First published 1991
On July 20, 1714, Brother Juniper watches Peru's most magnificent bridge snap and hurl five travelers to their deaths in the canyon below. The Franciscan monk refuses to accept this as mere accident. He believes God chose these specific victims for divine reasons. Brother Juniper begins investigating the lives of the dead, determined to prove that providence, not chance, guided their fate. He studies each victim's history, seeking patterns that will demonstrate God's plan. His research consumes him as he builds a case for divine intervention. The monk compiles evidence about the five lives, convinced he can solve the mystery of why they died together on that particular day. But his investigation draws unwanted attention from church authorities. Brother Juniper's quest to understand God's will puts his own life at risk, while his findings reveal unexpected truths about human connection and love.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, religion, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, mystery, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Peru, San Luis Rey
Period: 1714
150 pages · Hardcover · Borgo Pr