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O Padre Negro
Mystery at Fossaway Manor as the identity of the Black Abbot is sought and the search for missing treasure goes on.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1926
10 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Wallace
2,169 books260 followersRichard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 29, 2021
Ich habe vor mehreren Jahren schon einige Bücher von Edgar Wallace gelesen und wollte einfach mal schauen, wie sie mir heute gefallen. Ich mag das Geheimnisvolle, Gruselige, das ich immer mit Edgar Wallace verbinde. Leider muss ich sagen, dass ich mir mehr erwartet hatte. Entweder habe ich die Krimis, die ich damals von ihm gelesen habe, im Laufe der Zeit positiver im Gedächtnis gehabt, oder mein Geschmack hat sich einfach etwas verändert.
Ich mochte "Der schwarze Abt" durchaus, aber überwältigt hat mich das Buch nicht. Es war okay.
Ich mochte "Der schwarze Abt" durchaus, aber überwältigt hat mich das Buch nicht. Es war okay.
January 9, 2018
4 stars because I didnt have that WOW in the end. I mean I kinda got it myself, who the bad man was, two or three chapters before it was revealed. Still, a solid british-style mystery thriller. Wallace pace is rapid, you get quite involved in the story. I have to say, i expected more of a murder mystery, i was reading thinking how is going to be murdered, then i got a bit frustrated, because nobody got murdered. Was more of a thriller thing. Still great and recomforting reading. Cant wait to my next Wallace (ein Schriftsteller für Zwischendurch)
January 25, 2018
Dressing to Kill
If you want to read a locked-room-murder-mystery where an annoyingly self-centred detective, preferably one with a Belgian accent, eventually has all the suspects assemble, after talking to them individually and eavesdropping on their conversations with each other, and then reveals that the victim was the long-lost brother of the gardener’s second wife, who herself helped her husband achieve the rather enviable state of widowerhood in order to be able to marry her, and that the obscure late brother had started to blackmail the criminal couple when he was killed by the colonel’s delicate daughter with whom he had an affair and whom he wanted to jilt, … I say if you like that kind of story, Edgar Wallace is probably not really your cup of tea because his plots are much more action-driven, though hardly less ramified. In The Black Abbot, it is also well into the book before you even get a murder because the characters are so much concentrated on getting one up on each other in a treasure-hunt that they hardly find the time to kill although they prefer the slow way of doing somebody in by aspiring to marry them.
The main characters are Richard Alford, the “second son” of a noble family, and young Leslie Gine, who is supposed to marry Alford’s elder half-brother (they have different mothers) Harry, the present Earl of Chelford. Although Harry is not particularly interested in his fiancée – nay, not even much at ease in her presence – because he keeps reading old volumes in order to find a hint at the whereabouts of the family treasure, and Leslie is even less partial to the union, finding Richard the more desirable partner, her brother Arthur Gine has brought about the engagement because he thinks that this way lies a chance of paying his gambling bets and averting his ruin as a lawyer. Gine, however, is not particularly lucky in making plans, for he even does not notice that his very secretary, the sinister and scheming Mr. Gilder, is his bookmaker, until that gentleman chooses to blow his cover and barter for Gine’s sister, who has aroused his passion.
It sounds rather complicated, and it is getting even more so, because I have forgotten to mention the scheming Mary Wenner, who also wants to improve her position in life – by the way, for me the most enjoyable character in the novel, in her mixture of naivety and cunning –, and the Black Abbot, the Alfords’ family ghost, who guards the legendary treasure, and who dresses – in a cowl – to kill.
The Black Abbot does not really work as a whodunnit, but it is an exuberant yarn, full of red herrings and people trying to get the better of each other, its final chapters reading more like an adventure story, and for all Wallace’s speed and his tongue-in-cheek narration – you never have the feeling of being supposed to take it all too seriously –, he does manage to give his characters depth and credibility. The latter, of course, often not in the sense of trustworthiness … The only point I did not quite cherish as extremely likely was that All in all, it’s another of Wallace’s breath-taking page-turners, as quickly read as forgotten, but good entertainment.
If you want to read a locked-room-murder-mystery where an annoyingly self-centred detective, preferably one with a Belgian accent, eventually has all the suspects assemble, after talking to them individually and eavesdropping on their conversations with each other, and then reveals that the victim was the long-lost brother of the gardener’s second wife, who herself helped her husband achieve the rather enviable state of widowerhood in order to be able to marry her, and that the obscure late brother had started to blackmail the criminal couple when he was killed by the colonel’s delicate daughter with whom he had an affair and whom he wanted to jilt, … I say if you like that kind of story, Edgar Wallace is probably not really your cup of tea because his plots are much more action-driven, though hardly less ramified. In The Black Abbot, it is also well into the book before you even get a murder because the characters are so much concentrated on getting one up on each other in a treasure-hunt that they hardly find the time to kill although they prefer the slow way of doing somebody in by aspiring to marry them.
The main characters are Richard Alford, the “second son” of a noble family, and young Leslie Gine, who is supposed to marry Alford’s elder half-brother (they have different mothers) Harry, the present Earl of Chelford. Although Harry is not particularly interested in his fiancée – nay, not even much at ease in her presence – because he keeps reading old volumes in order to find a hint at the whereabouts of the family treasure, and Leslie is even less partial to the union, finding Richard the more desirable partner, her brother Arthur Gine has brought about the engagement because he thinks that this way lies a chance of paying his gambling bets and averting his ruin as a lawyer. Gine, however, is not particularly lucky in making plans, for he even does not notice that his very secretary, the sinister and scheming Mr. Gilder, is his bookmaker, until that gentleman chooses to blow his cover and barter for Gine’s sister, who has aroused his passion.
It sounds rather complicated, and it is getting even more so, because I have forgotten to mention the scheming Mary Wenner, who also wants to improve her position in life – by the way, for me the most enjoyable character in the novel, in her mixture of naivety and cunning –, and the Black Abbot, the Alfords’ family ghost, who guards the legendary treasure, and who dresses – in a cowl – to kill.
