The first (and arguably the best) of a series of books called The Shardlake Series. These are historical murder mysteries. This book however is worthwhile as a standalone.
Shardlake is a lawyer living in England in the 1500’s. He solves high-profile crimes that bring him into the world of Tudor politics. This books is excellently written. The characters are engaging and fascinating. We learn a lot about actual historical people such as Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry VIII. The novel is gripping. The storyline follows the solving of a murder mystery and keeps the reader engaged.
However, the true theme is far more interesting than murder. The book involves the reader in the politics and theological debates of the Tudor era. It is not overly interested in the personal life of Henry VIII; rather it looks at how Anglicanism replaced Catholicism. It brings the changes of that time to life. The reader sees what was lost and what was gained when England’s monasteries and traditional Church practices were dissolved and replaced by Anglican practices.
These books are multi-layered and fascinating. The author gives us a feeling of an era in Britain that we know very little about. Only the ruins of a few monastic communities remain today, and we do not know enough about that controversial time when England decided to throw its Catholic past into the rubbish bin. With compassion and intelligence, this books gives us both sides of a conflict that we did not even know existed. All of this is achieved while the reader is carried by a fascinating murder mystery.
I do not usually include books with explicit violent themes in this list. However, as the emphasis of the book is on its historical aspect, I find it appropriate for young readers. The element of violence is not emphasised, but it is used to keep the storyline engaging.
I have only included the first book of the series on this list. Although I consider the rest of the books to be also very good, their themes are more appropriate for adult readers.
