A Burnable Book

"The poet John Gower is the perfect narrator and amateur sleuth" in a medieval thriller that "delivers up a world where even the filth is colorful" (New York Times Book Review).

London, 1385. Surrounded by ruthless courtiers—including his powerful uncle, John of Gaunt, and Gaunt's artful mistress, Katherine Swynford—England's young, still untested king, Richard II, is in mortal peril. Songs are heard across London—catchy verses said to originate from an ancient book that prophesies the end of England's kings—and among the book's predictions is Richard's assassination.

Only a few powerful men know that the cryptic lines derive from a "burnable book," a seditious work that threatens the stability of the realm. To find the manuscript, wily bureaucrat Geoffrey Chaucer turns to fellow poet John Gower, a professional trader in information with connections high and low.

Gower discovers a conspiracy that reaches from the king's court to London's slums—and potentially implicates Gower's own son. As the intrigue deepens, it becomes clear that John Gower, a man with secrets of his own, may hold the key to saving the king, and England itself.

"A first novel whose zest, breadth, and color evoke The Canterbury Tales. . . . [T]he intricate plot, sharp characterizations, and sweeping depiction of medieval England make this a memorable fiction debut." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Holsinger is a graceful guide to the 14th century, lacing his thriller with just the right seasoning of antique words and . . . historical detail." —Washington Post

"The central mystery of the book leads us through the mucky lanes of London, with cunning surprises around every corner." —NPR

"Spellbinding . . . A Burnable Book exemplifies the best in historical fiction." —Richmond Times-Dispatch