The German release of Tumult in Mecca is a significant personal milestone for me — and the start of a literary project I’ve been carrying around for a long time. The ambitions are high (even if my expectations are still pretty modest).

With absolute joy — and yes, a few butterflies — I can say that Tumult in Mecca is being published today in German under the title:

Tumult in Mekka – Petrodollar, Wüstenmystik und Überleben im Schatten der Minarette

For me, this is more than “just” a launch. It’s the result of several years of work, and also the fulfilment of something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

First book in a bigger series

Tumult in Mecca is the first novel in a series that stretches from 1979 to the present day. At heart, it’s about modern people chasing the good life in a world where globalisation, technology, and rising wealth can open every door — and slam them shut again just as fast.

The English version came out in September 2024, and now the German edition is ready too.

Getting the book out in German feels huge, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.

Big ambitions, modest expectations

When I say “modest expectations,” it’s mainly about the marketing side.

Experienced book people handle the editing and publishing work — and they’re fantastic — but even so, it can feel like shouting into a giant forest where not many people pass by. I can control the writing process and the book production. But visibility? That depends on networks, algorithms, and budgets that I don’t control.

Reviews and recognition rarely arrive by themselves. Without them, books can stay invisible, no matter how much work went into them.

I’m planning a series of 6–8 books, so the ambition is definitely there. Whether the books find their readers… well, that part is largely out of my hands.

Why a saga about modern man?

The story of Henrik Bertelsen, a young Danish economist in 1979, has stayed with me for years. I wanted to write novels that capture the spirit of a period full of chaos and upheaval — but also a near-unstoppable belief in the future.

Henrik starts out with what looks like a solid, promising life:

• a career in government administration
• a stable marriage
• an upcoming move to a co-housing community on a beautiful hill in North Zealand (Denmark)
• and an adoption process for a child from Indonesia

Then a phone call from Saudi Arabia changes everything.

What begins as a reliable business project slowly turns into an existential trial. And when a religious uprising breaks out in Mecca in November 1979, Henrik suddenly finds himself in the middle of a real inferno — where it’s no longer about career or adventure, but survival.

The dramatic core is based on real historical events. But the novel is just as much about the person inside those events: Henrik’s idealism, blind spots, and moral compass get tested in a world that moves faster than he can keep up with.

The Henrik Bertelsen Saga

Tumult in Mecca is volume one in a multi-book saga.

The series follows Henrik through four decades — from the safety of the welfare state into international markets, tech revolutions, personal risks, temptations, and a constant search for meaning.

I want to explore what happens when an “ordinary” person from a small Nordic country gets pushed around by the forces of globalisation.

Henrik isn’t a genius or a hero. He’s curious, well-meaning, and (like many of us) a bit too easily tempted by new possibilities. He rides the optimism of the times — and gets bruised by its darker side.

A book is never a solo project

Even if my name is the only one on the cover, I’m not doing this alone.

Huge thanks to: Tina Krüger, Ole Møller-Jensen, Katharina Paul, Jelena Galkina, and Udo Sieberg

Without you, the German edition wouldn’t be what it is. Your work in translation, editing, design, sparring, and a hundred little crucial choices has been priceless. The book carries your fingerprints in all sorts of ways.

Still relevant themes

Even though the story takes place in 1979, I keep being surprised by how modern the themes feel:

• How do you balance integrity and ambition?
• How do you act responsibly in a global economy?
• What happens when you meet a culture with totally different norms?
• And how do you live a good life when the options feel endless — but every choice has consequences?

Henrik’s struggle to find solid ground is a reminder that human dilemmas don’t belong to one era or one place.

Where to get it + what’s next

The German edition is available now — online and in physical bookshops — as:

• paperback
• hardcover
• e-book

Coming up next:

• Audiobook in early 2026, read by Jan Orth
• Volume two (The Dollar Compass) in German expected in autumn 2026

What I hope readers take away

If I had to sum up my biggest hope, it’s this:

That readers meet Henrik as he is — well-meaning, flawed, optimistic, sometimes naïve, but always curious and searching and trying to do the right thing in a world that won’t stand still.

I hope the story entertains and gives something to think about. That it sparks recognition in some readers, curiosity in others — and that maybe a few people see a bit of themselves in Henrik’s search for direction, courage, and meaning.

A new beginning

This release feels like the start of a new phase — both for Henrik and for me. I’m excited to share the rest of the saga with an international audience, and to hear how the story lands in other languages and cultures.

Thanks for being part of the journey. More is coming.