From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Heartstone (Matthew Shardlake, #5)

C.J. Sansom

Start date: June 15, 2024

Finish date: July 5, 2024

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Continuing our buddy reads of the Shardlake series.
[close] Continuing our buddy reads of the Shardlake series.

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What Members Thought

Oct 04, 2014 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The fifth Matthew Shardlake novel sees England in turmoil because of the threat of invasion by France. On a personal level Shardlake has lost his beloved housekeeper Joan and a mistrust of foreigners has seen Guy taking refuge in Matthew’s house. Joan has been replaced by a new steward, who Shardlake seems to dislike so much it is not really apparent how he got the job, although they do sympathise with his downtrodden daughter.

While England prepares for invasion, Barak and Tamasin are nervously The fifth Matthew Shardlake novel sees England in turmoil because of the threat of invasion by France. On a personal level Shardlake has lost his beloved housekeeper Joan and a mistrust of foreigners has seen Guy taking refuge in Matthew’s house. Joan has been replaced by a new steward, who Shardlake seems to dislike so much it is not really apparent how he got the job, although they do sympathise with his downtrodden daughter.

While England prepares for invasion, Barak and Tamasin are nervously awaiting the birth of their child. However, young men are being called to fight and when Barak manages to upset someone in charge (a recurring theme…) he finds that he could be enlisted. Fate intervenes with Queen Catherine Parr, who requests Shardlake’s help with a case concerning her old housekeeper. The housekeeper’s son, Michael Calfhill, was tutor to two children whose parents died. The daughter, Emma,later died, but the son Hugh found himself in the care of the Hobbey family who bought the wardship. The Court of Wards are corrupt and the tutor was concerned enough to visit Hugh and discovered something that disturbed him so seriously that he lodged an application with the Court before apparently committing suicide. Now Shardlake must cross a country preparing for war to visit the Hobbey family and the only way Barak can avoid fighting is by accompanying him. As well as the main story, Shardlake is intrigued to find out the truth about Ellen Fettisplace, who we met in the preceding novel and who is in the Bedlam.

This is a long and involved novel, but as with all the Shardlake books, it is a joy to read. We travel across country and the story sees the climax in Portsmouth and the sinking of the Mary Rose. Shardlake always wants to do the right thing and, as always, this brings him into danger. Along with lawyer Dyrick and his assistant Feaveryear, who make difficult travelling companions for Shardlake and Barak, there is the sinister Sir Richard Rich, who always seems to dog Shardlake’s steps. Plots, murder and war abound in a novel filled with rich characters and interweaved storylines. This is a fantastic historical series and a joy to read. ...more

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Oct 04, 2020 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore rated it it was amazing

The fifth of the series featuring Matthew Shardlake and set in Tudor England. This one is set in 1545 in turbulent times, for England is at war and the French are expected to arrive at any moment with an army and fleet of ships much larger than the Spanish Armada. And Portsmouth is where they are expected to arrive with Henry VIII preparing to head there. Meanwhile back in London, Shardlake finds himself called on once again by Catherine Parr, who had promised to keep him away from politics. And The fifth of the series featuring Matthew Shardlake and set in Tudor England. This one is set in 1545 in turbulent times, for England is at war and the French are expected to arrive at any moment with an army and fleet of ships much larger than the Spanish Armada. And Portsmouth is where they are expected to arrive with Henry VIII preparing to head there. Meanwhile back in London, Shardlake finds himself called on once again by Catherine Parr, who had promised to keep him away from politics. And while she does keep her promise, she has a case for him nonetheless. The son of a former servant was tutor to two children Hugh and Emma; after their parents died, their wardship was bought by one Master Hobbey, clearly with far from noble intentions (benefitting from their property at the very least while they remain minors). But Emma too has died of an illness, while the Hobbeys with Hugh have moved to the country, dismissing the tutor Michael Calfhill. Michael happens to visit them one day one day, to look into Hugh’s wellbeing and finds out something horrifying, even filing a complaint about it (not saying what it was though). But before anything further happens, Michael commits suicide. Now Shardlake is asked to take the case and look into the matter and the welfare of Hugh. And where would the Hobbeys live, but Portsmouth. Alongside Shardlake also plans to look into the case of Ellen, the woman in Bedlam he met on a previous case and why her family seems to have abandoned her there. Since her village is also in the vicinity, he decides to investigate although he knows Ellen would not approve and wants the past to be left alone. Meanwhile his assistant Jack’s wife Tamasin is expecting while because of the war (and his impudence), he is on the verge of being drafted. This adventure takes us into not only some interesting mysteries, but also in the midst of the war showing both the young men who were being led there, their training, fears, apprehensions, and also some of the action itself, including aboard the Mary Rose, Henry VIII’s carrack.

