The first volume of selected works by the contemporary French writer Frédéric Tristan (born 1931) includes one of his most famous and fascinating works, “The Mystery of the Vatican.” The novel, written in the rare genre of intellectual detective, captivates from the first pages with the unexpected interweaving of eras and destinies, dubious truth and sparkling lies, religious dogmatism and unbridled fantasies. As if in a colorful round dance, gods and devils, secret service agents and fanatical church ministers, political intriguers and clever forgers flash by. The author creates a truly Voltairian satire, directed against the orthodox worldview. The heroes of the novel go through a difficult path, trying to decipher an ancient manuscript discovered in the Vatican Library...