A Burnable Book

Starred review from January 20, 2014
MedievalistHolsinger (Neomedievalism, Neoconservatism, and the War on Terror) delivers a first novel whose zest, breadth, and color evoke The Canterbury Tales. In 1385, Geoffrey Chaucer asks fellow poet and dealer in information, John Gower, to find a cryptic manuscript that predicts specifically how the current monarch, Richard II, will be assassinated. Gower discovers that the book has been stolen from Westminster by an unidentified woman, later murdered; dying, she gave it to a common prostitute, who is now hiding it in London. As treasonous texts begin to inflame an already dissatisfied populace, Gower realizes that the king, the book’s possessor, and his friend Chaucer are in danger, and his own son is threatened as well. For the first time, he finds himself at the mercy of other men’s secrets, rather than in control of them. Though the period’s unfamiliar terms and figures can be confusing, the intricate plot, sharp characterizations, and sweeping depiction of medieval England make this a memorable fiction debut. Agent: Helen Heller, Helen Heller Agency (Canada).

December 1, 2013

Medieval historian Holsinger's first novel is an absorbing narrative exploring royal power and dissent in 14th-century England. King Richard II has many enemies beyond the borders of his kingdom and within. Factions among lords, the clergy, and commoners conspire to take the throne. Geoffrey Chaucer, at work on a series of sketches of everyday England that will become The Canterbury Tales, and an unlikely range of prostitutes, poets, butchers, and nuns are at the twisted center of this plot. With the help of poet John Gower, Chaucer seeks a treasonous book, often fatal to those who possess it, that prophesies a royal death. Multiple plotlines evolve, as noble servants and ignoble knights fight to the death to save the kingdom or bring it down. VERDICT Medieval England never tasted so rich nor smelled so foul as in this descriptive and intricately layered mystery. Holsinger is at his best describing the everyday lives and privations of the lower classes. He succeeds in elevating the missing manuscript genre to new heights that will entertain readers of both fiction and nonfiction. [See Prepub Alert, 9/9/13.]--Catherine Lantz, Morton Coll. Lib., Cicero, IL

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2013
This mix of thriller and ghost story is all about what is just glimpsed for an instant, whether physically or psychologically. And the suspense is intensified by the fact that readers can't be sure whether they're following the thoughts of someone sane, unhinged, or in the process of coming apart. Aine Cahill, who has overcome her Kentucky hills background, is a Brandeis doctoral student working on her dissertation at Walden Pond. She believes she has irrefutable evidence that Thoreau was not alone during his famous sojourn but was having an affair with one of Aine's female ancestors. The story takes the first of many eerie turns when Aine believes she is being watched by a ghostly little girl. The memory of the disappearance of a child years before haunts the townspeople, and the sudden murder of a woman adds more shock, while throwing suspicion on Aine. Great for both lovers of Thoreau and suspense fans. Chesterton (a pseudonym for crime writer Carolyn Haines) was the 2010 recipient of the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)