Irony abounds as Giordano Bruno, on the run from the Inquisition in his own Italy, arrives in Oxford in hopes of locating a rare book (that is outlawed by the churches both in Rome and in England). He is immediately drawn into a mystery involving the murder of a college don which is posed as similar to the death of a Christian martyr.
Suspicion and fear dominates everyone in England, and suspicion reigns particularly in regard to Oxford, as the country is in the throws of a religious war, with the state fearful of every Catholic and the possibility of a far worse death than hanging facing anyone, no matter how innocent they may be, if they are accused by anyone of being Catholic.
The mystery is complex enough to hold one's attention and the main character, although a bit dim at times, is engaging.
I personally would have liked more with regard to the science debate, but that’s just me (Bruno is a follower of Copernicus but has taken the conclusions even further than the astronomer has).
I look forward to book 2 of the series. Hoping for more of the science debate as apparently John Dee is in that one.
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