1. Unruly - David Mitchell - 9/10
2. A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Blackman - 7/10
3. The Book of Doors - Gareth Brown - 8/10
4. Hitler's British Traitors - Tim Tate - 4/10
5. 1984 - George Orwell - 7/10
6. Big Beacon by Alan Partridge - Steve Coogan et al - 6/10
7. The Third Man - Graham Greene - 5/10
8. Politics on the Edge - Rory Stewart - 10/10
9. The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie - 7/10
10. Before They Are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie - 8/10
11. Lamentation - C J Sansom - 8/10
I read the first two Matthew Shardlake novels many years ago. I skipped to this one, the sixth, set in the last year of the reign of Henry VIII.
Catherine Parr's religious manuscript "Lamentation of a Sinner" disappears and Shardlake is employed by the queen to find it and return it to her, lest it falls into the wrong hands and is used for any number of malign purposes.
Numerous religious factions are competing for supremacy, the main threats being a return to Rome, and movement towards more radical evangelical beliefs. Various courtiers are suspected of stealing the manuscript, and there are suspicions of numerous alliances and conspiracies, as palace advisors complete for risk and political influence.
There are those wanting the queen exposed as a heretic, disloyal to the king, and others wanting the manuscript published as it will strengthen their claim to be the true religion. Both outcomes will damage the queen in the eyes of her husband.
Shardlake whittles down his list of suspects until one remains, and the final denouement delivers an unexpected twist.
This is a very good historical mystery, with believably constructed characters and story developments. Recommended, if this is your sphere of interest.
2. A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Blackman - 7/10
3. The Book of Doors - Gareth Brown - 8/10
4. Hitler's British Traitors - Tim Tate - 4/10
5. 1984 - George Orwell - 7/10
6. Big Beacon by Alan Partridge - Steve Coogan et al - 6/10
7. The Third Man - Graham Greene - 5/10
8. Politics on the Edge - Rory Stewart - 10/10
9. The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie - 7/10
10. Before They Are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie - 8/10
11. Lamentation - C J Sansom - 8/10
I read the first two Matthew Shardlake novels many years ago. I skipped to this one, the sixth, set in the last year of the reign of Henry VIII.
Catherine Parr's religious manuscript "Lamentation of a Sinner" disappears and Shardlake is employed by the queen to find it and return it to her, lest it falls into the wrong hands and is used for any number of malign purposes.
Numerous religious factions are competing for supremacy, the main threats being a return to Rome, and movement towards more radical evangelical beliefs. Various courtiers are suspected of stealing the manuscript, and there are suspicions of numerous alliances and conspiracies, as palace advisors complete for risk and political influence.
There are those wanting the queen exposed as a heretic, disloyal to the king, and others wanting the manuscript published as it will strengthen their claim to be the true religion. Both outcomes will damage the queen in the eyes of her husband.
Shardlake whittles down his list of suspects until one remains, and the final denouement delivers an unexpected twist.
This is a very good historical mystery, with believably constructed characters and story developments. Recommended, if this is your sphere of interest.
