to perfectly blend in with society and can easily take part in controversial and sophisticated debates. And I’m not ashamed to also admit that I was really intrigued by the descriptions of his murders and Neil Mackay definitely did a great job showing the shocking extent of Stumpf’s dark side. „The Wolf Trial“ is extremely bloody and violent and while I’m a bit tempted to say that the author used these very descriptive scenes to address the sensationalist part of his readers I can also easily imagine that this era was just as brutal and inhuman as Mackay describes it: it was an age where women had literally no rights and just existed to take care of the household and the children, where mass rapes took place with the whole town watching, where people got accused for ridiculous things in connection with being in league with the devil and where the church brutally tortured and murdered in the name of God almost every day.
A quite predictable plot with little suspense
But while I loved the dark parts of „The Wolf Trial“ I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed about the actual plot. I’m not really sure if maybe I went into this book with the wrong expectations but I had somehow hoped that there would be a bigger focus on the serial killer investigation or the trial, maybe something like a mix of a thriller and a medieval courtroom drama but those aspects rather played a minor role in this story. Unfortunately for me most of the story totally lacked any suspense because more or less the only question was if Peter Stumpf would be tried as a man or a werewolf – which in any case would end with his execution with the only differences being the cruelty of his death and whether Stumpf’s family would get sentenced to death as well for mating with a werewolf respectively being the offspring of one. Therefore I found the story quite predictable and only the ending was able to still surprise me.
Not the medieval thriller I had hoped for
I also struggled a bit with the many interludes of this story in which Neil Mackay told little anecdotes from the past of his characters or took the time to give political or sociological background information about the era in which this story takes place but to me those parts felt more like an interruption that kept me away from the serial killer plot. Another thing that was giving me a bit of a hard time were the characters because I found them all to be rather flat which concerns especially the two protagonists, the lawyer Paulus Melchior and his apprentice Willy who is also the narrator. Willy was more of an observer most of the time and didn’t really give away a lot about himself and the same applies to Paulus who only towards the end gave some deeper insights into his character. But I was probably most disappointed about Peter Stumpf who came with all the potential to make for a great antagonist but somehow the author never really made use of him, especially in the second half of the book where he was barely part of the story and had almost no appearances anymore. So overall „The Wolf Trial“ unfortunately didn’t manage to live up to my expectations even though I found the premise very appealing, liked how the author questioned the morals and the laws of the church and I was also intrigued by the dark atmosphere but the actual plot just wasn’t interesting enough to keep me hooked to the book.
A novel based on the first account of a serial killer in world history
The story above is not a piece of fiction but happened just like this in the late 16th century in Western Germany and the case of the „werewolf“ Peter Stumpf became known as (one of) the first documented account of a serial killer in world history. More than 400 years later, this case now has inspired Scottish author Neil Mackay to write a novel which deals with the trial of the serial killer Stumpf, even though Mackay made a few modifications to the historical facts. The city of Bedburg is now called Bideburg, Peter Stumpf is a wealthy landowner instead of just a common farmer and the murderer is not only accused of having killed 14 victims but the shocking number of almost 70 people – men, women, children and even babies. After being caught in the act of killing his 69th victim – a little boy which he murdered in the woods of Bideburg just like most of his other victims –, Stumpf is now facing his trial and the lawyer Paulus Melchior is sent to the small town to decide whether Stumpf is to be tried as a human being or as a werewolf. The story is narrated by Paulus’ young assistant Willy Lessinger and sets in at their arrival at Bideburg when Peter Stumpf has already been arrested and even confessed under torture to being a werewolf.
Human serial killer or werewolf?
