From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Tombland (Matthew Shardlake, #7)

C.J. Sansom

Start date: February 15, 2025

Finish date: March 8, 2025

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: The last book in this acclaimed series
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What Members Thought

Mar 25, 2019 Susan in NC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: detbuddy25, currently-re-reading, favorites, audiobook, library-book

January 2025: rereading with the Reading the Detectives group; I’ve been so glad to revisit this excellent series, but sad to reread this last book, knowing it is the final book. The author died last year, I’m sorry to say, so there won’t be anymore Shardlake mysteries- I’ve just finished the prologue and first chapter, in which the ever-melancholic Shardlake reflects on those he’s lost in the last couple years, and acknowledges with a shock that he is lonely. Touching and sad…

2019: I really enj January 2025: rereading with the Reading the Detectives group; I’ve been so glad to revisit this excellent series, but sad to reread this last book, knowing it is the final book. The author died last year, I’m sorry to say, so there won’t be anymore Shardlake mysteries- I’ve just finished the prologue and first chapter, in which the ever-melancholic Shardlake reflects on those he’s lost in the last couple years, and acknowledges with a shock that he is lonely. Touching and sad…

2019: I really enjoyed this latest mystery in one of my favorite historical mystery series. As has been the case in every book in this excellent series, Sansom immerses his hero, London lawyer Matthew Shardlake, in historical events as he attempts to solve a mystery. Here, the event is Kett’s Rebellion in Norfolk in 1549; following the death of Henry VIII, Shardlake has been working for his younger daughter Lady Elizabeth, third in line to the throne.

When Henry died, his son Edward became king, but he is only 11 years old, so his uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, rules as regent and Protector. Religious conflict still abounds, the endless war with Scotland is emptying coffers, the economy is about to collapse, and peasants are ready to revolt. Shardlake works mostly on acquiring land for Elizabeth, but is summoned to her and asked to investigate the gruesome murder of the wife of a distant relative. The woman had visited Elizabeth to seek help, and was viciously murdered shortly afterward; while Elizabeth and those around her are anxious to avoid scandal, she wants to ensure justice is done, and Shardlake and his assistant head to Norwich to investigate.

While there, Shardlake encounters some of the most memorable villains Sansom has created - and that’s saying something! He also gets sucked into the brewing rebellion, which took place on the outskirts of Norwich in the summer of 1549.

I was so glad to see Sansom return with his character Matthew Shardlake. I have read every book in the series, and always find them engrossing, excellently researched, and very well written. This book raises Sansom’s exceedingly high bar for historical mysteries even higher, as I learned after reading the historical essay at the back of the book. Historical records are limited as to life inside the rebel encampment, so Sansom used his extensive research and imagination to recreate how the rebels built and ran the camp for several weeks before being brutally put down by the Earl of Warwick and his army.

As ever, Shardlake is a conscientious and tireless investigator and advocate; even as the tension builds relentlessly to a bloody and inevitable climax, even as he is forced to work alongside the rebels in the encampment, he still attempts to carry on the investigation of the murder! When it is finally solved, amid the brutality of the final battle, Sansom delivers a tidy solution, but as with past books, realistically leaves the door open to possible future conflict with cunning adversaries. Also, the end of this book hints at possible changes to Shardlake’s solitary life; I can’t wait to see where future books might take this wonderful character!

I loved this huge, epic adventure, and the opportunity to once again immerse myself in the complex, vivid, yet vicious life of Tudor England with these wonderful characters who have become like old friends. I hope Sansom will give us another excellent mystery soon - I can see so much scope for future mysteries and intrigues as Elizabeth takes the throne, and hopefully brings Shardlake and company (at least Nicholas and Barak) along for the ride! ...more

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Mar 09, 2025 Sandy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-historical, own, mystery-detective-grp, 2025-own-24, read-2025

While this was not the author's planned ending to the series, it works very well as a final entry. Shardlake, Barak and Nicholas all have major roles and, of course, their lives are in danger. I will miss this series. ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 Cat {Pemberley and Beyond} rated it it was amazing

Shelves: crime-thriller, wow, set-in-london, feminist-books, historical-fiction, british-literature, set-in-east-anglia, 2019-reading-challenge

Note:
I realise that I've dwelt more on the 'historical' portion of this historical fiction in this review. This isn't because I found the main murder story dull, but because the historical and social commentary in the novel deserve a heck of a lot of praise.

Like many others, I was so sure that Lamentation was going to be the last book in the series. So when I saw a copy of "Tombland" for sale, my heart started thumping.

This book had a lot to live up to.

If anything the quality of the story, the Note:
I realise that I've dwelt more on the 'historical' portion of this historical fiction in this review. This isn't because I found the main murder story dull, but because the historical and social commentary in the novel deserve a heck of a lot of praise.

Like many others, I was so sure that Lamentation was going to be the last book in the series. So when I saw a copy of "Tombland" for sale, my heart started thumping.

This book had a lot to live up to.

If anything the quality of the story, the intermingling of historical events with those of the story was even better than I had hoped. (And as I said: I had high hopes). As regards the murder part of the plot, I had some suspicions as to Edith's whereabouts, and an inkling about the murderer from pretty much the places where those clues were dropped in. However, I think this is the sign of a solid plot, and found it rewarding when all was revealed.

The historical essay at the back of the book was as fascinating as the fictional story before it. Kett's Rebellion was never taught at school, but I really wish it had been. Sansom has really outdone himself in providing a host of sources to explain his take on the rebellion. He's also explained how different historians have perceived and written about the events of that summer in 1549, which again was wonderful as it provided all that extra juicy context. The closing paragraph, although conjecture, rounded the whole thing off beautifully:

"And yet. Almost a century later, in 1644, during the English Civil Wars, the New Model Army arose from the Eastern Association made up of men from the South-East, especially East Anglia. The New Model Army would later produce radical movements such as the Levellers. It is perhaps not to fanciful to imagine that some of the soldiers of the Eastern Association, great-grandchildren of the 1549 rebels, brought with them memories of a past attempt to create a more equal society".

Indeed that idea had been not-so-gently inserted into the story, with characters talking about a "world turned uppy-down". Nonetheless, it was a joy to imagine this link.

TL;DR: this book was well-worth the wait. ...more

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Nov 18, 2018 Margo rated it really liked it

I always enjoy Matthew Sharlake's adventures into crime-solving and political maneuvering. However, as seems to be happening more and more lately, successful authors are allowed too much leeway by publishers' editors and this book was overlong. Very few books justify eight hundred pages to tell a story. The dwelling on historical detail spoiled the momentum at times and I found myself skimming, something I have never done in previous Shardlake books. ...more

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