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    Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth
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    Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth
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    Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth
    Ebook369 pages7 hours

    Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth

    By Alister McGrath

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    In Heresy, leading religion expert and church historian Alister McGrath reveals the surprising history of heresy and rival forms of Christianity, arguing that the church must continue to defend what is true about Jesus. He explains that remaining faithful to Jesus’s mission and message is still the mandate of the church despite increasingly popular cries that traditional dogma is outdated and restricts individual freedom.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateNov 3, 2009
    ISBN9780061959523
    Unavailable
    Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth
    Author

    Alister McGrath

    Alister E. McGrath is Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. He is also the author of several books, including A Fine-Tuned Universe , C. S. Lewis: A Life, Surprised by Meaning, and The Dawkins Delusion.

    Read more from Alister Mc Grath

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    Reviews for Heresy

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      These days, we talk about Banned Book Week and we talk about censorship in school libraries, but in the 1500’s, they were serious about censorship. Get caught reading something on the Vatican’s Index Librorum Prohibitorum (List of Prohibited Books) and your prize was an appointment with the local Inquisitor. Based on the true story of Giordano Bruno — an Italian monk, excommunicated and on the run from the Inquisition — Heresy, by S. J. Parris, casts Bruno in the role of investigator, helping to solve a series of grisly murders while spying for Queen Elizabeth.Giordano Bruno did, in fact, lecture at Oxford University in 1583, and many of the characters in the book are known to history as well. Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Francis Walsingham, John Underhill, John Dee — they all played a part in history, as well as in Heresy. Bruno accepts the invitation to a debate at Oxford to expound on his theories of an infinite universe of independently moving heavenly bodies (ahead of his time). He is also approached by Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth, and asked to do a little undercover work. The Queen is concerned about the possibility of renegade Catholics at Oxford. This was shortly after the publication of Regnans in Excelsis, the papal issued by Pope Pius V declaring Queen Elizabeth a heretic. There was good reason to believe that Catholic forces might make an attempt on the Queen’s life and strong measures were taken to discover and arrest them.I was very much caught up in the history of the novel. I could add dozens of links, telling more of the story of Bruno’s life, the Pope’s declarations against the Church of England, the Inquisition and more. It is hard to imagine living in the political climate of those times — Bruno had actually been condemned for reading the work of Erasmus in the privy — when people could be tortured and condemned to death, simply for reading works the church had deemed dangerous. One of the great successes of this story is that characters on all sides of the debate seem sympathetic. While Bruno has every reason to consider himself an enemy of the Pope and the Catholic Church, he has serious reservations about arresting people because of their manner of worship, or declaring anyone who is Catholic a mortal threat to the monarchy. He is troubled by these issues throughout the book.Read my full review at Alive on the Shelves
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this, a very good piece of historical fiction. I liked the way the writer mixed historical fact with fiction.
      I liked the fact that it was not obvious who the killer was and that right up until the end it could be anybody.
    • 4/5
      Oxford 1583. Protestant Queen Elizabeth I on throne of England for 25 years but subjects long to return to Catholic faith. Italian Monk Giordano Bruno has been charged with heresy for believing in a heliocentric universe. Plot to assassinate Elizabeth sends Bruno to Oxford which is a hotbed of Catholic rebellion. An Oxford fellow is murdered and Bruno is plunged into a game of cat and mouse as someone has a revenge against faith. But which faith?The plot started off slow but once the murder happened the storyline took off. The book is based on the real life of Giordano Bruno and S.J. Parris has masterfully researched and written an entertaining whodunit that is hard-to-put-down. I look forward to reading book 2 and recommend this series to those who like historical thrillers.
    • 4/5
      I have found a new genre of fiction that I enjoy reading. I love when I can put myself into a book, and immerse myself. I was able to do that in this case. It seemed a bit slow at first, with the factual parts, but as soon as the fiction part hit, I was hooked! Loved it!
    • 4/5
      It started slow, very slow, and I was already thinking about putting this book aside but the second half was much better. Not much of 'historical' theme here - it just provides a flavour for a good mystery.
