Dark fire

Matthew Shardlake, a barrister during Henry VIII's reign, keeps being charged with solving mysteries. In theory, I should adore Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake series, but I just don’t. The history is impeccable as is the ability of Sansom to evoke the Tudor period but the mysteries don't interest me, their solutions are unsatisfying, and the characters seem flat. Matthew should fascinate me, yet I remain indifferent. In conclusion, this series is not for me and I’ll stop trying to make Shardlake happen.

Meisterlicher historischer Krimi

This is a wonderfully intriguing period mystery. The characters are well developed, real, and engaging. The world is realistically portrayed and mysterious, especially from today's perspective. I recommend reading this author's work. He's two for two with me.

I liked this book quite a lot. The stage was bigger and there was more action. And on top of that the usual investigation in a Tudor setting. A historical crime novel can hardly get any better.

Two points strike me as odd and that adds to why I like the Matthew Shardlake books. They are set in an era of change, at the end of the middle age. That many people are still religious, and to what depths, is something completely alien to me. And that characters really believe that the king was sent from God to rule is just as strange. Especially when they just discussed that the previous royal line was disposed off violently. How does that match?