A legendary manuscript from medieval Sicily stirs up passions. Is there perhaps more Islam in the history of Europe than we are willing to acknowledge? At least, this is what a renowned medieval scholar claims in an interview, quickly finding himself caught in the crossfire. Dubious crusaders, Islamists, and opponents of minarets are hot on his heels, along with the reluctant narrator and crime author, who is working on behalf of a publicity-shy patron. But who is pulling the strings in the background? As the narrator delves into one of history's best-kept secrets, he begins to have more and more doubts about his own existence. "Before Time" is a surprising novel about Europe's monotheistic heritage and the relationship between revelation, scripture, and literature, and not least about the author's eternal longing for the novel of novels.