It is 1671 and Master Mercurius who is a scholar in the university in Leiden is summoned by the rector, and he tells him that he needs to go to Delft as they need the help of a scholar.
We discover that Mercurius has a secret. He is a cleric, but he was not only ordained a protestant cleric, but also a Catholic one. Being a Catholic is his secret as in the Netherlands Catholics are persecuted.
In Delft he is received by the mayor, but Vermeer, the artist, and Van Lecuwenhoek, a scienist, are also there. Mercurius is told that three young girls have been abducted in the last month. The first one Gertruyd was found dead in a shallow grave. The other two, Magdalena and Anna are still missing, but it is believed that they are dead because ono ne can survive January. Mercurius goes with these men to visit the families and ask his quesstions.
Interesting start, and I am sure I'm going to enjoy the novel.
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