Point of View

The book is told in third person, with Ned Henry as the sole point of view. This point of view is maintained even when Ned is delirious, and the dialogue of the characters is rendered as Ned, in his delirium, would hear it. This means that at times, particularly at the beginning of the story, the narrative is unreliable. Ned is frequently mistaking one word for another. In general, these substitutions can be puzzled out by the reader, who enjoys a slightly more knowledgeable point of view than delirious Ned. But, for the most part, the knowledge of the reader is carefully restricted to that of the principle character. There is no omniscience in the narration. This is typical of a mystery.

Setting

There are four principal settings in the book, Oxford, Coventry cathedral, Muching's End, and the River Thames. The book is extremely light on...