Steeplechase & BWF - Dissolution - C. J. Sansom - 5 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

In April I was devastated to hear that C. J. Sansom had passed away. His Shardlake series contained some of my favorite books and it's hard to reconcile that there will be no additional novels in the future. I have decided to go back and start the series again in my own tribute of Sansom.

For those who haven't read any of the Shardlake books, Dissolution begins a great historical mystery set in England in the year 1537. Having divorced his first wife and marrying his second, Henry VIII wants to close down the monasteries, which were a symbol of the power of the Catholic Church and grant the land to his favorites or the highest bidders. Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's vicar general, has dispatched Matthew Shardlake, the hunchbacked lawyer, to investigate the very recent murder of another commissioner at the monastery of Scarnsea. Shardlake's young assistant, Mark Poer, accompanies him in this endeavor. The two of them uncover evidence of additional crimes and eventually two more murders are committed. During his investigation he also makes discoveries about other crimes related to his case. Matthew follows the clues and eventually uncovers the truth.

Shardlake begins the tale as an idealistic reformer and we experience his disillusionment as he continues his work for Cromwell. The character of Matthew Shardlake is an inspired creation; a hunchback solicitor at the service of his Majesty King Henry VIII and Vicar General, Thomas Cromwell. Sansom paints a very accurate picture of life and religious politics, all of which were pretty grim.

This is excellent storytelling, with historical figures and facts and fictional characters and settings, expertly mixed, creating a wholly believable premise. Sansom brings the novel to a wonderful conclusion, never rushing to unmask the culprit but rather allowing the story to slowly unfold. My only complaint would be that it could have been done with about 100 less pages.

I didn't realize that Disney++ released a TV series, "Shardlake," in May 2024, just four days after Samson's death. I would be interested in seeing how the character was portrayed.

If you love historical fiction/mysteries in general , or Tudor England in particular, you will find much to enjoy in this wonderful debut novel.

[Booknblues]

Another one, I've had on my TBR for ages and have yet to read.

I love books about monasteries and convents.

[Olivermagnus]

Shardlake is such a wonderful character.

[Booknblues]

Olivermagnus wrote: "Shardlake is such a wonderful character."

See, that is my problem, I find so many on my TBR that I need to move forward that I end up not moving any.

I'll try to remember this.

[KateNZ]

I adore this whole series. They are my favourite historical novels after Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond series.

[Theresa]

I just read this the month we had historical mysteries and it is wonderful! Can't believe I had not previously discovered the series, but that also means I have all of them still to read.

BnB - I've read a few monastery and cloister books of some interest in recent years:

Killer in the Cloister by Camille Minichino - set in Fordham U in 1965 right after Vatican II and the real estate developers are hovering. First in a series but there are no others. Reads fine as a standalone.

A Very Private Grave by Donna Fletcher Crow - first in a series called Monastery Murders.

The Eight by Katherine Neville - there's a sequel I haven yet to read. Set when OPEC first formed and started playing with global oil prices. However, there's a dual plot that harks back to Abbesses in France from Middle Ages to French Revolution that has impact on the modern story. Not strictly a dual timeline story.

[Booknblues]

I was quite fond of the Sister Frevisse series which started with The Novice's Tale.

This year I read What Did You Do In The War, Sister?: Catholic Sisters in the WWII Nazi Resistance and found it fascinating.

I also loved the Father Anselm series by William Broderick, the first of the series is The 6th Lamentation. It isn't available as an e-book. I had it in my bookshelves forever before reading and was delighted with it.

There are of course others, but that is as far as I'm going for now.