    • 4/5
      Of all the historical figures one might pick to be the protagonist in a medieval thriller, Giordano Bruno is not the name that would have first come to mind. However, since his life on the run from the Catholic Inquisition was something of a thrill a minute, perhaps he is not so unlikely after all.S.J. Parris's Heresy opens with Bruno at age 28, having to escape from his Domenican monastery in Naples or face the Inquisition. His crime: reading forbidden books. Some seven years later, he turns up in London, having most recently been in residence at the court of Henri III of France as tutor and philosophe du jour. As an excommunicated monk, he is enlisted on behalf of Queen Elizabeth to serve as a de facto spy to help ferret out suspected papists, many of whom are believed to be a threat to the life and realm of the Queen. The papal bull Regnans in Excelsis ("reigning on high") of Pius V declared Elizabeth to be a heretic and released all her subjects from any allegiance to her and excommunicated any that obeyed her orders. It further encouraged overthrow of Elizabeth. Thus, the lingering presence of Catholicism in England was seen and treated as a real threat.Bruno goes to Oxford in the company of poet and courtier Sir Philip Sidney for the purpose of engaging in a disputation with one of the college rectors, but while a guest at the college, a brutal murder takes place, to be followed by two more, which have anti-Catholic implications. Bruno is one of the first to arrive at the scene of the crime, and he is recruited on the quiet to help find out who the killer is. Many intrigues follow and suspicion is cast far and wide. When the guilty party is finally unmasked, it is unexpected and yet certain clues were there all the time.As a bit of well written escapist reading with a historical setting Heresy is not bad although I would not call it a page turner until the last quarter of the book. Parris has written three more Bruno thrillers, so if this one intrigues, there is more available to whet the appetite.
    • 4/5
      This author is new to me. The story, set in the reign of Elizabeth I, involves the real-life philosopher and former monk, Giordano Bruno (1537-1600) in a story of spies, Catholicism and general skulduggery at Oxford University. Walsingham recruits Bruno as a spy. Parris gives us a really strong flavour of Elizabethan life and I look forward to her next novel.
    • 5/5
      It is the year 1583 when Giordano Bruno is sent undercover to Oxford on a mission. Lincoln College is his destination,where he is welcomed by the Rector John Underhill. His cover is that he is to take part in a public debate in front of members of the college. Actually he is to attempt to discover and unmask those with Catholic sympathies in the college. Soon there are several murders which seem to be based upon Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Bruno is soon drawn into the increasingly dangerous situation which exists in the outwardly academic and peaceful world of Oxford.This is a brilliant first novel of a series which can stand side by side with those written by Rory Clements and C.J.Sansom.
    • 5/5
      The famous religious dissident Giordano Bruno, fleeing from the Inquisition in 1580s Italy, comes to Oxford in the company of Philip Sidney, nephew to the Earl of Leicester. Several savage murders occur against a background of comfortable academia but violent prejudice against foreigners and Catholics. Some interesting characters and quite an exciting ending, paving the way to further adventures in which Bruno can attempt to reconcile warring Christians.
    • 4/5
      Giordano Bruno, who fled the inquisition in Italy, becomes a spy in England and is sent to Oxford to discover Catholics. He ends up investigating a series of murders staged as religious martyrs. Unfortunately, he also falls in love with the dean's daugther, and risks everything to redeem her.Bruno is fascinating character who feels very real despite his anachronistic personality--he is possibly too forward thinking for his time, but it works. His quest for knowledge is passionate and somewhat inspiring. And his investigation of the murders is compelling and we really root for him as he's drawn deeper into trouble. The writing is strong, descriptive, and most characters have unique details that make them interesting to witness.The biggest weakness in the story is Sophia, the woman that Bruno inexplicably loves. At first she comes across as just equally anachronistic, a 20th century woman in the 16th century, but then she proves herself to be somewhat more ridiculous. Bruno's continued obsession despite her stupidity becomes tedious. However, it isn't enough to destroy his personality altogether, and I'd happily read the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      Kind of long but decent story about Doctor Giordano Bruno (also known as Filipo Bruno), and excommunicated Italian monk on the run from the Inquisition in 16th century Europe. The heretic Doctor Bruno has traveled to northern Europe to freely work on his theories of an infinite universe, and is lucky enough to befriend French and English nobility. He is recruited by the English court to infiltrate the Catholic underground, beginning on a visit to Oxford University. During this visit Bruno finds himself wrapped up in a bizarre murder mystery where men are being murdered like the martyrs, and he needs to solve the mystery before he too meets a grisly end.
