Dark Fire

Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom

Second book in the Shardlake series.

This book was even better than dissolution which was the first in the series. This time Matthew Shardlake has to contend with an even more gruesome set of assassins and attempt to keep Thomas Cromwell in power. Then he also has to find out whether a friends daughter which has been accused of murder is really guilty. This novel shows the details of every thing that it passes in London: the smells, the sights and also the atmosphere. Sansom has written this novel brilliantly and I hope that his next books will be just as good if not better. I am giving it 9/10.
MB

It is now three years since Matthew Shardlake the hunch back lawyer worked for Cromwell at Scarnsea Abbey.  He goes to the defence of a young woman accused of murdering her Cousin by pushing him down a well.  The call comes from his old master Cromwell who offers him assistance in the case if he will undertake an investigation for him.   Again you get a full flavour of the times and the way life was lead in the reign of Henry VIII.  I fully recommend this story and as the author writes more he understands the complexity and melancholy of the character he has created.  I give this a 9 out of 10.

JB

Overall it is 9/10.

Revelation C J Sansom

Revelation by C J Sansom

I went straight into this having read the four Shardlake books back to back.  This by far is the best of them.  Our Hero Matthew Shardlake the Crookback Lawyer and his assistant Jack Barak become involved in the hunt for a serial killer after one of Shardlakes friends is killed by an assassin and his body placed in a fountain in Lincolns Inn.  There is again a huge amount of historical fact in this novel especially around the struggles for political power and the desire of the king to marry for a sixth time.  It is not clear who the perpetrator of the crimes is and I have to admit it was not until we got near the end that I was able to work out who and why.  There are also some interesting facts and issues raised about mental illness and how it was percieved and dealt with in this time.  I was enthralled as usual with the writting and the stylr of the prose.  I give this one a 10 out of 10.  Brilliant and I can't wait until the fifth book comes out this year.

JB

Dissolution C J Sansom

Dissolution by C. J. Sansom
First book in the Shardlake series.

This book by Sansom is set in Tudor Britain during the dissolution of monastries during Henry VIII reign. Matthew Shardlake, hunchback lawyer, and his assistant Mark are sent by Thomas Cromwell to uncover the murder of a fellow lawyer who was killed at a monastry in Scarnsea. Whilst there, Shardlake finds new friends and new enemies, even in people who are very close to him. After a week or two in Scarnsea, he finally works out who the murderer is but it is too late, many things have gone wrong and there have been more and more murders every day. I enjoyed this book as it was fiction based on fact which is the kind of book I like. It also shows what life is like in Tudor Britain for a hard working hunchback. I am giving it 8/10.

MB

This is the first of the books in the Shardlake series.  Our Hero is Matthew Shardlake a Lawyer who is appointed to be one of Cromwell's Commisioners in the reign of Henry VIII. Matthew Shardlake is a passionate reformer and is sent to the South Coast to a monastery where the  murder of one of Cromwell's commissioners has been committed.  This is an excellent story weaving the historical facts of the times with the fiction of the murder.  There are many twists to the tale and it is excellently written.  It is a classical who dunnit however at the same time you get a mixture of real historical fact and a feel for the time in which it is set.  I highly recommend this and give it a 9 out of 10
JB

Overall, 8.5/10