Question of the week: Tell us about one of your favourite London books "Dark Fire by CJ Sansom is set in the reign of Henry VIII, during the turbulent years after the split of then English Church from Rome. It's the second in the series that started with Dissolution, which is set in a monastery on the South Coast. I know that it's a bit strange to write about the second book in a series, but CJ Sansom's ongoing series is too good not to mention, especially as a lot of the London based action in many of the books takes place very near to where Kamen/Minerva are today.
The main character in all of the books Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer, a hunchback, and a man increasingly disenchanted with the ways of Henry's court. Without giving too much away, Dark Fire involves Shardlake being drawn back into the world of politics after he is forced to look for the recipe for 'Greek Fire' (the terrible Byzantine weapon that would give the English military an edge over their many enemies). The plot also follows his attempt to defend a girl who has been accused of murdering her young cousin. The way Sansom evokes Tudor London is wonderful, and really gives the feel of how life would have been.
I have enjoyed all of the books in the series, and I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series with Dissolution. But if you just fancy a murder mystery set in Tudor London, you won't miss out by starting with Dark Fire."
- Kris
* Photo by Forever Wiser, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
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