This is once again, like all the other Shardlake books, a doorstopper—the edition I have has 636 pages, but despite its length it is one that manages to hold one’s attention or even more so, keep one entirely hooked all though. I love how these books really pull one into the settings, as though we are there experiencing events unfold alongside Shardlake. The story, in fact the entire atmosphere is pretty intense, with Shardlake involved in two mysteries that are far from simple and that have, even before he has set out towards Portsmouth begun to put him in danger. When he arrives at the Hobbeys’ home, things seem perfectly normal at the surface, yet he knows the family (and perhaps also their lawyer who has travelled down with him) have something to hide. But what? The mystery surrounding Ellen’s past too is not a very straightforward one and even when he visits her village, the mystery only deepens. In in neither case can the reader figure out what the answer might turn out to be. To add to these baffling cases is the atmosphere of war itself, and for Shardlake the added danger that if he remains in Portsmouth too long, he might end up running into Henry VIII with whom his previous encounter was far from pleasant. His old nemesis Sir Richard Rich too seems to be watching his every step keenly. And in the Hobbey house, besides the tensions within the house, there is discontent in the village as well for the poorer residents are far from pleased with the Hobbeys’ dealings.

Although this is a grave and intense read, dealing also with some disturbing themes, it is also very interesting reading with well-drawn out (and very realistic) characters and a very gripping plot (or should I say, plots?). Once again an excellent read! ...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Susan in NC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: want-to-reread, tbr-with-gr-groups, audiobook, favorites, library-book, detectives-buddy-read24

2011 read: Another amazing entry in a stellar historical mystery series - Sansom just keeps getting better. Matthew Shardlake and his clerk Jack Barak are back in a sadder, darker story about long-hidden secrets surfacing in two different cases tied together by a vicious, powerful old enemy. Once again the climax occurs against the backdrop of a grand historical event; in a previous novel, "Sovereign", the action took place during King Henry VIII's trip to York, here it takes place during the na 2011 read: Another amazing entry in a stellar historical mystery series - Sansom just keeps getting better. Matthew Shardlake and his clerk Jack Barak are back in a sadder, darker story about long-hidden secrets surfacing in two different cases tied together by a vicious, powerful old enemy. Once again the climax occurs against the backdrop of a grand historical event; in a previous novel, "Sovereign", the action took place during King Henry VIII's trip to York, here it takes place during the naval battle against the attempted French invasion of July 1545 and the sinking of the Mary Rose. In an interesting character twist, Barak, the formerly impulsive tough guy awaiting the birth of his second child with his wife Tamasin (their first baby was born dead), is the one urging caution and restraint as Shardlake digs deeper into the secrets that have destroyed one family and damaged another. Toward the end the two argue about Shardlake's inability to "let go" of lost causes until he finds answers, no matter what the cost; Barak points out that Shardlake is using friends to get access and information he wants and there are "only so many favors" you can call in from any man. It was a gratifying character development and long overdue - Barak is growing up and wants to be around for his family, and Shardlake is realizing the dearth of family in his own life and the way it drives him to take care of others and solve their problems, often at a high personal cost.

Sansom again masterfully explores and illustrates the timeless, ongoing main theme of this series as it touches so many characters - the unbearably high cost, in lives, treasure and good will, of Henry VIII's disastrous wars, religious conflicts, and the subsequent social upheaval. As Shardlake wonders as he watches the much-aged king's progress into Portsmouth to review the troops, "In that grotesque face I thought I read pain and weariness, and something more. Fear? I wondered whether even that man of titanic self-belief might think, as the French invasion force approached, what will happen now? Even, perhaps: What have I done?" ...more

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Jun 21, 2024 Frances rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

Another great entry in this historical mystery series, set in the time of Henry VIII. This one concerns a 19 year old tragedy, an inheritance/wardship question, but also centres around Henry's disastrous war with the French, and the story of Portsmouth and the Mary Rose are brilliantly described.

Again, this is a series to read in order, and I highly recommend it. ...more

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Sep 18, 2015 Tuck rated it it was amazing

Great mystery series. Good look at the Tudor Era

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Apr 21, 2013 Susan rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-and-ancient-mystries

Heartstone is the latest novel in the Matthew Shardlake series from C.J. Sansom. I have read and loved each of the books in this series and look forward to more mysteries set in King Henry VIII's England from this author. If you like historical fiction and a good mystery these Matthew Shardlake novels are a must read. ...more

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Jun 17, 2024 Sandy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-detective-grp, rread-2024, mystery-historical

Absolutely wonderful! Shardlake at his best and Barak shines as well. The setting of England preparing for war and Portsmouth at the time of the Mary Rose adds to the tension.

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