In 1546, King Henry VIII’s health is deteriorating. The court splits into two factions: the Catholics who want a return to Rome and the reformists who absolutely want to avoid that. Queen Catherine Parr is also in the fireline, especially after the burning of Anne Askew. When Matthew Shardlake is summoned to Whitehall to help the queen recover her stolen manuscript ‘Lamentation of a sinner’, he treads slippery ground. The last time the manuscript was seen was in the hands of a murdered radical printer.
Aided by young Nicolas Overton, he goes on the hunt for the killer, while trying to keep out Barak who is about to become a father again. In addition, Matthew is also working on a second case in which a brother and sister are arguing over an inheritance, and again religion is central to the conflict.
Lamentation is the sixth volume in this great series and, as always, Sansom manages to capture Tudor England well. Once again, religion and the court intriges take centre stage here. But unlike the previous volumes, in which we often stayed away from Whitehall, this time we go all the way there. Paget, Wriothesley, Cranmer, Rich, Gardiner, Norfolk, Catherine Parr and even Mary and Elizabeth are suddenly characters in this book. And that’s what keeps this series engaging, as each volume shines its own light on the times.
It’s unevitable that he king is dying, and although you may not say so, everyone wonders who will take the regency for young Edward. And Matthew wonders how on earth he will get alive out of this mess again. I still think Sovereign is the best book in the series, but this one comes close.
What’s your favourite part in this series?
In Another Era 
I love this series – Sansom really brings the Tudor period to life. I think Revelation is probably my favourite, but I still need to read Tombland.
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I hope to read Tombland somewhere in 2024, but as it’s the last part available, I might also wait until the next part is released (if it comes, but I read somewhere Sansom should like to end the series with Matthew in Elizabethan England).
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