EQUINOX

White combines a historical overview of alchemy, a revisionist history of Isaac Newton, and a graphic modern mystery. As grisly murders take place in Oxford, an aggressive American woman, her placid boyfriend, and an arrogant detective take center stage as they investigate the connection between alchemy of the 1600s and a 21st-century murder. The narration maintains clarity and a smooth flow as the story moves back and forth in time. Diverse accents and Victorian-era speech patterns are also well portrayed. An unusual afterword provides the facts behind the fiction, a bibliography on alchemy, and a biography of Oxford's Bodleian Library. Mystery lovers and those who love history will be fascinated. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]