The Coffee Trader by David Liss
A beautifully written and realized mystery set in 17th century Amsterdam. The plot involves a Jewish futures trader desperately attempting to save his career by the risky import of a strange and unknown beverage called coffee.
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Set in both modern day and 15th Century England. The mystery involves an injured policeman who is frustratingly bed ridden at a hospital. While desperately looking for something to occupy his mind, he comes across a portrait of Richard III. He has always believed that he is particularly good at understanding the character of a man by his face, but he cannot reconcile the face in the portrait with the heinous acts recorded by history. Very smart and funny, this book is highly recommended.
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl
A dark and intriguing tale revolving around Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the first American translation of Dante's work. Set in 19th century Boston, Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and others have formed a club to work on the translation. Powerful forces from Harvard have vowed to stop them, but will they stoop to murder?
The River God by Wilbur Smith
Set in ancient Egypt, The River God conjures up a very believable feel of life at this point in history. Royal intrigue, civil war, and mysterious invaders have threatened this ancient society, and Taita, a royal eunuch slave, must find a way for the kingdom to survive. Very enjoyable.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
One of the first English mysteries to be written, as Collins was a contemporary of Charles Dickens. Very interesting stylistically, The Moonstone is narrated through a variety of first person perspectives, each giving different flavors to the central story and characters. The butler is particularly enjoyable, as he is constantly referencing Robinson Crusoe as a sort of I-Ching - he merely has to open a page to find Defoe speaking directly to his problems and concerns. Very fresh and interesting, a great summer read.
Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
A Great literary thriller. Set in 14th century Italy, a Franciscan abbey is besieged by political forces from without and an unscrupulous murder from within. Brother William of Baskervile is sent to investigate the mystery before the inquisition is called in. A brilliant masterpiece combining elements of philosophy and history to create a completely absorbing and inspiring book. Not to take anything way from the Da Vinci Code, but this is one of those books that will still be readily available 100 years from now.
More to come...