'A fictional tour de force which combines erudition with mystery' PD James

Oxford in the 1660s. Sarah Blundy stands accused of the murder of Robert Grove, a fellow of New College.

Four witnesses describe the events surrounding his death: Marco da Cola, a Venetian Catholic intent on claiming credit for the invention of blood transfusion; Jack Prescott, the son of a supposed traitor to the Royalist cause, determined to vindicate his father; John Wallis, chief cryptographer to both Cromwell and Charles II, a mathematician, theologian and master spy; and Anthony Wood, the famous Oxford antiquary.

Each one tells their version of what happened but only one reveals the extraordinary truth. Brilliantly written and utterly convincing, An Instance of the Fingerpost is gripping from the first page to the last.

'A novel that combines the simple pleasures of Agatha Christie with the intellectual subtlety of Umberto Eco, don't let it pass by unread.' The Times

Lust, betrayal, secrets, murder... Brilliantly written, utterly convincing, gripping from the first page to the last, An Instance of the Fingerpost is a magnificent tour de force.

About the Author
Iain Pears was born in 1955. He is the author of seven detective novels, a book of art history and countless articles on artistic, financial and historical subjects, and five novels, An Instance of the Fingerpost, The Dream of Scipio, The Portrait, Stone's Fall and Arcadia.

Reviews
One of the very best historical novels ever written -- Tom Holland
The kind of book that has you reading it by torchlight under the bedclothes. An historical detective story set to rival The Name of the Rose, it provides the rare pleasure of combining an intricate plot with insight into the political intrigues of Restoration England * The Times *
Pear's novel interweaves the grand narratives and the personal tragedies of history with a slippery thriller of audacious ingenuity * Independent on Sunday *
A deeply scholarly thriller, but with the learning worn lightly and all the elements of the plot clicking together smoothly * Independent *
The best fiction I have read in a long time * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *
Anyone who reads this will want to tell their friends about it... This is a novel that combines the simple pleasures of Agatha Christie with the intellectual subtlety of Umberto Eco, don't let it pass by unread * Sunday Times *
A fictional tour de force which combines erudition with mystery
Brilliantly researched and imagined...a remarkable achievement * Sunday Telegraph *


Awards
Short-listed for WH Smith Literary Prize 1998.



Book Information
ISBN 9780099751816
Author Iain Pears
Format Paperback
Page Count 704
Imprint Vintage
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 506g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 38mm