Musta mantliga mees (The Man in the Black Coat) is a novel written by Eduard Vilde in 1883 and published in 1886.^[1][2] It deals with social criticism.^[3] The story begins with the sentence: "A heavy hand was placed on his shoulder, a low voice said, 'You are a murderer!'"^[4][5]

Characters

• Dr. Anton Meding: the Man in the Black Coat
• Count Edvin Palmer: the owner of Elvita Manor
• Countess Dorothea Palmer: the wife of Edwin Palmer, mother of Laura and Armand
• Lady Laura Palmer: Edvin Palmer's 19-year-old daughter
• Armand Palmer: the Palmers' sickly 10-year-old son
• Leib Jochel: the Jewish usurer that lusts after Count Palmer's daughter Laura, whom he wishes to marry
• Albert Palmer: the previous owner of Elvita Manor, older brother of Edvin Palmer, who bequeaths Elvita Manor to Edvin
• Baron Hugo von Lammerheim: the new owner of the neighboring estate of the Palmers