Um, wow. The Name of the Rose, certainly, for historical mystery, and more, John Fowles's A Maggot, for the period and the gradual uncovering of what might have happened.
Also, all books are one book: in The Adventure of English, Melvyn Bragg mentioned a (the one?) linguistic legacy of Oliver Cromwell, the phrase "warts and all" (for how he wanted his portrait painted). Iain Pears managed to mention it in his book.