    • 4/5
      The central character of our story is Giordano Bruno, an excommunicated Italian monk. Bruno fled the Inquisition because as a philosopher and scientist he has the same leanings as Copernicus - that the Earth revolves around the sun.Bruno has come to England, Oxford in particular in search of a book which should clarify some of his philosophy but while there he is recruited into the service of the Queen Elizabeth looking for a band of Catholics seeking her demise. As Bruno searches deeper and deeper for the book related to his research, he is caught deeper and deeper in the web surrounding the Catholics and the murders that have occurred. The mystery has many twists and some unexpected turns but the end is dramatically satisfying.
    • 4/5
       It is the sixteenth-century and Giordano Bruno has traveled to Oxford University to participate in a debate about the Copernican theory of the universe. The prevailing thought at the time had the earth at the center of the universe; Copernicus’ model put the sun at the center with the earth just another planet, a heretical notion. In reality he has been sent to gather information about a Catholic plot to overthrow the queen. Soon after Bruno arrives the first of a series of ghastly murders is discovered. He begins to investigate in an attempt to solve the crimes.I especially enjoy historical fiction if it is based on a real person and maintains its historical accuracy. I had never heard of Giordano Bruno before but I have read a lot about astronomy and when I saw the words “Copernican theory” my interest ignited. I looked up Bruno in Wikipedia before I started listening and got a little background. I’m like that with historical fiction but you don’t need to do that to read this book.The author did a nice job blending history and fiction. In fact, she may have done too good a job with the history. If you enjoy English Literature and have a background in this period you’ll love this book. It got a bit slow at time as the characters engaged in philosophical debate about religion, theology and arguments of the time period. I enjoyed the murder mystery with all its requisite twists and turns but the story as a whole could have been a little faster-paced for me.The audio production was well done. John Lee’s cultured British voice was a pleasure to listen to. He used a wide variety of accents and I was able to easily identify the characters. However, I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was reading rather than listening, but this has nothing to do with the skill of the narrator. I tend to speed up and slow down my reading (doesn’t everyone?) and would have flown more quickly through the cerebral discussions that did not affect the outcome of the mystery.
    • 4/5
      This story takes place at Oxford university in 1583. The story is told by Giordano Bruno of Nola in Italy. He is an excommunicated monk who escaped from his monastery prior to being tried for heresy for reading forbidden materials. After wandering the courts of Europe for 7 years he ends up at Oxford university as a guest of a friend of the Earl of Leicester. He is scheduled to debate his philosophy on the orbit of the planets in direct conflict with the beliefs of the day with the Rector Underhill. In the meantime, he becomes a spy for Walsingham, the chief spy for Elizabeth I. He is to uncover and report on secret Catholics who may be hiding among the academics. Since Henry VIII, the religious wars between the Church and the throne have become very bloody.This is a very good story told by Bruno as he investigates several murders at Oxford and then his becomes at risk because of his curiosity. The story is very well told. Note: The torture of "heretics" is hard to stomach.
    • 4/5
      This book introduces the character of Giordano Bruno, an excommunicated Italian monk who ends up in Elizabethan England under the protection of the French King Henri II and is recruited by Francis Walsingham as a spy. Bruno travels to Oxford to participate in a debate on the structure of the Universe and in search of a secret book, but also to spy on recalcitrant Catholics in this strictly Protestant land. He is drawn into solving a series of brutal murders and uncovering a secret ring of Catholic sympathisers.Parris draws us in with her fine depiction of Elizabethan life and very clearly describes the religious hysteria of the times. Bruno is a well-rounded character who displays sufficient strengths, weaknesses and internal conflicts to be utterly believable and for us to root for him as the story unfolds. Other characters are strongly drawn and we often find ourselves sympathising as we condemn.This is excellent both as an historical picture and as a driven thriller.
