An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears
An extremely captivating historical mystery in the vein of John Fowles and Umberto Eco. The year is 1660, and the scene in England. The brief republic established by Oliver Cromwell is over, and Charles II has reclaimed the throne. Fellow student Robert Grove is discovered dead at Oxford’s New College in eerie circumstances, and a young woman is suspected. Only one of the four witnesses—a doctor seeking fame, the supposed traitor’s son, the king’s senior cryptographer, and a well-known Oxford antiquarian—is speaking the rather extraordinary truth. Who’s that? Till the very last second, Pears’ deft plot-weaving will keep you on the edge of your seat.
An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears
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A Fingerpost Instance presents the same tale from various angles. An Instance of the Fingerpost is a fantastic book—truly amazing literature. Be prepared to invest some time into this one because it is by no means “fast” reading. Also, keep an eye out; you might miss something. The book’s opening narration is provided by an Italian medical student who is in England on a mission, according to what he says, from his merchant father. The book is apparently about the murder of an Oxford don. The medical student interacts with many of the murder suspects and reveals the culprit at the conclusion of his story.
A few pages later, while being duped by a different narrator, we discover that possibly the medical student’s perception of reality is not entirely accurate. The story keeps on with four different narrators, and with each one, the facts become more complicated and the narrators’ lies more fascinating. The “truth” is ultimately revealed, but by the book’s conclusion, you will have doubts about a lot of the information the narrators have provided. To uncover that tiny kernel of truth—which goes much beyond who killed the unfortunate deceased Don—you must read this one critically. It is impressive and fun.