The Black Abbot does not really work as a whodunnit, but it is an exuberant yarn, full of red herrings and people trying to get the better of each other, its final chapters reading more like an adventure story, and for all Wallace’s speed and his tongue-in-cheek narration – you never have the feeling of being supposed to take it all too seriously –, he does manage to give his characters depth and credibility. The latter, of course, often not in the sense of trustworthiness … The only point I did not quite cherish as extremely likely was that All in all, it’s another of Wallace’s breath-taking page-turners, as quickly read as forgotten, but good entertainment.
November 28, 2019
A longer than usual Wallace tale, but the brisk pace makes it go quickly. Ironic that the character Arthur is up to his neck in gambling debt and practically penniless. Wallace himself had the same problem with gambling and died leaving his wife and daughter with nothing. One wonders that he couldn't see himself there and do something about it. It's not a complex plot but it has many characters, all of whom change over the course of the tale. The only bad part is toward the end where several chapters are spent wandering thru a underground ruin. These drag and bring the pace to a halt. Also, the end seems to just stop, as tho Wallace meant to write another page but didn't. Much is made of the heroine Leslie but she's actually the least interesting person in the book; she's just there, and everyone wants her, but it's hard to say why.Still it's a good book, highly entertaining. One seldom goes wrong with Wallace and The Black Abbot is no exception.
February 28, 2022
The action in this thriller takes place in and around Fossaway Manor, the home of Harry Alford, the 18th Lord Chelford, and his brother Richard. There are many subsidiary characters including ladies who provide the love interest in the story.
It is a suspenseful novel with many twists and turns as the brothers battle it out in an effort to identify who is the Black Abbot, who constantly roams the Manor's grounds upsetting the residents and visitors, and also they seek some supposed buried treasure that is allegedly on the grounds.
It is a fairly exciting thriller, particularly at the climax of the story but it does have its dull parts when the reader is liable to drift away for a few pages.
It is a suspenseful novel with many twists and turns as the brothers battle it out in an effort to identify who is the Black Abbot, who constantly roams the Manor's grounds upsetting the residents and visitors, and also they seek some supposed buried treasure that is allegedly on the grounds.
It is a fairly exciting thriller, particularly at the climax of the story but it does have its dull parts when the reader is liable to drift away for a few pages.
August 13, 2023
Magyarul olvastam, mert lusta vagyok a példányokkal vacakolni, a Hungaprint borító valamivel jobb.
Ez a borító szinte nevetséges, kicsit félrevezető is, nincs szó rémregényről.
Edgar Wallace hányatott sorsú gyerekből lett újságíró, majd korának sikeres bűnügyi szerzője. A krimi témákat kalandos-romantikus zsánerrel keverte. Sokszor ötletes, de gyakran sematikus, felületes. Általában szórakoztató, ez a könyv is jó egy könnyed olvasáshoz, ha nem várunk ennél többet.
Nagy kár, hogy itt a fordítás igen gyenge, nyilván nem érte meg új fordítás a kiadóknak, csak szerintem ennél többet érdemel.
Ez a borító szinte nevetséges, kicsit félrevezető is, nincs szó rémregényről.
Edgar Wallace hányatott sorsú gyerekből lett újságíró, majd korának sikeres bűnügyi szerzője. A krimi témákat kalandos-romantikus zsánerrel keverte. Sokszor ötletes, de gyakran sematikus, felületes. Általában szórakoztató, ez a könyv is jó egy könnyed olvasáshoz, ha nem várunk ennél többet.
Nagy kár, hogy itt a fordítás igen gyenge, nyilván nem érte meg új fordítás a kiadóknak, csak szerintem ennél többet érdemel.
January 13, 2014
Più che un giallo è una storia avventurosa tra amore, intrighi, sotterfugi e misteri. Su tutto aleggia la figura di un oscuro abate e la leggenda di un favoloso tesoro. I personaggi sono interessanti e ben delineati e la storia è coinvolgente.
January 26, 2018
Anche per questo giallo ho riscontrato il difetto del "troppo", sebbene giustificato dall'atmosfera gotica. Troppe botole, troppe inferriate, troppi marchingegni, troppi "fantasmi". Avrebbe potuto cavarsela con qualche decina di pagine in meno e l'intreccio non ne avrebbe risentito.
Vabbe', ho imparato abbastanza di Wallace e ritorno a Simenon :-)
Vabbe', ho imparato abbastanza di Wallace e ritorno a Simenon :-)
March 15, 2016
Edgar Wallace certainly has a fine mind for thinking up skulduggery and clever ways for people to defraud each other. Throw in some legends involving ghosts and lost gold, and you've got quite a story.
So, we have Harry Alford, Earl of Chelford who lives in Fossaway Manor, where his family has lived for centuries. There used to be an Abbey on the grounds as well, and there's a legend that a "black abbot" haunts the place. People within the manor, i.e. servants, and the rubes in the environs begin to tell tales of seeing, once again, a "black abbot" stalking the grounds. Who or what is he? What is his purpose? Certainly something isn't quite kosher. Harry is obsessed with an old legend about buried gold in the manor and is determined to find it. He is much more interested in finding the gold than in spending time with his finacée Leslie Gine.
Then we have the "second son", Richard Alford or Dick, who actually runs the estates for his older brother. He is also clearly in love with Leslie Gine and she with him.
Leslie's brother, Arthur Gine, has been handling family finances for quite some time and has managed to embezzle and fritter away not only Lord Chelford's money (or maybe just his mother's money), but Leslie's considerable fortune as well. He has a serious gambling problem. His trusted advisor, Fabrian Gilder, also fancies Leslie, and appears to be more involved in his employer's financial tribulations than one might first imagine.
