El misterioso caso de la peste negra

The panel considered that El misterioso caso de la peste negra, intended to be the first in a collection of novels by the same author, and featuring Geoffrey Chaucer as a main character, would appeal to English readers of medieval detective fiction.

El misterioso caso de la peste negra is an absorbing, entertaining mystery story; a detective novel in the classic tradition with shades of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose in its exploration of the intricacies of medieval life in Europe, its social turmoil, political intrigues and religious intolerance.

The narrative mixes real life figures with characters from Chaucer’s tales and Mira’s own creations. Spies abound, bands of rats fight battles, religious persecution is rife, intrigue is everywhere and no one is to be trusted. And the secret which is gradually revealed is the cause of the Black Death, centuries before this was recognised and the disease eradicated in Europe, a secret which could lead those who shared it to the stake.

Narrated in the style of the best of classic detective fiction, with shades of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, this thoroughly enjoyable novel will certainly appeal to both lovers of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and fans of the medieval detective genre. (From the reader report by Christina MacSweeney [3])