A Case for the Exorcist

The revised edition of Marie Výrová's first case

In just ten years and five books, Superintendent Výrová has become one of the most popular characters in contemporary Czech crime fiction.

The body of a young woman is found in a church in Štěpánov, near Olomouc, giving the impression she was the victim of a strange ritual. As Superintendent Výrová unravels the mystery – involving a local priest, a womanising ornithologist, and an unhinged pseudo-expert on religious sects – she moves between a typical Haná village populated by eccentric characters and Olomouc University. Meanwhile, the body count rises, but the number of suspects does not fall…

A Case for the Exorcist has all the hallmarks of a well-written detective story: a bizarre murder, a thrilling investigation, dramatic twists, well-timed humour, a believably rendered setting and characters, and above all, a likeable team of detectives. A successful series adaptation, based on a screenplay by Petr Jarchovský, was filmed by Czech Television. Directed by Jan Hřebejk, the lead role was played by Klára Melíšková.

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“...it is a thrilling, believable, and mysterious classic detective story right up to the last moment, but enriched with most of the elements used by contemporary global authors, above all the effort to create a believable setting and story.”
— Michal Jareš, Pavel Mandys: A History of the Czech Detective Story

Marie approached the door of the house… She took another deep breath, released the safety on her weapon, leaned her back against the wall on the hinged side of the door, and pushed it open with her left hand. Clear. With her weapon aimed, she burst through the door – the entrance hall was empty, as was the section of the corridor she could see. Someone was coming down the stairs. From where she stood, she couldn't see the staircase, so she swiftly slipped through the hall, raised her weapon – and just then, Karel Karas came into her line of sight. He was coming down the stairs, a rifle in his hand.
— Excerpt from the book