Book Log 2010 #52: Heresy by S. J. Parris

A really engaging historical mystery featuring monk turned philosopher and astronomer Giordano Bruno as its main character. As in his actual life, Bruno travels to Oxford in the company of Philip Sidney to participate in a debate on the nature of the universe (and, on the side, do what he can to uncover any Catholic plots against Elizabeth I). But in the book, his time in Oxford is punctuated by a series of killings with a sinister ritualistic bent to them. When the college administration tries to hush up the murders, Bruno strikes out on his own to figure out who is behind them.

Bruno is a great character for historical fiction, as he has to balance his intellectual curiosity with his personal ethics and his own brand of faith. That tension is always at hand in the book, as Bruno has to fight off the English who see him as a tool of the Vatican and the secret Catholics who consider him a traitor. His interest in truth - both with the murder and with greater questions - regularly leads him into trouble, and he knows that, but he also knows that he can't settle for less.

I really hope this turns into a series of some sort. The characters and time period certainly give plenty of material to work from, if nothing else. Worth a look, certainly.