Praise for A Burnable Book

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"The poet John Gower is the perfect narrator and amateur sleuth...Holsinger’s research, alongside the energetic vulgarity of a language in flux, delivers up a world where even the filth is colorful."   

  — The New York Times Book Review

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'Medievalist Holsinger delivers a first novel whose zest, breadth, and color evoke The Canterbury Tales. . . . [T]he intricate plot, sharp characterizations, and sweeping depiction of medieval England make this a memorable fiction debut.'

— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 

"Holsinger is a graceful guide to the 14th century, lacing his thriller with just the right seasoning of antique words and all the necessary historical detail without any of the fusty smell of a documentary."  

  — The Washington Post

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"...fragrant with the stench of medieval London...The central mystery of the book leads us through the mucky lanes of London, with cunning surprises around every corner...jam-packed tapestry of medieval England."

  — NPR

 

"The reader will be rewarded with a fascinating overview of pre-Renaissance London at its best and worst. A highly literate thriller from medievalist Holsinger."

  — Kirkus

 

"Medieval England never tasted so rich nor smelled so foul as in this descriptive and intricately layered mystery...[Holsinger] succeeds in elevating the missing manuscript genre to new heights that will entertain readers of both fiction and nonfiction."

  — Library Journal​