Oliver cromwell, rebel and lord protector of england, is dead, and the monarchy of charles ii has been restored to power. Murder, mayhem, lust, and betrayal are rife among oxfords ivory towers in iain pears an instance of the fingerpost. What the group has read so far title, author, date, genre also see our upcoming selections at the bottom of this list. Well, then hands up all those who made it through to the end. The murder is said to have happened in oxford, and the novel brings up the mystery aspects by the autopsies, suspects and the smoking guns. An instance of the fingerpost is that rarest of all possible literary beastsa mystery powered as much by ideas as by suspects, autopsies, and smoking guns. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. It is 1663, and england is wracked with intrigue and civil strife. An instance of the fingerpost is a long but involving book, which pays great attention to its historical setting and theme, but at the same time manages to weave in a compelling, involving mystery, full of smoking guns and false trails, and one which will not reveal itself to the reader until the very end to the book. Oliver cromwells shortlived republic is a thing of the past, and charles ii has been restored to the throne. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears goodreads.
Pears explores the nature of truth and its dependency on the perspective of the observer in this ingenious and meticulously researched novel set in restoration england. All either real or feasible for the time in history and brilliantly narrated. The novel is introduced by a murder the happened in 17th century. Charged with the task of restoring a magnif balbinus pius, the dirtiest underworld organizer in emperor vespasians rome. An instance of the fingerpost and millions of other books are available for instant access.
An instance of the fingerpost iain pears we are in oxford in the 1660sa time, and place, of great intellectual, scientific, religious and political ferment. Set in the restoration period, this masterfully crafted historical mystery is about how different people perceive and interpret a ghastly murder and its. Buy a cheap copy of an instance of the fingerpost book by iain pears. The instance of the fingerpost bristol radical history group. An instance of the fingerpost, published in 1998, is a rather large work of historical fiction 704 pages long. An instance of the fingerpost is the moment that marks the discovery of an inviolable truth in the cause of an investigation. But four witnessesa medical student, the son of a traitor, a cryptographer, and an archivisteach finger a different culprit. There are some books i love but cant listen to the narrator, this was perfect. However, even without the refreshing setting and context. An instance of the fingerpost, iain pears girl with her.
Its england in the 1660s, charles ii has been restored to the throne following years of civil war and oliver cromwells shortlived republic. This novel is set in oxford during the restoration in the 1660s, a time of complex intellectual, scientific, religious and political ferment and uses a mix of both real and fictitious historical figures. The new williamsburg book club williamsburg, va meetup. An instance of the fingerpost is an utterly compelling historical mystery with a plot that. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears i wish i remember how i came to buy an instance of the fingerpost i have a vague suspicion it might have been an amazon recommendation, but i am not entirely sure. Reading guide for an instance of the fingerpost by iain pears. A missing signet ring leads his colleagues to his former servant and. Oliver cromwell, rebel and lord protector of england, is dead, and the monarchy of charles ii. Oxford is the intellectual seat of the country, a place of great scientific, religious, and political ferment.
If you have read iain pears an instance of the fingerpost, all four parts, all 692 closely worded. An instance of the fingerpost book san antonio public. As arcadia was one of those books that leave you bereft when they finish, i sought out more from the same author and ordered an instance of the fingerpost. Iain pears intricately plotted, highly intelligent and very enjoyable novel, an instance of the fingerpost, explores the troubling and problematic side of the historical movement labelled with the smug term the enlightenment. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. An instance of the fingerpost has 8 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. An instance of the fingerpost audiobook, by iain pears. As readers, however, were conditioned to trust our narrator. Those familiar with iain pears sweeping historical thrillers, an instance of the fingerpost and the dream of scipio, can be forgiven if they finish his newest work, the sparse, economical the portrait, and wonder aloud if this portraitin. An instance of the fingerpost read the book, eschew the audio. At oxfords new college, fellow robert grove is found dead. The four parts of the novel are preceded by epigraphs taken from francis bacons novum organum. Handpicked recommendations to other books that have a similar writing style or theme to an instance of the fingerpost.