I have to admit that usually I’m not really interested in historical fiction that is set in the Middle Ages because most often those stories are dominated by religious issues and if it’s not Harrison Ford searching for the Holy Grail or Tom Hanks trying to save the Vatican then I actually couldn’t care less about church-related stories. Therefore a novel like „The Wolf Trial“ in which the church plays not an unimportant role since it’s one of the parties that are involved in the Peter Stumpf trial might not seem the perfect book for me but the prospect of getting to read a bloody serial killer story which is different from the typical modern thrillers won me over quite fast. And when I met the fictional version of historical Peter Stumpf for the very first time I was quite optimistic that I had made the right choice because in some ways this man appeared like a medieval version of Hannibal Lecter: a serial killer who can be incredibly violent and murder his victims like a beast but also one who is able to perfectly blend in with society and can easily take part in controversial and sophisticated debates. And I’m not ashamed to also admit that I was really intrigued by the descriptions of his murders and Neil Mackay definitely did a great job showing the shocking extent of Stumpf’s dark side. „The Wolf Trial“ is extremely bloody and violent and while I’m a bit tempted to say that the author used these very descriptive scenes to address the sensationalist part of his readers I can also easily imagine that this era was just as brutal and inhuman as Mackay describes it: it was an age where women had literally no rights and just existed to take care of the household and the children, where mass rapes took place with the whole town watching, where people got accused for ridiculous things in connection with being in league with the devil and where the church brutally tortured and murdered in the name of God almost every day.
A quite predictable plot with little suspense
But while I loved the dark parts of „The Wolf Trial“ I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed about the actual plot. I’m not really sure if maybe I went into this book with the wrong expectations but I had somehow hoped that there would be a bigger focus on the serial killer investigation or the trial, maybe something like a mix of a thriller and a medieval courtroom drama but those aspects rather played a minor role in this story. Unfortunately for me most of the story totally lacked any suspense because more or less the only question was if Peter Stumpf would be tried as a man or a werewolf – which in any case would end with his execution with the only differences being the cruelty of his death and whether Stumpf’s family would get sentenced to death as well for mating with a werewolf respectively being the offspring of one. Therefore I found the story quite predictable and only the ending was able to still surprise me.
Not the medieval thriller I had hoped for
I also struggled a bit with the many interludes of this story in which Neil Mackay told little anecdotes from the past of his characters or took the time to give political or sociological background information about the era in which this story takes place but to me those parts felt more like an interruption that kept me away from the serial killer plot. Another thing that was giving me a bit of a hard time were the characters because I found them all to be rather flat which concerns especially the two protagonists, the lawyer Paulus Melchior and his apprentice Willy who is also the narrator. Willy was more of an observer most of the time and didn’t really give away a lot about himself and the same applies to Paulus who only towards the end gave some deeper insights into his character. But I was probably most disappointed about Peter Stumpf who came with all the potential to make for a great antagonist but somehow the author never really made use of him, especially in the second half of the book where he was barely part of the story and had almost no appearances anymore. So overall „The Wolf Trial“ unfortunately didn’t manage to live up to my expectations even though I found the premise very appealing, liked how the author questioned the morals and the laws of the church and I was also intrigued by the dark atmosphere but the actual plot just wasn’t interesting enough to keep me hooked to the book.
February 4, 2026
Kniha nemá na databázi zrovna valné hodnocení. Ale anotace zněla poměrně zajímavě, takže jsem si řekla, že když už mám knihu dubna, tak to zkusím a sama si udělám názor.
Začátek byl v pohodě a kniha se četla dobře. Jenže po několika kapitolách jsem zjistila, že je často vyplňována vatou, zbytečným odkláněním od hlavní dějové linky a protahováním (což nejednoho čtenáře odradí). Trvalo snad přes sedmdesát stránek, než se příběh konečně dobral do vesnice, kde měl řádit vlkodlak.
Zbytečné tlachání mě donutilo začít přeskakovat, dostala jsem se k tomu důležitému a radovala jsem se, že jsem se hnula z místa. Ale chyba lávky. Jelikož jde o historický román a thriller zároveň, myslela jsem, že půjde o typické prvky jako církevní boj s neznámem, hon na čarodějnice, výslechy a tak podobně. Místo toho jsem došla k rozhovorům s údajným vlkodlakem, doznání velmi ochotně sypal z rukávu, bez sebemenšího problému. Detaily začínaly být dost nechutné, jeho vyprávění bylo odporné.
