Tombland by C. J. Sansom

November 14, 2021

Tombland by C. J. Sansom

Spring 1549 - With a child king on the throne, England is heading into chaos. Radical Protestants are waging war on Catholics, the Protector's war in Scotland is a disaster, and the economy is collapsing. Lawyer Matthew Shardlake is working for the Lady Elizabeth, Henry VIII's younger daughter. The murder of Edith Boleyn, a distant relative of her mother, could have political consequences for Elizabeth.

I love this series, but this is my least favorite book thus far. It is well-researched like all of the books in this series since the author is an historian. But it's way too long, and the author focuses too much on Kett's rebellion in Norfolk - the book would have been 400 pages shorter (basically the last half of the book could have been edited out - it's mostly history, not mystery). Sansom should have stuck with Edith's murder. If he wanted to write a book about Kett's rebellion, it should have been a separate nonfiction book.

The next book, #8 in the series, is coming out toward the end of 2022.

Map of Kett's rebellion in Norfolk

Lamentation by C. J. Sansom

February 4, 2021

Lamentation by C. J. Sansom

Summer 1546 - as Henry VIII lies dying, lawyer Matthew Shardlake is summoned to the palace by Queen Catherine Parr. As a Protestant supporter, Queen Catherine authored a distinctly Protestant tract which, if discovered by the Catholic faction, could bring about her arrest and execution. The manuscript has vanished from a locked chest, but a single page is found clutched in the hand of a murdered London printer.

At the same time, Matthew is dealing with a civil law case that is essentially a family feud regarding inheritance rights. Both cases are more complex than they first appear.

This is the sixth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. The titles in this series are well-researched and give an accurate picture of daily life of both courtiers and common people in the 16th century. There is seamless blending of real and fictional characters, and fiction with historic facts. This is one of my favorite historical series.  Highly recommended.

Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

December 24, 2020

Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

1545 - England is at war again.  Henry VIII's invasion of France was a catastrophe, and his subjects suffer under his increasing irrationality.  At the request of Queen Catherine Parr, lawyer Matthew Shardlake takes on a case of alleged abuse committed against a ward of the court. At the same time, Matthew is investigating the case of a woman residing in Bedlam (whom he met in the previous book). With his long-time assistant Jack Barak, Matthew travels to Portsmouth to investigate a strange family where one death has already occurred. They arrive just in time for the French invasion, which has disastrous consequences for the English navy.

This is the fifth book in the Matthew Shardlake series and it is a wonderful addition to the series.  Wonderful research seamlessly blending real and fictional characters. This is one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next book.

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

December 8, 2020

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

1543 - Henry VIII is courting a reluctant Lady Catherine Parr to become his 6th wife.  Lady C. is known for having reformist leanings, so the royal court and church officials are paying close attention.  At the same time, a young man who is a religious fanatic is committed to Bedlam for the insane.  His parents seek out lawyer Matthew Shardlake, hoping that he can assist their son. When an old friend of Matthew's is found murdered, Matthew discovers links to both situations.  Soon more murders occur that appear to have links to prophecies in the book of Revelations.

This is the 4th book in the Matthew Shardlake series, a wonderful historical series set during the time of the Tudors.  Lawyer Shardlake has links to the Tudor court through Thomas Cromwell and other members of the court.  If you like your mysteries steeped in excellent research, you will enjoy this series.

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

 November 8, 2020

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

1541 - With England in a state of political turmoil, Henry VIII sets out on a royal progression with his court to visit the far reaches of his realm and calm his troubled subjects.  Archbishop Cranmer tasks lawyer Matthew Shardlake with the unenviable job of ensuring that a suspected conspirator is returned safely to London to stand trial.  Shardlake also becomes involved in investigating the murder of a local businessman after pages found in the victim's possession that question the legitimacy of Henry VIII's reign.

This is book #3 in the Matthew Shardlake series.  Like the previous titles in the series, it is well-researched and provides a fascinating look at life in Tudor England in addition to a page-turning mystery.  The overall tone is darker than the first two books, but England was growing increasingly grim the longer Henry reigned.

Great series - highly recommended to fans of historical fiction.