    • 4/5
      An extremely entertaining read, particularly for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and mystery thrillers. Heresy follows the story of Giordano Bruno, a monk and scientist during the Elizabethan era, who is sent to Oxford on an undercover mission by Sir Francis Walsingham. While at Oxford, Bruno becomes central to the search, as well as a target, for a killer who is murdering Oxford professors and students. Filled with plot twists and turns, I truly enjoyed Heresy and look forward to other books in this series. Although not written in the same era and lighter in style, Heresy reminded me of Iain Pears’ Instance of the Fingerpost and Umberto Eco’s Name of the Rose.[Reviewed as an advance review copy as part of Book Browse's First Impressions program]
    • 3/5
      This book has all the makings of a terrific historical mystery:1) Great time and place - England during the Elizabethan era2) Great contextual and cultural undercurrent - Catholicism v. Protestantism; and a growing world view that's building momentum towards the Renaissance.3) Cool lead character - Giordano Bruno, a real life mystic/priest/heretic/scientistUnfortunately, the author wasn't able to build upon this foundation with an interesting enough story. The three factors above all scream MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, but the actual plot whispers MADE FOR TV.After escaping inquisition in Italy, an excommunicated Bruno finds himself in Oxford, England where he's scheduled to debate Oxford's Rector on the Copernican theory of the universe. First, one senior member of the faculty is murdered, then another, and then one more. Bruno takes it upon himself to dig into the evidence and naturally finds mystery and opposition at every turn.I kept waiting for a nice strong 'gotcha' during the story. Sometimes those don't come until halfway through or even later, but, in this case, it never came. And this is the largest disappointment with the novel.The writing is good. S.J.Parris is a wonderfully descriptive author. The moods and, in particular, the scenes are drawn very strongly. The secondary characters are not and I never felt a strong enough pull to root for or against them. I'm keeping Harris' Bruno follow up on my wishlist because there are a enough interesting things going on in Bruno's world that I remain optimistic about the sequel.
    • 4/5
      Heresy is a medieval whodunit, with the star of the show being (Filippo) Giordano Bruno, the Italian heretic who escaped the Inquisition in Italy, spent time in France, then moved on to Elizabethan England, where supposedly he became a spy for the crown. It is at this juncture that the story begins in earnest, with Bruno being sent by Walsingham to Oxford to look for papist plots against the throne. Bruno is happy to be there, because he will be able to search for a missing alchemical text written by Hermes Trimegistus. As he settles in to Lincoln College, one of the Oxford number is murdered in a most brutal way, and although the killer tried to make the death look accidental, Bruno realizes that it was definitely murder. After a second murder is committed, Bruno picks up a pattern, but must sift through cryptic clues and learn who to trust in this most delicate time of religious turmoil to get to the solution of the crimes. The author's writing is good, but I must say, as far as the staging of the crimes, I had flashbacks to Eco's Name of the Rose and David Hewson's Season of the Dead while reading this book. There are a lot of elements in this book that will keep Parris' readers going: cryptic messages and codes, forbidden texts, spies, religious debate and even a bit of romance are all part of the story. It moves rather slow, with a lot of historical detail & debate thrown in. It is at the last part of the book where the action picks up, the story unravels and where all is made known that I couldn't put the book down. My understanding is that this is the first of a planned series, and hopefully the author will flesh out the ongoing characters a bit more. However, I liked this book enough to try the next one whenever it comes out. I'd recommend it to people who like CJ Sansom's Tudor era-based books, and to people who like historical mysteries in general, and people interested in the history of religion in England and Europe during the Tudor period.
    • 5/5
      This is a novel based on the real life story of the 16th century monk Giordano Bruno. The story takes place during the time of the Inquisitions in Europe. Bruno was accused of heresy and was forced to flee his native Italy. Eventually, he winds up at Oxford in England, where he encounters grisly murders all tied in with the religious war he is fleeing from.Parris did a masterful job at creating the world of 16th century Europeans. This is not a fast-moving, suspense-filled murder mystery, so you will be disappointed if you expect that. However, this is an incredibly well-researched, well-written story that will thoroughly immerse you in a tumultuous period of history. This novel was unlike most anything I've ever read (in fiction) and I loved every word of it.
