Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation; Heartstone; Lamentation; Tombland.
A series of historical mystery novels, spanning 1537 to 1549. Each book sees lawyer Matthew Shardlake investigate and solve a mystery, set against the backdrop of real events in the tumultuous Tudor period.
I hope you don’t think it’s cheating to write a book review of a series but I couldn’t let this one pass without a quick recommendation.
This historical murder mystery series combines my love of a good ‘who-done-it’ with my inner history nerdiness. Each of the stories takes us on an exciting journey, full of twists, turns, intrigue and danger. The mystery intertwines with an important historical event, such as the dissolution of the monasteries, the sinking of the Marie Rose and Henry VIII death.
It’s full of compelling characters; Matthew – our unlikely hero who fights for what he believes in and keeps his integrity even in the tough Tudor times where the monarchy determine your belief system; Barak – his trusty roguish sidekick and Guy Malton – an ex-monk physician, balancing his belief in religion and science. Sansom introduces real individuals to the narrative (Henry VIII makes an appearance) and this can stretch the imagination a little (for example Matthew has a crush on Catherine Parr) but this doesn’t detract from the overall tale.
These books are 600+ page doorstops, so you must be committed and if you’re not a fan of historical fiction, they’re probably not for you. However, I loved them and am keeping my fingers crossed there will be a new instalment…
- Historical
- Weighty
- Fiction
- Series
