Tombland

The Shardlake Series, Book 7

By: C. J. Sansom

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

Length: 37 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Tudor England is brought vividly to life in Tombland, the seventh novel in C. J. Sansom's number one bestselling Shardlake series, for fans of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory.

'When it comes to intriguing Tudor-based narratives, Hilary Mantel has a serious rival' - Sunday Times
‘Sansom has the trick of writing an enthralling narrative. Like Hilary Mantel, he produces densely textured historical novels that absorb their readers in another time’ - Andrew Taylor, Spectator

The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller

England, 1549: Two years after the death of Henry VIII, England is sliding into chaos . . .

The nominal king, Edward VI, is eleven years old. His uncle Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, rules as Protector. The extirpation of the old religion by radical Protestants is stirring discontent among the populace while the Protector’s prolonged war with Scotland is proving a disastrous failure and threatens to involve France. Worst of all, the economy is in collapse, inflation rages and rebellion is stirring among the peasantry.

Since the old King’s death, Matthew Shardlake has been working as a lawyer in the service of Henry’s younger daughter, the Lady Elizabeth. The gruesome murder of Edith Boleyn, the wife of John Boleyn – a distant Norfolk relation of Elizabeth's mother – which could have political implications for Elizabeth, brings Shardlake and his assistant Nicholas Overton to the summer assizes at Norwich. There they are reunited with Shardlake’s former assistant Jack Barak. The three find layers of mystery and danger surrounding Edith's death, as a second murder is committed.

And then East Anglia explodes, as peasant rebellion breaks out across the country. The yeoman Robert Kett leads a force of thousands in overthrowing the landlords and establishing a vast camp outside Norwich. Soon the rebels have taken over the city, England’s second largest.

Barak throws in his lot with the rebels; Nicholas, opposed to them, becomes a prisoner in Norwich Castle; while Shardlake has to decide where his ultimate loyalties lie, as government forces in London prepare to march north and destroy the rebels. Meanwhile he discovers that the murder of Edith Boleyn may have connections reaching into both the heart of the rebel camp and of the Norfolk gentry . . .

This is the seventh stunning novel in the bestselling Shardlake series, that began with Dissolution. Includes an Historical Essay from the author on Reimagining Kett's Rebellion.

©2018 C. J. Sansom (P)2018 Macmillan Digital Audio

The best of the Matthew Shardlake series

A combination of excellent background historical research supporting an engaging mystery. This is probably the best of the Shardlake novels so far. Stick around for the explanation of the historical background at the end. You won’t regret it.

Excellent I could not put it down

Loved it as I have all other books in this series. Fiction based on historical fact I can think of a better way of learning some history, and get a feeling of what life was like in the 1500's, and at no point did I feel I was being lecture at or being taught some history, just listening to a very good highly believable story.
Steve Crossley's narration as always is excellent and can't imagine this being read by any other reader.

Disturbing trend

I've always enjoyed the books in this series and was very excited when I found this one. The story was interesting as always, the historical setting lovely. What disturbs me though is the introduction of so many sear words! Are these historically accurate or are they inserted to add modes appeal? The author has obviously invested much effort in to research and thus does not need such cheapening flourishes. Even if the "common" folk used such language, gentlemen of that era would never use such muscular language - especially in the presence of ladies. Great story, but no need to inflict such language on readers.

Dreary, bloated and repetitive

Obviously I am in the minority of readers who found this book impossible to finish. Well, not impossible because as a background noise while doing other more interesting things it works quite well, but as an entertainment it surely demands more patience and forbearance than I for one am willing to accord it.
The characters are almost universally unlikeable and fall into three discernible categories: dithering and ineffectual, those detestable in their resentments, and the mentally incompetent. The hero falls within the first category so we have to follow his failure to notice the obvious for more than 30 hours while the author diverges, pads, props up, repeats (and repeats and repeats) to fill the vacuum left by an amazing lack of imagination - amazing because the basic concept for the series is quite imaginative and original.
For example, the hero is a hunchback, in itself quite a novel idea for a hero, but a fact that the author feels it necessary to restate at least once a chapter, while inserting phrases such as 'my back ached', 'my back was hurting', 'my back was painful', 'my back was giving me discomfort' so frequently that I was able to predict the next incidences quite accurately. This physical anomaly turns out to be the the hero's chief personality trait - aside from being incapable of making any progress in his investigation for upwards of 30 dreary hours, or did I say that already? Oh, and regularly handing out 'a few shillings' to the economically and mentally challenged denizens of the historical period as the author wishes us to perceive it.
When I find myself sighing and grinding my teeth despite beginning with the best intentions to find the novel as gripping and absorbing as my fellow readers insist, I just have to stop listening. Fortunately I found John Biggins' truly excellent but severely under appreciated series with which to heal the spiritual trauma.