Toss in Mary Wenner, who used to be Lord Chelford's private secretary, and who was heavily involved with the research related to finding all the buried gold. She set her cap toward Lord Chelford, and Dick manages to save his brother from such an entanglement and has her dismissed. But she figures she can sell what she knows about the hidden gold to Arthur Gine in exchange for his promise to marry her, and barring that, Fabrian Gilder will do. It seems that she just wants to be married, despite repeatedly disavowing this desire: "I should no more think of throwing myself at his head than I should of flying to the moon".
So anyway, there's lots interesting and colorful characters and lots of opportunities for skull duggery, murder, lurking around in the shadows and so forth. All in all an engaging tale. I'm becoming rather fond of Edgar Wallace.
So, we have Harry Alford, Earl of Chelford who lives in Fossaway Manor, where his family has lived for centuries. There used to be an Abbey on the grounds as well, and there's a legend that a "black abbot" haunts the place. People within the manor, i.e. servants, and the rubes in the environs begin to tell tales of seeing, once again, a "black abbot" stalking the grounds. Who or what is he? What is his purpose? Certainly something isn't quite kosher. Harry is obsessed with an old legend about buried gold in the manor and is determined to find it. He is much more interested in finding the gold than in spending time with his finacée Leslie Gine.
Then we have the "second son", Richard Alford or Dick, who actually runs the estates for his older brother. He is also clearly in love with Leslie Gine and she with him.
Leslie's brother, Arthur Gine, has been handling family finances for quite some time and has managed to embezzle and fritter away not only Lord Chelford's money (or maybe just his mother's money), but Leslie's considerable fortune as well. He has a serious gambling problem. His trusted advisor, Fabrian Gilder, also fancies Leslie, and appears to be more involved in his employer's financial tribulations than one might first imagine.
Toss in Mary Wenner, who used to be Lord Chelford's private secretary, and who was heavily involved with the research related to finding all the buried gold. She set her cap toward Lord Chelford, and Dick manages to save his brother from such an entanglement and has her dismissed. But she figures she can sell what she knows about the hidden gold to Arthur Gine in exchange for his promise to marry her, and barring that, Fabrian Gilder will do. It seems that she just wants to be married, despite repeatedly disavowing this desire: "I should no more think of throwing myself at his head than I should of flying to the moon".
So anyway, there's lots interesting and colorful characters and lots of opportunities for skull duggery, murder, lurking around in the shadows and so forth. All in all an engaging tale. I'm becoming rather fond of Edgar Wallace.
June 28, 2012
The book is an interesting mystery with some romantic elements though no character is especially likeable. It was interesting to see how the gold bug infected all the characters and then to watch them work at cross purposes.
September 9, 2025
Not a typical Edgar Wallace novel, but I'm starting to think there are no typical Edgar Wallace novels. He was the Melissa McShane of his day: prolific, competent, didn't just work to the same formula all the time, but wrote widely varied books within a broad genre category, most of them good.
This one has just enough of a mystery to it that I've tagged it as "classic-mystery," but, despite the country-house setting, it isn't one of those where the wealthy man is murdered in his locked library. There's a mysterious figure, believed by some to be the ghost of the Black Abbot of the title, who wanders the grounds at intervals; a legendary treasure supposedly buried by an Elizabethan ancestor, which every generation since has put in huge effort searching for; an eccentric, scholarly earl; his practical, athletic younger brother, who runs the estate; their neighbours, a lawyer with a gambling problem who has embezzled extensively to support his habit and is about to be found out, and the lawyer's sister, who is engaged to the earl but in love with the younger brother (who reciprocates); the lawyer's chief clerk, who is too clever by half and also in love with the sister; the earl's former secretary, who tried to get the earl to marry her but was foiled by the younger brother; a footman who is selling information to the clerk; and a Scotland Yard sergeant who looks remarkably like a monkey. (This is purely colour, with no direct impact on events; that's not a criticism, because I believe that there's a place for purely decorative elements in a well-written book.)
It's a promising cast, and it doesn't disappoint. There are plenty of twists and turns, lots of peril and suspense, and it's all well told, with the couple of coincidences playing not too much of a pivotal role in the plot. The sequences in the underground ruins of the monastery have a "perilous dungeons" feel. The financial back-and-forth is easy enough to understand while still being full of reverses and shocks. The romance aspect is, for Wallace and for his time, not badly handled. All of the characters have a bit more to them than their archetype and their plot role, and nobody is unmixedly a villain without any redeeming qualities. As Wallace books go, it's a strong one, and gets a recommendation from me.
The Project Gutenberg editor has put in some work to get rid of a number of typos in the original, which I appreciate.
This one has just enough of a mystery to it that I've tagged it as "classic-mystery," but, despite the country-house setting, it isn't one of those where the wealthy man is murdered in his locked library. There's a mysterious figure, believed by some to be the ghost of the Black Abbot of the title, who wanders the grounds at intervals; a legendary treasure supposedly buried by an Elizabethan ancestor, which every generation since has put in huge effort searching for; an eccentric, scholarly earl; his practical, athletic younger brother, who runs the estate; their neighbours, a lawyer with a gambling problem who has embezzled extensively to support his habit and is about to be found out, and the lawyer's sister, who is engaged to the earl but in love with the younger brother (who reciprocates); the lawyer's chief clerk, who is too clever by half and also in love with the sister; the earl's former secretary, who tried to get the earl to marry her but was foiled by the younger brother; a footman who is selling information to the clerk; and a Scotland Yard sergeant who looks remarkably like a monkey. (This is purely colour, with no direct impact on events; that's not a criticism, because I believe that there's a place for purely decorative elements in a well-written book.)
It's a promising cast, and it doesn't disappoint. There are plenty of twists and turns, lots of peril and suspense, and it's all well told, with the couple of coincidences playing not too much of a pivotal role in the plot. The sequences in the underground ruins of the monastery have a "perilous dungeons" feel. The financial back-and-forth is easy enough to understand while still being full of reverses and shocks. The romance aspect is, for Wallace and for his time, not badly handled. All of the characters have a bit more to them than their archetype and their plot role, and nobody is unmixedly a villain without any redeeming qualities. As Wallace books go, it's a strong one, and gets a recommendation from me.
