Holsinger's command of the details of daily life in 14th century London is astonishing and his style readable and vivid, but this densely-populated mystery lacks the character development of his first outing, [b:A Burnable Book|18090082|A Burnable Book (John Gower, #1)|Bruce Holsinger|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378328811s/18090082.jpg|25404531], and its plot turns are telegraphed very early in the novel. I loved the gritty reality of his setting, but there were a few too many street-by-street descriptions of Gower's rambles. If I knew as much as Holsinger does about the layout of medieval London, I'd be tempted to show it off, too, but the slow pace, with its twists and turns through alleys, gets a little tedious at times. The two subplots are more compelling, but the fragmented nature of the narrative works against Holsinger's admirable attempt to reveal the early roots of our modern culture's bizarre fascination with the destructive power of gunpowder.