Against a backdrop of preparations for a possible invasion of England by the French, Matthew Shardlake investigates the case of two children who became wards of a wealthy landowner. Shardlake is a lawyer whose passions are engaged by the dark secrets buried in the court records and the political corruption that reaches right into Henry VIII’s court. This is the fifth Shardlake novel in a top-notch series of historical mysteries. Sansom brings the 16th Century alive (you would NOT want to live there!). There’s plenty of historical detail, but the history never gets in the way of the mysteries. If you’re in the mood for an gripping historical mystery novel, I highly recommend Heartstone. GRADE: A
Sounds perfect for Phil. Anything with kings or presidents is good,
There’s plenty of Royal politics in HEARTSTONE, too, Patti. Phil would love this book.
How does this compare to other historical series set in similar times?
I think C. J. Sansom’s historical novels are at the top of the heap, Rick. The historical setting bursts with life (and a lot of death) while the mysteries Shardlake investigates are challenging.