The Project Gutenberg editor has put in some work to get rid of a number of typos in the original, which I appreciate.
February 12, 2017
I hadn't heard of it before picking up an old edition of it at a thrift store, but I started reading it and ended up finishing it in less than a week (which is saying a lot for me, because it's rare I actually have time to read). The writing style was engaging, the content was pretty sound (although I guessed who the antagonist was pretty quick), the characters were well-developed, and even with some of it's incredibly predictable moments and situations, I was still surprised by the ending. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in classic old novels, in treasure hunting, in english/gothic architecture, or in a tale of intrigue and adventure (as it can best be described as so).
October 26, 2010
Excellent Edgar Wallace mystery. Hidden treasure (with admittedly a blatantly obvious clue), a mysterious ghostly monk and lots of intrigue. Not really a crime novel although there is a murder, this is a rip roaring old fashioned thriller. Wallace at his best.
June 13, 2009
The first book I ever read that wasn't a kid's book. Started my addiction to reading.
December 9, 2015
Un bel giallo, non il classico giallo con assassino e indagini per scoprirlo, ma un giallo con molti colpi di scena riguardo un famoso tesoro medioevale...
February 17, 2024
Englischer geht Krimi kaum
Als Kind jagte mir „Der schwarze Abt“ im Film einen argen Schrecken ein – vor allem die Großaufnahme seines Kapuzenkopfs. Als Erwachsener fand ich nun endlich Zeit, die Romanvorlage zu lesen. Sie ist so englisch, dass es englischer kaum geht: traditionsbewusst, skurril, ein wenig naiv, stellenweise spooky.
Hauptort der Handlung (mit Abstechern ins noble Londoner Zentrum) ist das Adelsanwesen Fossaway in Sussex. Seit 800 Jahren ist es im Besitz der Grafen von Chelford. „Der erste Graf (…) hackte dem ursprünglichen Besitzer den Kopf ab und ernannte sich selbst zum Eigentümer. Seine Nachfolger stahlen noch einige tausend Hektar von den Bauern (durch die Umleitung eines Flusses), bis der heutige Besitz komplett war“, heißt es. Und vor 700 Jahren ließ der zweite Graf Chelford einen schwarz gewandeten Abt aus der nahen Abtei (nun eine Ruine) ermorden, der eine Affäre mit der Gräfin hatte.
Damit legt Edgar Wallace – im Stile eines Edgar Allan Poe – geschickt die Lunte in die Gegenwart. Was auf Unrecht oder Mord basiert, rächt sich durch die Generationen, zieht einen Fluch nach sich. Man wartet auf die Detonation.
Die kündigt sich in Etappen an. Zum einen wird auf Fossaway immer wieder ein schwarzer Abt gesehen, der sehr real zu sein scheint und für Angst sorgt. Zum anderen ist Harry Alford, der 18. Graf Chelford, ein licht- und leutescheuer Eigenbrötler, der über alten Karten und Schriften brütet und zwei Obsessionen hat: an ein legendäres Lebenselixier zu gelangen plus den sagenhaften Schatz eines seiner Vorfahren zu finden, der als Freibeuter von Elizabeth I. den Spaniern 1.000 Barren Gold abgeluchst und in Fossaway vergraben haben soll.
Rund um diese Geistergeschichtenelemente hat Edgar Wallace handfesten irdischen Betrug eingebaut. Arthur Gine, der Anwalt des Grafen, ist ein Glücksspieler und Betrüger, der wiederum selbst von seinem Büroleiter, Fabian Gilder, in die Irre geführt und erpresst wird. Die Schwester des Anwalts, Leslie, soll den Grafen heiraten. Gleichzeitig hat Gilder ein Auge auf sie geworfen. Ebenso Dick Alford, der Halbbruder des Grafen und „Held“ der Geschichte.
Ungewöhnlich für einen Krimi: Es braucht mehr als 100 Seiten, bis ein Mord passiert. Ungewöhnlich, aber gut in den Plot passend. Bis es zum Showdown im Untergrund der Ruine kommt, darf man rätseln, wer hinter dem schwarzen Abt steckt. Und jedes kleine Detail, angefangen vom einst umgeleiteten Fluss, macht Sinn. Gut erzählt, alle Fäden verknüpft, Mr Wallace.
Als Kind jagte mir „Der schwarze Abt“ im Film einen argen Schrecken ein – vor allem die Großaufnahme seines Kapuzenkopfs. Als Erwachsener fand ich nun endlich Zeit, die Romanvorlage zu lesen. Sie ist so englisch, dass es englischer kaum geht: traditionsbewusst, skurril, ein wenig naiv, stellenweise spooky.
Hauptort der Handlung (mit Abstechern ins noble Londoner Zentrum) ist das Adelsanwesen Fossaway in Sussex. Seit 800 Jahren ist es im Besitz der Grafen von Chelford. „Der erste Graf (…) hackte dem ursprünglichen Besitzer den Kopf ab und ernannte sich selbst zum Eigentümer. Seine Nachfolger stahlen noch einige tausend Hektar von den Bauern (durch die Umleitung eines Flusses), bis der heutige Besitz komplett war“, heißt es. Und vor 700 Jahren ließ der zweite Graf Chelford einen schwarz gewandeten Abt aus der nahen Abtei (nun eine Ruine) ermorden, der eine Affäre mit der Gräfin hatte.
Damit legt Edgar Wallace – im Stile eines Edgar Allan Poe – geschickt die Lunte in die Gegenwart. Was auf Unrecht oder Mord basiert, rächt sich durch die Generationen, zieht einen Fluch nach sich. Man wartet auf die Detonation.
