Have you been reading the C J Sansom books whose main character is Shardlake, the hunchback lawyer, in the court of Henry VIII? This is a fabulous crime series where Shardlake battles not only murder, but has to negotiate the politics of Henry’s court and the ambitious courtiers determined to get ahead any way possible. The series starts with Dissolution, and I have just finished the fifth, Heartstone, due next week. In this adventure, Shardlake is requested by Queen Catherine Parr to investigate ‘monstrous wrongs’ committed against a ward of the court . And the background is Henry’s war against the French and the sinking of the Mary Rose. It’s such a great series, painstakingly researched, brilliantly written.