    • 4/5
      The year is 1583, and tensions are simmering within Elizabeth's glorious realm. While the queen claims not to want a window into people's souls, her spymaster, Francis Walsingham, furtively roots out Catholic conspirators who might seek to put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne. Such is the setting for this engaging and aptly-titled historical thriller, and Giordano Bruno proves an inspired choice for protagonist. An excommunicate former monk forced to flee the Inquisition in Italy for his heretical beliefs in heliocentrism – the earth orbiting the sun, rather than the other way around – he is the ultimate outsider, a man who works toward religious tolerance and scientific breakthroughs in a world that gives mere lip service to both.As the novel gets underway, Bruno is accompanying his good friend, Sir Philip Sidney, and a visiting Polish dignitary on the royal court's visitation to Oxford. He has three separate missions, each more veiled than the other: participate in a debate on Copernican theory with Doctor John Underhill, rector at Oxford's Lincoln College; investigate Catholic conspiracies on Walsingham's behalf; and follow the trail of a forbidden Hermetic text with dangerous repercussions for Christianity. As if the latter two don't involve enough personal risk, Bruno gets unexpectedly swept into a murder investigation when one of the university fellows is found brutally killed. It soon becomes clear that the motive is something other than academic rivalry turned deadly. Signs hint at the dead man's connection to matters much more secretive. When the killer strikes again, Doctor Underhill grows increasingly worried about bad publicity and possible loss of funding; these concern him much more than his beautiful, troubled daughter. Bruno agrees to look into the murders officially on his behalf. As he proceeds, he comes to understand the many different meanings and levels of heresy.Parris (pseudonym for British journalist Stephanie Merritt) does a splendid job illustrating the strong undercurrents of religious strife in late 16th-century England, a land still reeling from the multiple changes in official religion over the previous half-century. Bruno speaks modern English like a native – no twisy-twasery here – and approaches his investigations with determination, Italian self-confidence, and old-fashioned common sense. His sharp, occasionally cheeky narration brightens the otherwise somber atmosphere (not every historical novel begins in a privy!). As the scenes switch between the College's ornate stone buildings and the dimly lit tap-rooms of Oxford proper, Parris gives a detailed and panoramic look at a 16th-century university city and an unusual form of town-gown relations. Her complex, tightly constructed plotline provides ample suspense and multiple surprises, and the wrenching finale suits the uneasy tenor of the times.With its convincingly dark Tudor setting and themes of political conspiracies and religious repression, there are obvious comparisons to be made to C.J. Sansom's Shardlake novels, set during Henry VIII's reign. Fans of the latter should appreciate Parris's debut. Bruno's perspective allows for an intriguing look at religion and science in the Elizabethan era, although unlike Shardlake, his manner is hardly curmudgeonly. Part of the way the solution unravels is a bit too simplistic, though that’s a very minor issue. For those who know their history (or wish to google it), familiarity with Bruno's eventual fate adds additional meaning and pathos to the tone of this thoroughly entertaining novel.
    • 4/5
      This is a very entertaining and well written historical mystery. Very English is its mystery stylings and not as fast paced as American mysteries typically are. Based on Bruno's life at Oxford in the 16th Century, the author certainly owes a great deal to historian John Bossy's "Giordano Bruno and the Embassy Affair" and Ingrid Rowland's "Giordano Bruno: Philosopher/Heretic". Parris makes Bruno far more appealing than he evidently was in real life -- Bruno was a quarrelsome man excommunicated by not only the Catholic church, but by the Calvinists and Lutherans as well.
    • 1/5
      I'm a sucker for books like this, and I use the word "sucker" advisedly. Well done, historical mysteries are among my favorite books, but alas, they're so seldom well done, and this is not one of the rare exceptions. Giordano Bruno is one of the most fascinating figures of the Renaissance, and his waste here is criminal. What is the point of coopting a figure who is best known for his associations with magic, Hermetic philosophy, and a sophisticated memory system and then having him exhibit none of these things in "solving" the mystery? Bruno comes off as both unobservant and unintelligent, misled by his attraction to a girl who is also described as cleverer and more daring than she is ever shown to be. Sir Philip Sidney is also portrayed in a way completely untrue to his actual character. Parris makes Sidney an exemplar of what he himself describes as "the hearty backslapping bonhomie of English upper class gentlemen," a pose and an attitude that would have been abhorrent to the proud, sensitive warrior-poet. Parris also completely misunderstands Sidney's commitment to the Protestant cause, which was deeply religious and ideological, not merely political.The mystery itself, although it attempts to spin a little [The Name of the Rose] glamor and misdirection, is really an afterthought and a mess.
