Shardlake, Nicholas and Barak become embroiled in Kett’s Rebellion whilst in Norwich where Shardlake is investigating the brutal murder of the wife of one of Lady Elizabeth’s distant Norfolk relations.
Tombland is a weighty tome, and a fascinating way to explore the causes of and unfolding of the widespread social unrest that occurred during the early years of Edward Vi’s short reign, under Protector Somerset. Lots of parallels with 21st century capitalism too.
C. J. Sansom’s Shardlake’s take on the final months of Henry VIII’s reign and life, revolving around the disappearance of a manuscript written by Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Catherine Parr. As Henry’s health worsens, political and religious power struggles escalate and the loss of The Lamentations of a Sinner puts Catherine in a very dangerous position indeed.
Deftly connecting characters from previous novels in the Shardlake series to Henry VIII’s futile final war against the French and the sinking of the Mary Rose.
There’s an entry for Revelation almost a year ago, but having just read the book (principally on the prom at Walton) it’s clear that I haven’t read it before – goodness only knows which book I did read
I definitely would have remembered more about Revelation. Set in the 1540s, as Henry VIII’s reign nears its end, the plot focuses on religious belief, radical protestantism and the aftermath of the Reformation and the Dissolution; and Henry VIII’s wooing of his sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr.
A series of grotesque murders brings lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake back into contact with the Archbishop Cranmer, and the dangerous political factions of the Tudor period. Matthew Shardlake also finds himself back in love with an old flame, and dealing with the case of a young man confined to Bedlam. Meanwhile his side kick Barak and wife Tamsin struggle after the death of their baby and Guy Malton’s affection for his young apprentice brings concern.
Through the novel we learn a lot about the spread of ideas and the power of books: the bible in English, protestant beliefs from Europe and within England, medicine and theories of how the body works. We also see how the thin line can be between strong belief, obsession and madness.
More Tudor-set murder and mystery…. and sadly I have no recollection at all of the plot only a month after reading it! Still, all the others on the Shardlake series have been good…
