Romanian writer Igor Bergler’s recent book The Lost Bible (Biblia Pierduta) sold nearly 51,000 copies in the first four months after its launch.

According to Rao publishing house, this is the best-selling fiction novel by a Romanian writer in the last 20 years, reports local Mediafax. However, there aren't any centralized statistics on book sales in Romania to verify that.

The novel had already broken several records. After registering a pre-sale record of 10,000 copies, the book also set a record of 3,200 copies sold in the first weekend after its launch, and it was the top-selling book at the Gaudeamus Book Fair in Bucharest, where it sold 1,600 copies. Moreover, the fair’s visitors also chose The Lost Bible the most wanted book of the 2015 edition.

And things haven’t stopped there. The Romanian novel also reached over 20,000 Facebook fans, which is also a first in Romania.

Rao publishing house will also launch the book on Amazon.com, and in a digital format for Kindle and iBooks. The book has already been translated in English under the name The Lost Bible and its waiting for its international publisher, according to Rao.

The novel follows the story of Professor Charles Baker, who is in the town where Dracula was born to attend a conference of the world’s most renowned historians. However, his presence in the heart of Transylvania is also related to an attempt to solve a mystery deeply rooted in his family history. Three macabre crimes change his action plan, and Professor Baker finds himself in the middle of a huge world conspiracy going on for more than half a millennium.

Igor Bergler is to launch another book this fall, named Ultimul secret at lui Lincoln (Lincoln’s last secret).

Romanian novel “The Lost Bible” registers record sales

Romanian writer hits international success in the UK

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com