Tak nějak to u mě nenavodilo tu správnou atmosféru thrilleru, strachu, temna dané doby, typických církevních inkvizičních postupů (spíš mě to odpudilo). Což se možná časem objevilo, ale já už to zjišťovat nechci. Navíc některé postavy působily změkčile, u mužské populace jsem nejednou byla svědkem jejich dojemného plakání. Přestalo mě bavit sledovat, jak se to vyvíjí.
Za polovinou jsem to vzdala a rozhodla se nepokračovat...
Začátek byl v pohodě a kniha se četla dobře. Jenže po několika kapitolách jsem zjistila, že je často vyplňována vatou, zbytečným odkláněním od hlavní dějové linky a protahováním (což nejednoho čtenáře odradí). Trvalo snad přes sedmdesát stránek, než se příběh konečně dobral do vesnice, kde měl řádit vlkodlak.
Zbytečné tlachání mě donutilo začít přeskakovat, dostala jsem se k tomu důležitému a radovala jsem se, že jsem se hnula z místa. Ale chyba lávky. Jelikož jde o historický román a thriller zároveň, myslela jsem, že půjde o typické prvky jako církevní boj s neznámem, hon na čarodějnice, výslechy a tak podobně. Místo toho jsem došla k rozhovorům s údajným vlkodlakem, doznání velmi ochotně sypal z rukávu, bez sebemenšího problému. Detaily začínaly být dost nechutné, jeho vyprávění bylo odporné.
Tak nějak to u mě nenavodilo tu správnou atmosféru thrilleru, strachu, temna dané doby, typických církevních inkvizičních postupů (spíš mě to odpudilo). Což se možná časem objevilo, ale já už to zjišťovat nechci. Navíc některé postavy působily změkčile, u mužské populace jsem nejednou byla svědkem jejich dojemného plakání. Přestalo mě bavit sledovat, jak se to vyvíjí.
Za polovinou jsem to vzdala a rozhodla se nepokračovat...
January 31, 2019
Znáte to, takové to - "vadí mi to, ale nemůžu přijít na to, proč?" Tak nějak takhle to dopadlo s touhle knížkou. Pro mě potenciálně zajímavé téma - soudní proces s "vlkodlakem" Petrem Stumpfem, ale prostě ve výsledku ne. A dokonce nepodezřívám ani překladatele, protože z tohohle pohledu mi tam nic nevadilo.
Možná to bylo způsobeno tím kudrlinkovým a květnatým jazykem, do kterého náhle vpadne sprostá vulgarita, a korunuje to jakože slušný (cudný) popis erotických scén společně s docela explicitním popisem mučení a vraždění obětí. A k tomu občas zbytečné a absurdní odbočky.
Kočička s pejskem ukuchtili dort, který se nedal moc číst...
Možná to bylo způsobeno tím kudrlinkovým a květnatým jazykem, do kterého náhle vpadne sprostá vulgarita, a korunuje to jakože slušný (cudný) popis erotických scén společně s docela explicitním popisem mučení a vraždění obětí. A k tomu občas zbytečné a absurdní odbočky.
Kočička s pejskem ukuchtili dort, který se nedal moc číst...
September 17, 2025
I suspect that if you are considering reading this book you will probably already be aware of the story of Peter Stumpf, the so-called “werewolf.” The novel centres on whether Stumpf is truly a beast or a man when he commits his brutal murders. If deemed an animal, the awful consequence is that his family must share in his punishment. The narrator, Paulus, is the investigator and is capable of empathy, but the violence of religion and his own arrogance has also shaped him. He forces us to question the nature of humanity and the darkness that can emerge from Christianity’s obsession with sin and punishment. It is a truly dark novel, but I couldn't stop reading,
July 5, 2017
a thoroughly enjoyable, atmospheric, bloody and slightly demented novel of middle ages Germany. it works on various levels: entertaining history, philosophical exploration, clever narrative, and complete novel. I recommend it wholeheartedly, but don't read it if you're squeamish or disturbed by violence. it's set in a time of madness and blood, and reflects this well.
It's nothing lime The Name of the Rose though, and I wish publishers would stop doing that. It's a fine novel on its own merits.
