I got this as it's essentially a good introduction into a much larger series of novels about Giordano Bruno and I wanted to test them out before buying more. A series on PBS about Queen Elizabeth I and her spies had me looking into what was available in the genre of Elizabethan spy novels. I have to say after reading this little gem I'm really looking forward to reading many more full length novels by SJ Parris.

Edit: Do NOT buy this book along with Dead of Winter. I did not know that this one was the first novella in that publication so now I've got a new book that I've already read one third of. Not happy at all with the marketing of these publications.