Die kündigt sich in Etappen an. Zum einen wird auf Fossaway immer wieder ein schwarzer Abt gesehen, der sehr real zu sein scheint und für Angst sorgt. Zum anderen ist Harry Alford, der 18. Graf Chelford, ein licht- und leutescheuer Eigenbrötler, der über alten Karten und Schriften brütet und zwei Obsessionen hat: an ein legendäres Lebenselixier zu gelangen plus den sagenhaften Schatz eines seiner Vorfahren zu finden, der als Freibeuter von Elizabeth I. den Spaniern 1.000 Barren Gold abgeluchst und in Fossaway vergraben haben soll.
Rund um diese Geistergeschichtenelemente hat Edgar Wallace handfesten irdischen Betrug eingebaut. Arthur Gine, der Anwalt des Grafen, ist ein Glücksspieler und Betrüger, der wiederum selbst von seinem Büroleiter, Fabian Gilder, in die Irre geführt und erpresst wird. Die Schwester des Anwalts, Leslie, soll den Grafen heiraten. Gleichzeitig hat Gilder ein Auge auf sie geworfen. Ebenso Dick Alford, der Halbbruder des Grafen und „Held“ der Geschichte.
Ungewöhnlich für einen Krimi: Es braucht mehr als 100 Seiten, bis ein Mord passiert. Ungewöhnlich, aber gut in den Plot passend. Bis es zum Showdown im Untergrund der Ruine kommt, darf man rätseln, wer hinter dem schwarzen Abt steckt. Und jedes kleine Detail, angefangen vom einst umgeleiteten Fluss, macht Sinn. Gut erzählt, alle Fäden verknüpft, Mr Wallace.
November 30, 2021
Harry, cel de-al optsprezecelea conte de Chelford şi fratele său, Richard Alford, stabiliţi la conacul lor de la Fossaway, sunt confruntaţi cu prezenţa insolită a Călugărului Negru, care n-ar fi altcineva decât fantoma defunctului abate de Chelfordsbury, ucis în urmă cu şapte sute de ani: crimă pasională a unuia dintre strămoşii lor!
Aceeaşi legendă mai afirmă că în subteranele ruinelor mănăstirii din apropiere se află nu numai o comoară uriaşă ― aurul galioanelor spaniole, dar şi faimosul elixir al vieţii.
Logodnica lui Harry, d-ra Leslie Gines, fratele acesteia, cunoscutul jurist Arthur Gines, unul dintre subalternii săi, ciudatul domn Milder, ex-valetul contelui, d-ra Venner ― toţi încearcă să afle taina Călugărului Negru şi sunt prinşi într-un vârtej de evenimente dramatice.
Rând pe rând, cei doi fraţi Alford constituie ţinta unor tentative de asasinat. Asupra sergentului Puttler de La Scotland Yard ― chemat pentru a dezlega misterul ― sunt trase deasemeni focuri de armă, un fals Călugăr Negru este ucis…
Teroarea stăpâneşte totul, suspiciunile se înteţesc (în definitiv, oricare dintre personajele noastre se poate ascunde sub sutana maleficului abate, nu-i aşa?)
Cine este deci „adevăratul” Călugăr Negru şi care îi sunt mobilurile?
Contele Chelford este răpit, logodnica sa dispare şi ea, şi deznodământul palpitantelor întâmplări are loc în tainiţele mănăstirii, unde, în licărul palid al aurului vechi, asistăm cu răsuflarea tăiată la un duel extraordinar între Bine şi Rău, între Dragoste şi Ură.
Un roman cum numai pana măiastră a lui Edgar Wallace ― regele neîncoronat al policier-ului ― putea să-l scrie, un roman inedit pentru cititorul român, un roman pe care editura noastră îl scoate de sub teascuri în versiune integrală, aşa cum îşi propune să procedeze şi cu celelalte scrieri ale aceluiaşi autor, în colecţia care, semnificativ, se cheamă INTEGRALA WALLACE!
Aceeaşi legendă mai afirmă că în subteranele ruinelor mănăstirii din apropiere se află nu numai o comoară uriaşă ― aurul galioanelor spaniole, dar şi faimosul elixir al vieţii.
Logodnica lui Harry, d-ra Leslie Gines, fratele acesteia, cunoscutul jurist Arthur Gines, unul dintre subalternii săi, ciudatul domn Milder, ex-valetul contelui, d-ra Venner ― toţi încearcă să afle taina Călugărului Negru şi sunt prinşi într-un vârtej de evenimente dramatice.
Rând pe rând, cei doi fraţi Alford constituie ţinta unor tentative de asasinat. Asupra sergentului Puttler de La Scotland Yard ― chemat pentru a dezlega misterul ― sunt trase deasemeni focuri de armă, un fals Călugăr Negru este ucis…
Teroarea stăpâneşte totul, suspiciunile se înteţesc (în definitiv, oricare dintre personajele noastre se poate ascunde sub sutana maleficului abate, nu-i aşa?)
Cine este deci „adevăratul” Călugăr Negru şi care îi sunt mobilurile?
Contele Chelford este răpit, logodnica sa dispare şi ea, şi deznodământul palpitantelor întâmplări are loc în tainiţele mănăstirii, unde, în licărul palid al aurului vechi, asistăm cu răsuflarea tăiată la un duel extraordinar între Bine şi Rău, între Dragoste şi Ură.
Un roman cum numai pana măiastră a lui Edgar Wallace ― regele neîncoronat al policier-ului ― putea să-l scrie, un roman inedit pentru cititorul român, un roman pe care editura noastră îl scoate de sub teascuri în versiune integrală, aşa cum îşi propune să procedeze şi cu celelalte scrieri ale aceluiaşi autor, în colecţia care, semnificativ, se cheamă INTEGRALA WALLACE!
February 11, 2024
Kvůli Rudé žni jsme se vrátil až do žánrové prehistorie. Až na konec devatenáctého století, Ke člověku, který své romány diktoval téměř na jeden zátah… a to ještě na váleček ve fonografu. K Edgaru Wallacemu. Byl to klasický komerční autor, který psal hlavně aby splatil své dluhy a mixoval moderní přístupy (jako první třeba používal policejní vyšetřovatele) s gotickými romány a tajemnými maskovanými zabijáky. Prostě takový zakladatel thrillerového žánru. Když člověk pak zjistí, že spousta jeho románů byla nadiktována během tří dnů a redaktoři směli opravovat jen překlepy a pravopisné chyby, je vůbec divu, že to dává smysl… a i když se to dá číst už spíš jen jako součást exkurze do historie žánru, pořád se to ještě dá číst.
