The Clock of Shadows

Vienna, 1927. In a glittering palace overlooking the Danube, the world's rarest watches are unveiled—royal heirlooms, astronomical marvels, even a design rumored to trace back to Leonardo da Vinci. But on opening night, the exhibition's centerpiece vanishes: a legendary golden clock said to keep its owner one step ahead of time itself. The theft is only the beginning. By morning, a guard lies murdered in the palace basement, the exhibition's director has disappeared, and a chilling message stains the wall in blood: "He who owns time owns the world." Detective Erich Weiss, a stern investigator with an unforgiving eye for detail, is drawn into a case that spirals far beyond stolen treasure. What begins as a robbery unfolds into a deadly contest among rival spies—French, German, and Soviet—each determined to seize a hidden disc concealed within the clock. The disc holds more than secrets: it holds the balance of power in a fragile Europe still reeling from the Great War. From Vienna's smoky cafés to midnight chases along the Danube, and finally to the chaos of the central train station, Weiss hunts enemies who trade lives as easily as information. But as bullets fly and loyalties shatter, he learns that recovering the golden clock may save Vienna's honor—yet the true prize has already slipped into the shadows. A gripping blend of historical intrigue and espionage suspense, The Clock of Shadows plunges readers into a world where every second matters, and where the question is no longer who stole the watch—but who owns time itself.