Vondruška’s medieval mysteries: the real castles

Vlastimil Vondruška’s bestselling historical detective series Hříšní lidé Království českého (Sinful People of the Kingdom of Bohemia) is set in the reign of Ottokar II. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates crimes across the kingdom – and many volumes are set at castles and monasteries you can still visit.

Here are 9 of them, each with the volume set there according to the publisher, and what history tells us about the place. The books are available in Czech.

Bezděz – Oldřich of Chlum’s home

• Bezděz Castle in the book: Zločin na Bezdězu (2015) documented (page in Czech)
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Zločin na Bezdězu (2015) is set right at Bezděz, Oldřich’s home castle. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Houska Castle in the book: Anděl smrti (2022) documented (page in Czech)
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Anděl smrti (2022) is set around Bezděz and in the forests and ravines stretching from Houska to Kokořín. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.

More castles and monasteries

• Křivoklát Castle in the book: Královražda na Křivoklátě (2021) documented (page in Czech)
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Královražda na Křivoklátě (2021) is set at Křivoklát Castle. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Krašov Castle in the book: Adventní kletba (2004) documented
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Adventní kletba (2004) is set at Krašov Castle. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Lichnice Castle in the book: Podivná svatba na Lichnici (2012) documented
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Podivná svatba na Lichnici (2012) is set at Lichnice Castle. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Ostrý Castle in the book: Spiknutí oběšenců (2021) documented
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Spiknutí oběšenců (2021) is set at Ostrý Castle near Benešov nad Ploučnicí. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Valdek Castle in the book: Černá lilie (2023) documented (page in Czech)
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Černá lilie (2023) is set at Valdek Castle. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Pušperk Castle in the book: Smrt šumavského poustevníka (2024) documented
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Smrt šumavského poustevníka (2024) is set at Pušperk Castle. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.
• Zlatá Koruna Monastery in the book: Zpěv slavíka (2026) documented (page in Czech)
  According to the publisher’s blurb, the volume Zpěv slavíka (2026) is set at Zlatá Koruna Monastery. Royal prosecutor Oldřich of Chlum, steward of Bezděz Castle, investigates in the reign of Ottokar II.

Many volumes start or end at Bezděz – where you can also follow the Čtyřlístek comic and Mácha’s poem May: Mácha Country in real life.

Pamatky.cz is not affiliated with the author or the publisher MOBA. We rely only on the books’ blurbs. Updated 29 October 2026.