Černého opata jsem poprvé četl kdysi v dětství a asi na mě nějak zapůsobil (myslím, že díky Wallacemu mám v současnosti slabost pro Prestona a Childa), ale teď mi to spíš přišlo jako román P. G. Wodehouse zbavený humoru a jazykové hravosti. Mladší bratr šlechtického rodu, dívka, zaslíbená jeho staršímu bratrovi, záludný bratr té dívky a jeho ještě záludnější zaměstnanec… a samozřejmě, přízrak černého opata a tajemný poklad. Až mě překvapilo, že se tam vlastně skoro nic nestane, a počet vražd byste spočítali na prstech jednoho prstu. Vlastně to na nějaké gradaci nabere až úplně na konci, kdy se konečně hrdinové dostanou do tajemných sklepení, padají do studní, bortí se klenby a zlo je potrestáno. Tyhle scény mají i nějakou pulpovou atmosféru, ale zbytek je spíš romantická konverzačka. Zvraty mohly být ve své době překvapivé, bohužel dneska vás zaskočí leda v případě, že to bude, stejně jako já, číst v nějakých osmi letech.
Ale to je jen můj první krok do wallaceovské džungle. Uvidíme, jak se budou jevit ostatní knihy.
Černého opata jsem poprvé četl kdysi v dětství a asi na mě nějak zapůsobil (myslím, že díky Wallacemu mám v současnosti slabost pro Prestona a Childa), ale teď mi to spíš přišlo jako román P. G. Wodehouse zbavený humoru a jazykové hravosti. Mladší bratr šlechtického rodu, dívka, zaslíbená jeho staršímu bratrovi, záludný bratr té dívky a jeho ještě záludnější zaměstnanec… a samozřejmě, přízrak černého opata a tajemný poklad. Až mě překvapilo, že se tam vlastně skoro nic nestane, a počet vražd byste spočítali na prstech jednoho prstu. Vlastně to na nějaké gradaci nabere až úplně na konci, kdy se konečně hrdinové dostanou do tajemných sklepení, padají do studní, bortí se klenby a zlo je potrestáno. Tyhle scény mají i nějakou pulpovou atmosféru, ale zbytek je spíš romantická konverzačka. Zvraty mohly být ve své době překvapivé, bohužel dneska vás zaskočí leda v případě, že to bude, stejně jako já, číst v nějakých osmi letech.
Ale to je jen můj první krok do wallaceovské džungle. Uvidíme, jak se budou jevit ostatní knihy.
August 7, 2018
This was my first Edgar Wallace book, and I will certainly be looking for more.
For some reason as I read this book I kept likening it to radio serials. It has many of the same qualities: it has over fifty short chapters, a determined hero, a brave heroine, continuous cliffhangers and surprises. As I only read a short few pages every day it really did take on that sort of quality.
The plot is set in Chelfordbury, where the current Earl is obsessed with a hidden treasure and the macabre Black Abbot, said to be roaming the grounds of the main house and the nearby ruined abbey. From this a series of frightening events begin and snowball into death and danger.
Wallace's strengths are apparent in his writing style (the characters are not stupid and are thankfully plain spoken), his pacing (things move quickly, particularly in the last third of the book) and his setting of the scene (very detailed, including a seamless use of flashback chapters). At first so many of the characters seem unscrupulous - and some of them are - but by the time the story reaches its end nearly all of them show new depths. In my view the best books have characters that display many facets (such as in the world outside of books).
I won't say I didn't have the answers to the mystery deduced early on; it became obvious halfway through, but I didn't care...there were more twists and turns to come, and I wanted to see the characters through to the end. I have no problem seeing why Edgar Wallace was such a popular author in his day.
For some reason as I read this book I kept likening it to radio serials. It has many of the same qualities: it has over fifty short chapters, a determined hero, a brave heroine, continuous cliffhangers and surprises. As I only read a short few pages every day it really did take on that sort of quality.
The plot is set in Chelfordbury, where the current Earl is obsessed with a hidden treasure and the macabre Black Abbot, said to be roaming the grounds of the main house and the nearby ruined abbey. From this a series of frightening events begin and snowball into death and danger.
Wallace's strengths are apparent in his writing style (the characters are not stupid and are thankfully plain spoken), his pacing (things move quickly, particularly in the last third of the book) and his setting of the scene (very detailed, including a seamless use of flashback chapters). At first so many of the characters seem unscrupulous - and some of them are - but by the time the story reaches its end nearly all of them show new depths. In my view the best books have characters that display many facets (such as in the world outside of books).
I won't say I didn't have the answers to the mystery deduced early on; it became obvious halfway through, but I didn't care...there were more twists and turns to come, and I wanted to see the characters through to the end. I have no problem seeing why Edgar Wallace was such a popular author in his day.
December 31, 2025
Last minute Hörbuch am letzten Tag des Jahres: Der schwarze Abt (im Original erschienen 1926) von Edgar Wallace. In dieser Fassung wurde vermutlich gekürzt, so kam es mir zumindest vor. Viele Personen treten in kurzer Zeit auf, alle mit Geheimnissen, die meisten mit finanziellen Problemen und einige mit psychischen Störungen. Um alles zu sortieren, habe ich tatsächlich noch einmal nachgelesen.
