Book Log 2014 #37: A Burnable Book by Bruce Holsinger

Richard II has a tenuous hold on the throne of England, and with all of the usual threats to his rule comes a new one - a book of prophecy purported to have foretold the deaths of the kings of England up to Richard, and one final prophecy for Richard himself.

When the book falls into the hands of a prostitute, the high and low worlds of London become entangled, Those that hold the book may have the key to fortune if they can sell it to the right bidder, but also risk being executed for treason if caught with the book. Into this falls poet and intelligencer John Gower, who is charged with finding the book by Geoffrey Chaucer, a bureaucrat in the king's service.

There's a lot to like about this book, it's a good historical and literary thriller. The jacket intimated that Chaucer would be more involved in the book than he was; Chaucer's appearances are important but the main character really is Gower. Not a huge issue.