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What Members Thought
It is 1663 in Oxford when, amid political intrigue, religious disputes and interpersonal tensions, a prominent member of the Oxford community dies of poisoning. A poor young woman is arrested and hung for the murder. In four separate sections, four distinct stories are told which offer four different answers to the murder. This was a clever murder mystery that demands the reader acknowledge that things are never exactly what they seem. Although it was well written with each story fleshed out in
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Set in 1663, during the unstable early years of the Restoration, this is a stylish and intriguing historical mystery, full of fascinating detail and clever twists.
The story of the mysterious death of Oxford don Dr Grove is told from the perspective of four narrators, all of whom have their reasons for being selective with the truth, concealing or misrepresenting certain events to suit their case. Lies, secrets, half-truths, omissions and misinterpretations - they are all part of an ingenious plo ...more
The story of the mysterious death of Oxford don Dr Grove is told from the perspective of four narrators, all of whom have their reasons for being selective with the truth, concealing or misrepresenting certain events to suit their case. Lies, secrets, half-truths, omissions and misinterpretations - they are all part of an ingenious plo ...more
Four stars for effort, and, after a very long and drawn-out story about spies and traitors and loyalists in Restoration England written in a manner that reminds us of just how vile a patriarchal society can be, four stars for a pretty spectacular and satisfying ending. It just took so loooong to get there, and I had to spend so much time with characters I really disliked. And any romantic notions I might have had of traveling back in time to merry jolly old England have been quashed forever, exc
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Dec 24, 2010
El
marked it as to-read
Christmas Eve book from my brother.
I liked nearly everything about this book - great plot, clever organization, four sometimes unreliable narrators (although not always for the reasons you're led to expect), pitch-perfect evocation of mid 17th century Oxford, and a great ending. My only complaint is that the pacing was too slow. If everything else about it wasn't so good I probably wouldn't have finished it. I had to get nearly to the end of the book to appreciate how good it was and it keeps getting better the more I think about
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An excellent book. It's a murder mystery set in a time when there was little forensic or autopsy understanding. Filled with twists and turns and told from different points of view, this book is very unique in its approach and well worth the read, even though it is a lengthy.
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Jul 02, 2016
Susan
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction-medieval,
2016
This is difficult to review without huge spoilers. I will mention that some sections may be tedious but the final section more than makes up for it.
Sep 18, 2010
Lori
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
zy-own,
z-5-star,
modern-history,
fiction,
mystery,
literature,
britain,
historical,
17th-century,
pre-2000
Feb 12, 2011
Genia Lukin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical,
mystery-and-detective
Apr 20, 2016
Karen Michele Burns
marked it as to-read
Jul 17, 2016
Rachel
marked it as to-read
Apr 11, 2025
Yokk
marked it as to-read
