Death by Effigy

"An important contribution to the literature on the early modern Spanish world and, specifically, to the large and seemingly ever-growing body of scholarship related to the inquisition. The case illustrates the power of inquisitorial symbols and the juridical nature of inquisitorial investigations. It approximates a transcription of an Inquisition case, although judiciously condensed into an absorbing narrative."—American Historical Review

"A very engaging piece of microhistory based on a case heard by the Inquisition in late sixteenth-century Mexico. . . . Corteguera does a very good job of unraveling this rather convoluted case and of discussing the motives of all those involved."—Sixteenth Century Journal

"Corteguera's delightful book, elegantly written and meticulously considered, . . . is a marvelous reconstruction of the social universe of a small town in New Spain, but the book goes a good deal further. It offers excellent overviews of the way the Inquisition operated, dispelling many myths along the way."—The Medieval Review

"Corteguera unearths a memorable and multifaceted story from deep inside the still little-known society of early colonial Mexico. Sophisticated in its treatment of a great array of topics, from early modern religion, morality, and sexuality, through an interweaving of interethnic rivalry, Inquisitional symbology and procedure, to the pervasiveness of a culture of rumor and reputation, Death by Effigy is a significant contribution."—Kenneth Mills, University of Toronto

"Beautifully written and well organized, not only does Death by Effigy bring the period alive, it does so in an almost cinematographic manner. A wonderful teaching tool."—Tamar Herzog, Stanford University