It's nothing lime The Name of the Rose though, and I wish publishers would stop doing that. It's a fine novel on its own merits.
March 7, 2018
There were many good things about this book, despite some slips - small - on German history of the period and some improbabilities, especially in the finale (I shall not spoil the pleasure of others by describing it).
There are moments of very fine writing, but let down by basic errors of grammar which should have been picked up by the editor. 'I' and 'me' were commonly confused ('He led Paulus and I into the room), and there were many instances of 'he was stood' and 'he was sat' - elementary errors for a twelve-year-old. These were frequent enough to be a continual irritation.
There are moments of very fine writing, but let down by basic errors of grammar which should have been picked up by the editor. 'I' and 'me' were commonly confused ('He led Paulus and I into the room), and there were many instances of 'he was stood' and 'he was sat' - elementary errors for a twelve-year-old. These were frequent enough to be a continual irritation.
July 15, 2017
Historical fiction meets crime potboiler. The blurb compares it to The Name Of The Rose, but it's more like an upmarket Cadfael with added sadism than it is like Eco's mediaeval japery. Very elegantly written, informative and thought-provoking though this book is, I couldn't quite get past the surface sheen and reach a point where I really cared what happened.
A cautious recommend, though, for its many virtues and because you may find it more gripping than I did.
A cautious recommend, though, for its many virtues and because you may find it more gripping than I did.
June 3, 2019
First of all, as you could see the cover of the book is very appealing. Coming to the content, it has a lot of cruelty, brutality but that seemed to be inevitable for the plot that was chosen. Lot of research could have gone in it. The only reason I am not giving a five star is for all those scenes that did not take the story further, but held it for the sake of explanation.
All in all a book to be definitely given a try especially for those who likes to know the dark side of human.
All in all a book to be definitely given a try especially for those who likes to know the dark side of human.
August 30, 2017
Very good book but be warned it ain't for the fainthearted and for those expecting a glazed reading. The text and storyline are both demanding and gruesome and pitiful and frightening. Set in 17th century Germany it is the tale of a real life serial murder who was tried as a werewolf.
Bloody marvellous and not for bedtime reading.
Bloody marvellous and not for bedtime reading.
January 9, 2019
Tak tahle kniha byla neěčím jiným, než co jsem očekávala.
Vypadalo to na začátku jako povídání s Hannibalem Lectrem, pak se to stočilo na "hon za čarodějnicema".
Myslím, že každá kniha v sobě má něco, co najdete i jinde, ale u téhle jsem si toho byla nejvíc vědoma. A taky jsem se nevyhnula filozofické stránce. Bádání po tom, co a kdo. Jaký je člověk? Kdo je člověk?
Neskákala jsem radostí.
Vypadalo to na začátku jako povídání s Hannibalem Lectrem, pak se to stočilo na "hon za čarodějnicema".
Myslím, že každá kniha v sobě má něco, co najdete i jinde, ale u téhle jsem si toho byla nejvíc vědoma. A taky jsem se nevyhnula filozofické stránce. Bádání po tom, co a kdo. Jaký je člověk? Kdo je člověk?
Neskákala jsem radostí.
August 2, 2017
For me, it really took a very long time to get going and I didn't think that the reader was rewarded well enough for the extremely slow build up.
I am no prude and certainly not squeamish either but it seemed to me that the book was unnecessarily gruesome.
I am no prude and certainly not squeamish either but it seemed to me that the book was unnecessarily gruesome.
April 12, 2020
Zajímavý námět, fajn nenáročný mix středověkého soudního procesu, napětí a (za mě tedy zbytečné) romantiky. Ze začátku mi trvalo se do příběhu začíst a přišlo mi, že je to trošku vykrádačka - takové Jméno růže pro nenáročné.
August 20, 2017
Really good and interesting book. But it had some of the most brutal scenes I have ever read. Tough going through that part but worth it.
January 26, 2018
Alternately boring and grotesque. The monster in this story is The Church.
June 15, 2018
Docela složitý jazyk a pro mě moc odboček od hlavní dějové linie.
Read
February 17, 2024DNF. So much detail, but just not doing it for me.
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