Igor Bergler’s new novel, “Michelangelo’s Lie” proves that it is the most awaited Romanian book in the last 30 years. The fans of the Romanian author stormed the online bookstores and pre-ordered over 16,500 copies, a new absolute record for the Romanian book market. The previous record had been set by “Testament of Abraham” by the same author, in 2017 with 13,000 pre-ordered copies.
The book will hit the bookstores across Romania as of September 21.
The third novel in the Charles Baker series follows the story of the assassination of several cardinals in Rome, which causes panic in the Eternal City. The Vatican is already gnawed by endless scandals of corruption and pedophilia, and Christianity is losing followers at a worrying pace. Behind these ritual executions, complicated by the killing of other cardinals in Mexico, is a terrifying conspiracy and a devastating secret for the Church, hidden in a document discovered by Michelangelo Buonarroti five hundred years ago. Counterclockwise, with a huge pressure on them, the Italian secret services have to solve a puzzle of information that they send to Professor Charles Baker, who is visiting his recently discovered relatives from the Visconti noble family in Palmanova. The American professor and Columbus Clay – the detective who never forgets anything – are caught in the nets of the biggest conspiracy in history, woven over two millennia by the Church. Michelangelo’s secret has such explosive potential that his mere revelation could turn all of Christendom to ashes.
Igor Bergler, director, screenwriter and film critic, doctor of management and professor of narratology, is the best-selling Romanian author of the last 30 years and the only one whose books have been published in over 30 countries by the largest groups editorials of the world – from Penguin Random House to Grupo Planeta.
His first novel, “The Lost Bible” published in 2015, set a record of 250,000 sold copies. It was outranked by the second novel, “Testament of Abraham” , with 300,000 sold copies.
Igor Bergler became an exclusive author of Litera Publishing House starting this year.
“Michelangelo’s Lie – The Cathedral on Fire” will be followed in 2022 by “Michelangelo’s Lie – Profets and Sybils”.