a veritable jackdaw 's nest of a book containing secret societies , conspiracies and counter-conspiracies , jacobites , inquisitors , artists and dramatists , jays and jackdaws , velcro jumping , jewish zen buddhist blues , mathematical opera , jacobean theatre , folk and jazz , kings and popes , jason and jason , bedekeepers and beadkeepers , tarboys and jumbucks , curious ceremonies , arcane rituals , bizarre coincidences , eccentric characters , lots of fascinating but utterly useless information , plenty of ovophiles and the quest to crown a king .