A Burnable Book: Bruce Holsinger

Set in the time of 1385, this book starts in mystery and murder. The plot is so complex it takes the entire book to unravel, I kept wondering while reading how long this would have taken to write in order to get all the loose ends wrapped up. The main characters are a slightly fictionalized Geoffrey Chaucer and John Gower. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a book to amuse his mistress, but it falls into the wrong hands. It turns into taboo book once someone finishes it making it a book of prophesies on how all the kings will die. It suggests a plot to kill the current king, once thwarted everyone assumes the threat was over, but the actual attempt hadn't come. There is another struggle to find those responsible before it is too late. Interesting book, I thought the environment of medieval England was expertly created. The women were rather crude and it probably wasn't appropriate for teenagers, but it was enjoyable.