by S. J. Parris
First published 2010
Giordano Bruno arrives at Oxford University in the sixteenth century with a dangerous secret mission. The former monk fled Rome after the Inquisition charged him with heresy for believing the Earth circles the sun and the universe stretches infinitely. Queen Elizabeth I recruits him to pose as a scholar debating Copernican theory while secretly investigating Catholic conspirators who want to remove her from the throne. Bruno's covert work takes a deadly turn when brutal murders begin plaguing the university. Each killing follows a disturbing pattern that suggests the murderer obsesses over the line between orthodox belief and forbidden knowledge. As Bruno digs deeper into the crimes, he discovers that everyone around him harbors hidden identities and motives. A brilliant young woman complicates his investigation further. Bruno must identify the killer before becoming the next victim, all while maintaining his scholarly facade and completing his espionage work for the queen.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller, academic
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, secret-identity
Setting: Oxford University, Rome
Period: Sixteenth Century
435 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday