An instance of the fingerpost
by Iain Pears
- 31 Want to read
- 8 Have read
We are in England in the 1660s, Charles II has been restored to the throne following years of civil war and Oliver Cromwell's short-lived republic. Oxford is the intellectual seat of the country, a place of great scientific, religious, and political ferment. A fellow of New College is found dead in suspicious circumstances. A young woman is accused of his murder.
We hear the story of the death from four witnesses: an Italian physician intent on claiming credit for the invention of blood transfusion; the son of an alleged Royalist traitor; a master cryptographer who has worked for both Cromwell and the king; and a renowned Oxford antiquarian. Each tells his own version of what happened. Only one reveals the extraordinary truth.
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Subjects
Fiction, History, Murder, New College (University of Oxford), Religion, Science, Fiction, historical, Fiction, mystery & detective, general, England, fiction, Large type books, Fiction, historical, general, University of OxfordPeople
Marco de Cola, Jack Prescott, John Wallis, Anthony Wood, Charles II, Oliver Cromwell, Sarah BlundyPlaces
Oxford (England), Great Britain, Oxford, England| Edition | Availability |
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1
An Instance of the Fingerpost
2023, Vintage, Penguin Random House
Paperback
009975181X 9780099751816
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2
An Instance of the Fingerpost: A Novel
April 10, 2000, Riverhead Trade
Paperback
in /languages/eng
1573227951 9781573227957
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First Sentence
"Marco da Cola, gentleman of Venice, respectfully presents his greetings."
Work Description
This book is set in the 1660's, and tells the story of Sarah Blundy who is accused of murder. The story is told from four different perspectives, and as you read each one you learn so much more about the events, and there is a huge plot twist at the end!
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| October 19, 2025 | Edited by the_wandering_goose | Corrected the title capitalization |
| March 7, 2023 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
| October 4, 2021 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
| November 28, 2020 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
| December 9, 2009 | Created by WorkBot | add works page |