    • 2/5
      Parris's biggest mistake in this novel is to use Giordano Bruno as the first person narrator. What is a rather run-of-the-mill historic murder mystery, set at Oxford University in 1583, suffers from its clunky portrayal of the brilliant Italian philosopher and renowned heretic. There are some interesting plot devices -- the murder victims are set up to be copies of martyred saints as portrayed in Foxe's Book of Martyrs and the Jesuit mission to overthrow Queen Elizabeth provides a political backdrop. However, character development ranges from the stereotyped to the embarrassing. The Fellows of Lincoln College, Oxford, are somewhat pale reflections of the dons at Hogwarts. There is the requisite beautiful, inquisitive and rebellious daughter of Rector Underhill, stifled by her father's expectations. Sir Philip Sidney, the poet and friend to Bruno, comes off as a stiff. And then, there's poor Bruno himself, who succumbs to self-pity:"I realised with a prickle of discomfort why he bothered me: it was not so much that I resented the hearty backslapping bonhomie of English upper class gentlemen, for I could tolerate it well enough in Sidney on his own. It was the way Sidney fell so easily into this strutting group of young men, where I could not, and the fear that he might in some ways prefer their company to mine. Once again, I felt that peculiar stab of loneliness that only an exile truly knows: the sense that I did not belong, and never would again." -- yuck.
    • 4/5
      I love, love, love historical fiction. But when branching out into its sub-genres, I've been leary...and sometimes burned.Not so with this historical thriller/mystery. Set in a time I have read much about, I never felt the author missed the mark, or at least by much. This was a story I could not get far away from. Its characters well-drawn, intriguing, and realistic.I would definitely recommend it to any fan of historical fiction as well as to any fan of mysteries and thrillers. This book definitely satisfies all three!
    • 4/5
      This was a good read. Excommunicated Catholic monk Giordano Bruno arrives at Oxford and immediately becomes caught up in a round of horrific murders that seem linked to an undercover group of Catholics.The plot was well developed, as were the characters. Its a 'whodunit' that kept me entertained throughout and I found it hard to put down at times.
    • 3/5
      Not so much a historical novel as a crime novel given a historical veneer. While this book fairly rattles along as a murder mystery, the inclusion of historical figure Giordano Bruno as the sleuth is somewhat underutilised.We get some of the facets of Bruno's life and intellectual interests, but this effort pales in comparison to superb novels such as Wolf Hall and The Name of the Rose.Nonetheless, the story has piqued my interest in the religious schisms of 16th Century England. To the writer's credit, while the murder mystery is resolved, the reader is left with some questions to ponder about the tragic extent of bloodshed associated with religious conflict and the deeply personal struggles that individuals must contest with in choosing faith over filial love.
    • 4/5
      "Heresy" appealed to me on various levels, and above all, it was a good story, presented in a logical, coherent and entertaining way. The author successfully convinces you that you can and should overlook people speaking modern English in Elizabethan England.
    • 3/5
      I did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped to. Since the primary character, Giordano Bruno was based on a real Jesuit monk who believed in the Copernicus model of the solar system and was excommunicated because of that, I was looking forward to a mystery involving the science but instead it turned to the intrigue of hidden Catholics and plots within plots.As such, I laboriously plowed through descriptions of the school, libraries, dark, rainy nights, and some really gruesome murders staged to apparently duplicate deaths of Catholic saints. No orbiting planets in sight except for one brief, rudely interrupted debate where the opposition offered no new arguments against the theory.I would have enjoyed this book more if I was interested in the Catholic/Protestant struggles.
    • 2/5
      I found this book very disappointing. It could have been so good!The basic premise is certainly enticing. Giordano Bruno is a prime example of the Renaissance Man - scientist, literary lion and a dab hand with a dagger should the need arise, he is also a former, or more accurately, a disgraced and unfrocked monk ho has pulled off the startling feat of being excommunicated by the Catholic church and deemed a heretic by the Calvinists. Having fled from his monastery to escape the Inquisition he wends his worried way through Europe, ending up in England. There he is recruited by Queen Elizabeth's feted spymaster Lord Walsingham.All this sets a scene crying out for a rattling good story, and that is where Parris lets us down. The novel is far too long and moves with geological slowness - I have seen more action from the concrete cows that abound around Milton Keynes. When we first meet Bruno he is hiding in a monastic privy into which he throws the proscribed tome that he was reading. If I had had access to a suitably accommodating cludgie beyond risk of blockage I would have followed his example with this one!
    • 4/5
      i liked the book it was a mystery taking place in the 1500's. it was an easy read and one that kept you wanting to continue to it was done. having read many mysteries this one kept me guessing and not figuring it out to it was reveled. will look for more in the series