Der im Titel erwähnte schwarze Abt ist eine Spukgestalt, die sich in Fossaway Castle herumtreibt. Der Schlossherr Lord Chelford will nichts davon hören, ihn interessiert nur der lange verschollene Goldschatz, der auf seinem Grundstück versteckt sein soll. Sogar seine Verlobte Leslie lässt er dafür links liegen, die steht sowieso mehr auf seinen (weniger gestörten) Bruder. Wie dann auch noch die Betrügereien des Anwalts Arthur Gine auffliegen bzw. der nicht minder intrigante Angestellte von Gine in das Konstrukt passt, ist für die Kürze des Audiobooks recht kompliziert. Im ganzen Personengewusel fiel der eigentlich Ermittler, der recht spät hinzugerufen wird, gar nicht weiter auf. Am Ende Das ganze war der Zeit entsprechend recht britisch (ich musste irgendwie an Paul Temple denken), hat mich aber nicht so richtig überzeugt.
Der im Titel erwähnte schwarze Abt ist eine Spukgestalt, die sich in Fossaway Castle herumtreibt. Der Schlossherr Lord Chelford will nichts davon hören, ihn interessiert nur der lange verschollene Goldschatz, der auf seinem Grundstück versteckt sein soll. Sogar seine Verlobte Leslie lässt er dafür links liegen, die steht sowieso mehr auf seinen (weniger gestörten) Bruder. Wie dann auch noch die Betrügereien des Anwalts Arthur Gine auffliegen bzw. der nicht minder intrigante Angestellte von Gine in das Konstrukt passt, ist für die Kürze des Audiobooks recht kompliziert. Im ganzen Personengewusel fiel der eigentlich Ermittler, der recht spät hinzugerufen wird, gar nicht weiter auf. Am Ende Das ganze war der Zeit entsprechend recht britisch (ich musste irgendwie an Paul Temple denken), hat mich aber nicht so richtig überzeugt.
June 18, 2025
Černý opat je mysteriózní román „asi“ z první třetiny 20.století. Obdob�� není přesně uvedeno, už tam však jezdí auta a létají letadla, ale všichni jsou stále dost pruderní. Takže asi tak.
Děj se odehrává na panství rodiny Chelfordových. Harry – lord Chelford je takový podivín, stále v starých knihách zastrčený, urputně hledajíci rodinný poklad. Richard – Dick, jeho bratr a teda druhý syn bez nároků, se stará jako správce o rodinné záležitosti.
Harry je zasnoubený s Leslie ale nevěnuje ji žádnou pozornost.
Obyvatelé panství i přilehlou vesnici straší dávný přízrak Černého opata, kterého nechal zabít jeden z Chelfordovic předků pro nevhodné chování.
Dickovi se nezdají nějaké věci, které se na panství dějí, a tak požádá Scotland Yard o „zapůjčení“ detektiva na pár týdnů.
Do děje nám vstupuje i Lesliin bratr – právník Artur, který prošustroval všechny Liesliine peníze, ale i značné množství peněz svých klientů a jeho partner Gilder, který si brousí zuby na Leslie.
V jednu noc je před panstvím nalezena mrtvola bývalého sluhy Thomase, je pobodán a zároveň zmizel Harry. Záhy mizí i Leslie.
Kdo je černý opat? Existuje dávný poklad? Kdo je vrahem a komu hrozí nebezpečí?
Je to taková nenáročná historická mini - detektivka. Nečekejte Agathu.....
Děj se odehrává na panství rodiny Chelfordových. Harry – lord Chelford je takový podivín, stále v starých knihách zastrčený, urputně hledajíci rodinný poklad. Richard – Dick, jeho bratr a teda druhý syn bez nároků, se stará jako správce o rodinné záležitosti.
Harry je zasnoubený s Leslie ale nevěnuje ji žádnou pozornost.
Obyvatelé panství i přilehlou vesnici straší dávný přízrak Černého opata, kterého nechal zabít jeden z Chelfordovic předků pro nevhodné chování.
Dickovi se nezdají nějaké věci, které se na panství dějí, a tak požádá Scotland Yard o „zapůjčení“ detektiva na pár týdnů.
Do děje nám vstupuje i Lesliin bratr – právník Artur, který prošustroval všechny Liesliine peníze, ale i značné množství peněz svých klientů a jeho partner Gilder, který si brousí zuby na Leslie.
V jednu noc je před panstvím nalezena mrtvola bývalého sluhy Thomase, je pobodán a zároveň zmizel Harry. Záhy mizí i Leslie.
Kdo je černý opat? Existuje dávný poklad? Kdo je vrahem a komu hrozí nebezpečí?
Je to taková nenáročná historická mini - detektivka. Nečekejte Agathu.....
July 1, 2024
“The Black Abbot” reads at times as if Wallace were trying to emulate Dickens. It is one of those hybrid novels which never quite come off-not exciting enough for a thriller, not atmospheric enough for a gothic, not sugary enough for a romance, not fraught with enough danger for a heroine-in-peril, and with not enough detection for a mystery.
It has some fairly colourful characters but is way too long-a hundred pages could be cut with no great loss-and ,although mildly convoluted, is by no means puzzling. It is also difficult to place in time , as the plot, attitudes, characters, language manners and mores are distinctly Victorian while the fast cars and aeroplanes place it firmly in its contemporary (1926) era.
The pacing of the plot is oddly out of kilter and there is a faintly dramatic and abrupt ending straight out of JS Fletcher. The Scotland Yard detective, acting on a private commission while on leave, is woefully underused.
Wallace is always readable but this is such a mishmash that I never really became invested in the fate of the main players. I simply wondered just how, and how soon, he was going to wrap it all up.
It has some fairly colourful characters but is way too long-a hundred pages could be cut with no great loss-and ,although mildly convoluted, is by no means puzzling. It is also difficult to place in time , as the plot, attitudes, characters, language manners and mores are distinctly Victorian while the fast cars and aeroplanes place it firmly in its contemporary (1926) era.
The pacing of the plot is oddly out of kilter and there is a faintly dramatic and abrupt ending straight out of JS Fletcher. The Scotland Yard detective, acting on a private commission while on leave, is woefully underused.
Wallace is always readable but this is such a mishmash that I never really became invested in the fate of the main players. I simply wondered just how, and how soon, he was going to wrap it all up.