The four narrators of an instance of the fingerpost illustrate that there is never just one side to a story, that an event can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Lucas corso is a book detective, a middleaged mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy and unscrupulous clients. Set largely in oxford, the main fascination and brilliance of the novel is its supremely confident structure and plot. This was one of those books that made me ache slightly when i got to the end, which is no mean feat given that it stretches to nearly. Books similar to an instance of the fingerpost goodreads. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears, paperback. Whereas the previous novel had me addicted and looking for excuses to get out of work, parenting, etc to sneak of and get a quick fix from page 1, this one ensnared me more slowly at first. An instance of the fingerpost audiobook by iain pears. Four different narrators tell the same story and implicate. An instance of the fingerpost by pears, iaon penguin. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears book club. Robert grove, a fellow of new college is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
When dr robert grove is found dead in his oxford room, hands clenched and face frozen in a rictus of pain, all the signs point to poison. Iain pears latest book focuses deliberately on the ingenious and satisfying, which is how a mystery novel that baldly pays tribute to its. An instance of the fingerpost is told rashomon style, by four different narrators, each of whom has only a partial understanding of events and only one of whom makes telling the truth his. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears, cape, pounds 16. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears booksamillion. Ships from and sold by fun with books and board games. A national bestseller and one of the new york public librarys books to remember, an instance of the fingerpost is a thrilling historical mystery from iain pears. An instance of the fingerpost book by iain m pears, m. A cryptic summons to a remote country house launches isaac inchbold, a london bookseller and antiquarian, on an odyssey through seventeenthcentury europe. Though the clunky phrase might not seem to construe much of a debt, the ideas behind it are in large part the basis of every whodunit written since.
The vehicle for this exploration is the murder by poison of dr. Each one tells their version of what happened but only one reveals the extraordinary truth. Come share your interest in books, expand your list of authors whose work youd like to read more of, and make some new friends. Cornflower book group an instance of the fingerpost cornflower. The year is 1663, and the setting is oxford, england, during the height of restoration political intrigue. Hefty, intricately plotted, and intellectually ambitious, fingerpost has drawn the inevitable comparisons to umberto ecos the name of the rose. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears book club discussion. An instance of the fingerpost book summary and study guide. Robert grove is poisoned with arsenic in his new college lodgings. An instance of the fingerpost there is very rarely an historic novel that grabs. He has also written a book of art history and countless articles on artistic, financial. The whodunit element, prominent in the opening section, recedes in importance as the book broadens out to embrace more complex material so much so that when at last the murderer unmasks himself, his identity is oddly unimportant.
An instance of the fingerpost is that rarest of all possible literary beastsa mystery powered as much by ideas as by suspects, autopsies and smoking guns. The term fingerpost recently received some attention from its use in the bestselling novel, an instance of the fingerpost by iain pears. An instance of the fingerpost is a novel by iain pears which is mainly dwells in historical mystery. Club is open to both women and men, and open to new members. The term instance of the fingerpost was coined by sir francis bacon, one of the great english champions of the scientific method and inductive reasoning. An instance of the fingerpost by iain pears reading guide. Find books like an instance of the fingerpost from the worlds largest community of readers. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read.
An instance of the fingerpost 9781445007984 by pears, iain and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The first three quotations describe three of bacons four idols of the mind. Though the clunky phrase might not seem to construe much of a debt, the ideas behind it. As i had this read aloud to me by my husband whenever we had some free time which was not often it took over a year to get through it but it was totally worth it. A fellow of new college is found dead in suspicious circumstances. Iain pears literate murder mystery an instance of the fingerpost explores the complex world of england during the restoration in a novel reminiscent of umberto ecos the name of the rose. In 1663, an oxford professor has been poisoned with arsenic that much is clear. Overview a national bestseller and one of the new york public librarys books to remember, an instance of the fingerpost is a thrilling historical mystery from iain pears. But an instance of the fingerpost is a good deal more than a detective story. Hefty, intricately plotted, and intellectually ambitious, fingerpost has drawn the inevitable comparisons to umberto ecos the name of the rose and, for once, the comparison is apt.
The murder of dr robert grove, a fellow of new college, and the events surrounding it are narrated from four significantly different. An instance of the fingerpost is set in the early years of the restoration, a time in english history marked by political intrigue and social unrest. Chapter 2 an instance of the fingerpost by iain pears. The source of the title is found in an epigraph to part iv of the novel. He is the author of six highly praised detective novels, which include the raphael affair, the bernini bust and an instance of the fingerpost. An instance of the fingerpost in 1663 oxford, a servant girl confesses to a murder. But his publishers clearly expect iain pearss new book to break out of the genre slot. Educated at wadham college, oxford, he has worked as a journalist, an art historian and television consultant. Unlike writers attempting valiantly to fashion together something new from the fall of anne boleyn or similar, an instance of the fingerpost offers fresh material even for the hardened historical fiction fiend such as myself. The abridgment edits out too much of the interesting historical detail, a pleasure of historical fiction, which set the milieu of the times and provides rich context for the characters and plot. Charles ii has been restored to the throne following years of civil war and cromwells shortlived republic.
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