Bavaria, 1438. A young girl is dragged from a tanner’s vat—so altered by months in the brew that the town whispers of a homunculus , a thing not quite human. Fear hardens into rage. The Church calls for repentance. The crowd demands a culprit. Barber-surgeon and war veteran Simon Schenk wants only to protect his family and keep his workshop open. But in a season of panic, neutrality is read as guilt. When Simon follows the evidence, he crosses guild interests, back-room piety, and the reach of a nobleman who stands above the law. In a world where medicine struggles against rumor, a careless word can ruin a life faster than any blade. What begins as the hunt for one killer becomes a fight against scapegoating and power. As suspicion tightens, Simon must choose between silence and resistance—knowing that either may cost him everything. Homunculus – The Devil’s Apprentice is a lean, historically grounded thriller set in late-medieval Bavaria: tactile craft, real procedures, and the hard edges of civic justice. Originally published in German in 2013 ( Homunculus – Das tote Mädchen vom Gerberhof ), this English edition launches the Simon Schenk series for international readers. Nominated for the “Entdeckt!” Award, Amazon Germany’s annual prize for emerging authors (2014). For readers of C. J. Sansom and Oliver Pötzsch —an unflinching look at how fear bends truth, and how costly it is to set it straight.