November 15, 2023
2,5
Romanzo con tantissimo e altissimo potenziale a mio avviso, non sfruttato in nessun modo dall'autore. L'ambientazione gotica, che poteva essere il vero cavallo di battaglia della narrazione, rimane sullo sfondo, le apparizioni del fantasma appena accennate, i personaggi sono più che schizzi con giusto un paio di stereotipi ciascuno per renderli identificabili e lo stile è frenetico, con un colpo di scena dietro l'altro che più che coinvolgere il lettore lo disorientano. Edgar, che fretta avevi? Ti stavano correndo dietro? Sul finale la narrazione rallenta e si fa più avvincente, ma ormai la storia è finita. Peccato, perché gli ingredienti per un bel romanzo giallo dal sapore gotico c'erano tutti.
Il racconto inserito alla fine " Nel Brumello c'è il tranello" è come il romanzo, veloce e piatto. A questo però manca pure il potenziale.
Romanzo con tantissimo e altissimo potenziale a mio avviso, non sfruttato in nessun modo dall'autore. L'ambientazione gotica, che poteva essere il vero cavallo di battaglia della narrazione, rimane sullo sfondo, le apparizioni del fantasma appena accennate, i personaggi sono più che schizzi con giusto un paio di stereotipi ciascuno per renderli identificabili e lo stile è frenetico, con un colpo di scena dietro l'altro che più che coinvolgere il lettore lo disorientano. Edgar, che fretta avevi? Ti stavano correndo dietro? Sul finale la narrazione rallenta e si fa più avvincente, ma ormai la storia è finita. Peccato, perché gli ingredienti per un bel romanzo giallo dal sapore gotico c'erano tutti.
Il racconto inserito alla fine " Nel Brumello c'è il tranello" è come il romanzo, veloce e piatto. A questo però manca pure il potenziale.
March 29, 2020
I had to read this book, because the (first two minutes of the) German movie adaptation gave me a terrible experience (not nighmares though, but that is a different story) when I was five. The only movie that managed to do this.
The story is differing wildly from the movie, because the film crew had to include their stars as Scotland Yard inspectors etc.. In the beginning of the movie is a murder, in the book there is no murder in the beginning (and seeing this murder onscreen was the thing that gave me the creeps).
The beginning of the book is a bit slow. but it picks up speed in the middle. It is very peculiar to read about the different gender roles (but that was written about 100 ago, and we have come a long way since then), but they are not only damsels in distress in the novel.
The story is differing wildly from the movie, because the film crew had to include their stars as Scotland Yard inspectors etc.. In the beginning of the movie is a murder, in the book there is no murder in the beginning (and seeing this murder onscreen was the thing that gave me the creeps).
The beginning of the book is a bit slow. but it picks up speed in the middle. It is very peculiar to read about the different gender roles (but that was written about 100 ago, and we have come a long way since then), but they are not only damsels in distress in the novel.
January 27, 2024
Tuhle kratší knížku jsem si užila. I přes svou ne úplně dlouhou délku je celkem plná nečekaných zvratů, kdy člověk nevím, čemu úplně věřit. A občas ani komu. Děj jde rychle, není to natahované, jak to někdy u některých knížek bývá. Místy je knížka i lehce strašidelná, ale ne moc.
No a konečné rozuzlení mě opravdu hodně překvapilo, a nečekala jsem ho. I když ten skoro pohádkový závěr, kdy skoro všichni měli před sebou dobrou budoucnost, mi přišel až nereálný. Hlavně ta změna v chování některých postav, a jejich motivů. Jen si nejsem jistá, do jaké míry je to detektivní román, i když i na zabití jedné postavy dojde.
Celkově to bylo zajímavé čtení.
No a konečné rozuzlení mě opravdu hodně překvapilo, a nečekala jsem ho. I když ten skoro pohádkový závěr, kdy skoro všichni měli před sebou dobrou budoucnost, mi přišel až nereálný. Hlavně ta změna v chování některých postav, a jejich motivů. Jen si nejsem jistá, do jaké míry je to detektivní román, i když i na zabití jedné postavy dojde.
Celkově to bylo zajímavé čtení.
March 25, 2025
Oddly enough, this is the second mystery I've read recently with a ghost and ruins. I was starting to wonder if it was a murder mystery at all when I got to somewhere around chapter 40 and no one had been killed (it is, sort of). But by that point, I was so curious as to how the various subplots would work out that I was hooked.
I thought this was very well written and enjoyed the occasional POV switches so we could see what was happening away from the main characters. Those can be tricky to pull off, but Wallace definitely knew what he was doing.
Highly recommended.
I thought this was very well written and enjoyed the occasional POV switches so we could see what was happening away from the main characters. Those can be tricky to pull off, but Wallace definitely knew what he was doing.
Highly recommended.
March 27, 2024
Another entertaining Edgard Wallace novel - most of it is more ironic and even veering towards parody with various characters swindling (or trying to) each other, the usual ingenue heroine wanting to do the right thing, though it is quite unclear what that is and the actual mystery only slowly building, while the finale is more frantic though predictable to a large extent.
July 22, 2024
I've watched several Edgar Wallace movies, so I decided to give the books a try. It’s a pretty good story with interesting characters and a mysterious setting, that’s peeeerfect for an adventurous crime story. But I kinda missed the typical mystifying vibes, that are always present in the movies, so the whole story wasn’t really thrilling, even though it had a lot of potential.
January 6, 2022
Picked it up and couldn’t put it down because I was so deeply immersed in the story. A thrilling story that had my heart rate up and get like watching an exciting, diverting movie. The end was a tad quick bit on general a great read.
October 29, 2022
It was written in 1926. Golly it was quite slow. Confusing in audible. The characters and the locations... the description of the estate which is important to the story. It's probably easier to read the written version.
It's a mystery of a sort. I'm not recommending this book. But I finished.
It's a mystery of a sort. I'm not recommending this book. But I finished.
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