Heartstone (Matthew Shardlake 5)

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Hugh Curteys stands to inherit a valuable tract of Hampshire woodland when he turns 21, and this estate is being managed by his ward, Nicholas Hobbey, supposedly to benefit the boy. He came to prominence with his series set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century, whose main character is the hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake.

Near the beginning of this one, as the mystery was being set out, I was fairly certain I knew what had happened. We marched through tunnellike lanes where the trees sometimes met overhead, a green dimness with spatters of bright sunlight on the road. CJ Sansom combines a knack of getting us to experience the past with a talent for warmly memorable characterisation and skilled plot construction. It is one of those series that you have to read from start to finish, even though each adventure is a treat by themselves. London” and continues through to the end of a very hot July and the Battle of the Solent between England and France.Rich in the history of these turbulent times this is a masterful read and one of the best historical crime novels you could read. At the beginning of the novel, Shardlake is summoned by Queen Catherine Parr (Henry VIII’s sixth wife) to aid one of her servants. Most importantly Barak asks Shardlake to take a hard look at what he is doing and what underlies his obstinacy. The history lessons from school were certainly never this gripping and almost none of the information that was listed in such a lacklustre way stuck with me. Such a great book, brilliant storytelling which takes you back into time as if yer actually there with its detailed historical content.

Set during the reign of Henry VIII, the novels focus on various crimes, which the intrepid Shardlake investigates while dealing with the prevailing situation of London and England under Henry's increasingly erratic reign. Sansom dazzles with his great set of Tudor era historical mysteries, mixing a few legal conundrums with controversies of the time to keep the reader hooked. As it turns out, Ellen’s hometown and the wardship case are not far apart, so he and his younger assistant Jack travel south. However, things do not go well when Henry VIII’s invasion of France is an epic failure and the French decide to retaliate by sending a mighty fleet to invade England. The stories, of course, collide, but could have occurred without The Mary Rose – since it was the characters that linked the stories, not where they were.

J. Sansom, Mantle, 2010, First Edition, First Impression The author's sixth novel and the fifth in the Matthew Shardlake series all of which are set in the 16th century during the reign of King Henry VIIII. Seemingly unrelated, both cases take Shardlake and his loyal retainer, Jack Barak, to the south in the Portsmouth district.

By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. The events of this book force Shardlake to consider his tendency to become over-involved with his cases and to think seriously about whether he is helping or hurting his clients by doing so. The Tekari—sworn enemies of humans—are openly roaming the kingdom and are headed towards the capital, Edonarle. To expiate for his lack of affection, Shardlake is determined to find out why Ellen has been institutionalised for 19 years without being certified. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.The legend himself, King Henry VIII, who is glittery and magnanimous to his people, but if you cross him, his true colors come out in full force. Overall, I enjoyed Heartstone but thought that as a mystery it was not up to the high standard set by previous Shardlake books like Dark Fire and Revelation. J. Sansom's number one bestselling Shardlake series, for fans of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory .

Sansom can blend the two cases with military movements and the French invasion to heighten the danger and intrigue.

That Shardlake is seriously endangered in a particular spot at the wrong time by a particular protaganist was no surprise. Not only is there a tangible sense of threat from the French fleet ( even if you already know how the history plays out), but the novel also focuses on things like the horrors of conscription and war, the poverty of the time and the religious politics of the 16th century too. There is n But if you’re a Shardlake fan already you won’t need my encouragement to spend a few hundred pages in our favorite Tudor lawyer’s company.