Traitor's Codex by Jeri Westerson

December 7, 2021

Traitor's Codex by Jeri Westerson

Crispin Guest, aka the Tracker of London, is enjoying an ale at the Boar's Tusk, his favorite tavern, when a stranger drops a package on his table, with a remark that Crispin will know what to do with it. When he opens the packet, Crispin finds an ancient text written in an unknown language. He inquires of a priest friend, who directs him toward the secret Jewish community in London. A hidden rabbi tells him that the book is the gospel of Judas, a forbidden gospel account that challenges the foundations of Christianity. The rabbi is later found dead, and Crispin discovers that a lot of people want the book, mainly to destroy it.

This is #12 in the Crispin Guest series. Like previous books, the characters, history, and atmosphere of 14th century London draw the reader in immediately. Judaism was forbidden in England, yet there was a thriving community who practiced their religion in secret, much as Catholics continued to follow their religion after it was outlawed in the 16th century. The Gospel of Judas does exist, although most traditional biblical scholars dispute its authenticity - naturally, it offers a different slant than orthodox Christianity does. If you're interested in different views of Jesus, you may want to try The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd, which tells the story of Jesus from the viewpoint of his wife (yes, at the time Jesus lived, as a Jewish man, he would have been expected to marry) or The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin (written from the viewpoint of the Virgin Mary, Jesus' mother).

As in all the Crispin Guest books, there are a number of different threads that come together at the end. Highly recommended.

An example of a 14th century codex

The Gospel of Judas does exist, although some scholars dispute its authenticity