Giles Questing, an undergraduate student at the University of Oxford, finds his life taking an unexpected turn after the suspicious death of a PhD student, a death the police believe to be suicide. He determines to solve the mystery by following a trail of artworks that depict a unicorn. Travelling to museums and galleries, he gradually discovers the truth about whether the student has taken his own life or been murdered, and who - if anyone - is guilty. His quest immerses him in the world of the unicorn in medieval and Renaissance art, and introduces him to the present-day obsession with the unicorn in the media, advertising, and social networks. All this enables him to crack the code of the unicorn that has been buried in the tradition of the Christian church for many years, and to answer the questions he has about a death that deeply affects him personally and that finally threatens his own life.
Paul S. Fiddes is Professor of Systematic Theology in the Faculty of Theology and Religion in the University of Oxford.
“An extraordinary achievement . . . the author has invented a new genre. . . . He writes very beautifully—finely rhythmic sentences and great descriptive phrases, holding the tension until the end.”
—Micheal O’Siadhail, Distinguished Poet in Residence, Union Theological Seminary
“Gripping and complex.”
—Baptist Times
“Medievalists, art historians, and travelers will find much to enjoy in this imaginative first novel.”
—Church Times
“Elegantly written and with real substance and complexity to its plot.”
—Search: A Church of Ireland Journal
“The plot is absolutely ingenious and both characterization and dialogue are wonderful.”
—John Barton, Oriel & Laing Emeritus Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford
“This intriguing novel is a significant achievement. The way in which Fiddes presents the myths and symbols connected with the unicorn is remarkably convincing and rewarding. . . . A Unicorn Dies is illustrative of narrative fiction’s unique ability to present a story that is not just entertaining but thoughtful and thought-provoking, particularly by demonstrating the need for historical knowledge and ethical reflection.”
—Jakob Lothe, Professor of English literature, University of Oslo
“Notable Oxford academics, like J. R. R. Tolkien or C. S. Lewis, send their heroes on hazardous journeys. Paul Fiddes lays an intricate trail from York to Paris to Rome, from New York to Colmar to Stirling, as his undergraduate hero, Giles, investigates two suspicious deaths which are linked to mythological depictions of the unicorn. This is another Oxford murder mystery, but with a theological twist, as the code of the death of the unicorn is finally revealed.”
—Susan Gillingham, Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford
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