The Closed Book: Concerning the Secret of the Borgias

"The Closed Book: Concerning the Secret of the Borgias" by William Le Queux is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative begins with Allan Kennedy, an antiquarian enthusiast, who travels to Florence in search of a rare manuscript said to be of considerable significance. As he interacts with various intriguing characters, including a mysterious hunchback named Francesco Graniani and a jovial prior, the story hints at dark secrets intertwined with the infamous Borgia family. The opening of the tale establishes the setting in a historical Florence, describing both its antiquity and its present-day decay. Kennedy's encounter with the prior, Dom Bernardo Landini, leads him to acquire a manuscript linked to the Borgias, but the excitement of his purchase is overshadowed by ominous warnings regarding the book. These warnings foreshadow potential peril associated with the manuscript, and as Kennedy attempts to decipher its secrets, he becomes entangled in a web of historical intrigue, deception, and sinister forces lurking in the shadows. The early chapters expertly blend historical detail with suspense, making it compelling for readers intrigued by the enigmatic legacy of the Borgias and the dark side of antiquarian pursuits. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Tufnell Le Queux was an Anglo-French journalist and writer. He was also a diplomat, a traveller, a flying buff who officiated at the first British air meeting at Doncaster in 1909, and a wireless pioneer who broadcast music from his own station long before radio was generally available; his claims regarding his own abilities and exploits, however, were usually exaggerated. His best-known works are the anti-French and anti-Russian invasion fantasy The Great War in England in 1897 (1894) and the anti-German invasion fantasy The Invasion of 1910 (1906), the latter becoming a bestseller.