An Instance of the Fingerpost

Set in 1660s Oxford, the novel centers on the suspicious death of Dr. Robert Grove and the trial of a young woman accused of his murder. Four narrators—a Venetian medical student, the son of a traitor, a cryptographer, and an aging historian—provide conflicting accounts of the same events. Their testimonies incorporate early blood transfusion experiments, the fragile restoration of the English monarchy, and political espionage. Each witness interprets physical evidence and social interactions through a unique lens of personal ambition, religious zeal, or scientific inquiry.

Readers of intricate historical mysteries find this work satisfying because it demands active participation in discerning truth from unreliable perspectives. It appeals to those interested in the history of science and the political instability of the 17th century. The reader finishes the book with a realization of how individual biases and limited knowledge distort historical records. It provides a detailed study of the friction between emerging rationalism and entrenched theological dogma during the Scientific Revolution.

Deep, open-ended and thought-provoking; a demanding read.

Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?