Lamentation
Written by C. J. Sansom
Narrated by Steven Crossley
4.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Summer, 1546. King Henry VIII is slowly, painfully dying. His Protestant and Catholic councilors are engaged in a final and decisive power struggle; whoever wins will control the government. As heretics are hunted across London, and radical Protestants are burned at the stake, the Catholic party focuses its attack on Henry's sixth wife--and Matthew Shardlake's old mentor--Queen Catherine Parr.
Shardlake, still haunted by his narrow escape from death the year before, steps into action when the beleaguered and desperate Queen summons him to Whitehall Palace to help her recover a dangerous manuscript. The Queen has authored a confessional book, Lamentation of a Sinner, so radically Protestant that if it came to the King's attention it could bring both her and her sympathizers crashing down. Although the secret book was kept hidden inside a locked chest in the Queen's private chamber, it has inexplicably vanished. Only one page has been recovered--clutched in the hand of a murdered London printer.
Shardlake's investigations take him on a trail that begins among the backstreet printshops of London, but leads him and his trusty assistant Jack Barak into the dark and labyrinthine world of court politics, a world Shardlake swore never to enter again. In this crucible of power and ambition, Protestant friends can be as dangerous as Catholic enemies, and those with shifting allegiances can be the most dangerous of all.
C. J. Sansom
C. J. Sansom was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. Sansom is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Shardlake series, the Spanish Civil War thriller Winter in Madrid and the number one bestseller Dominion. in 2023, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He lives in Sussex.
More audiobooks from C. J. Sansom
Winter in Madrid Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Lamentation
Related audiobooks
Tudor: Passion. Manipulation. Murder. The Story of England's Most Notorious Royal Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Tudors: A Very Short Introduction Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Children of Henry VIII Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Scourge of Henry VIII: The Life of Marie de Guise Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Monarchy: From the Middle Ages to Modernity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Secret Diaries of Juan Luis Vives: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Demon's Brood: A History of the Plantagenet Dynasty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Richard III and the Murder in the Tower Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Princes in the Tower: The History of the Mysterious Disappearances of King Edward V and the Duke of York Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Henry VIII’s Wives: History in an Hour Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Meet the Georgians: Epic Tales from Britain’s Wildest Century Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Turbulent Crown: The Story of the Tudor Queens Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLancaster and York Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Queen Victoria's Children Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wars of the Roses: The Dynastic Wars and Legacy of the House of Tudor From Henry VI to Elizabeth I Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings1637: The Coast of Chaos Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Charles Before Diana: A King in the Making Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lion in Chains: A Foreworld SideQuest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bright Shadow Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHenrietta Maria: The Warrior Queen Who Divided a Nation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life of Saint Rose of Viterbo Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The House of Beaufort: The Bastard Line that Captured the Crown Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Princess Alexandra Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Thrillers For You
The Perfect Marriage: a completely gripping psychological suspense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Holly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Silent Patient Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Never Lie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fairy Tale Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Institute: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Inmate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Listen for the Lie: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Teacher Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Local Woman Missing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wrong Place Wrong Time: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perfect: A Thriller That Will Grab You By Your DNA Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Guest List: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leave the World Behind: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Hunting Party: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Flicker in the Dark: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Paris Apartment: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mr. Mercedes: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rose Code: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fool Me Once Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Future Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Housemaid Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bright Young Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hidden Pictures: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dead Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Turn of the Key Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Terminal List: A Thriller Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Lamentation
241 ratings24 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great novel, as all of the Shardlake stories are. Love a bit of historical fiction, with a compelling detective story for good measure!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Interesting little mystery and great history too. Really gives you a flavour of the factions jostling for power at court towards the end of H8's reign. Top stuff.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is the latest -- and most compelling read yet -- of the Shardlake series. The events described here are set in the last tumultuous year of Henry VIII's life: 1546. The verisimilitude is magnificent; for mystery lovers there are lots of plot twists and you'll never guess "Who Dun It"!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent historical mystery. The author has created a full representation of the Tudor world, easily incorporating history with the story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Brilliant as ever. Queen Catherine's potentially controversial book "Lamentation" has mysteriously disappeared and there are fears that it will be used against her. Very sad to finish this series - hope there's a seventh!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Historian CJ Sansom continues with his Matthew Shardlake series in this latest book, Lamentation. Shardlake is a lawyer during the Tudor era and has often been called in to help the Queen du jour with various court intrigue. Henry VIII often plays a role, and I must say, he is never portrayed as a very great leader - more of a overbearing, conceited, autocrat. But, Henry's health is fading and the country is in a state of unrest with the huge debt that Henry has incurred as well as his wild erratic behavior regarding religion. In this story, the Queen (Catherine Parr), has written a small book, The Lamentation of a Sinner, which reveal her beliefs about religion -- not completely in line with Henry's. The book is stolen, putting Queen Catherine at great risk. Shardlake is brought in to try and find the book and destroy it. Although the mystery in these books is always good, the real gem behind these novels is his descriptions of life in Tudor England. The book opens with the burning of heretic Anne Askew and if you ever wanted to know the gruesome details of what a public burning is like, just read this book. But it isn't told in a sensational way and there are many more details that really give you a sense of life during that period. Definitely hygiene wasn't a top priority!For all of us who worried what would happen after Henry VIII died (this is not a spoiler!), it looks like there will be more of Matthew Shardlake. Can't wait to see what comes next!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Another excellent offering in the series and one of my favorites, along with "Dissolution," which introduced us to Matthew Shardlake, hunchbacked lawyer in London of Tudor times, and "Sovereign," which introduced us to Henry VIII and was simply amazing! The Shardlake novels are billed as historical mysteries, and there is that aspect to them, but the novels are rich in historical detail, as well as fictional and historical character development. The author is an historian and lawyer, and you can tell from the realism of the details, but I find the books imminently readable. (My first 5-star rating of 2015.)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5'Lamentation' is the 6th instalment in the 'Shardlake' series from C. J. Sansom and continues in the same high quality mould. Shardlake is a lawyer living during Henry VIII's times who becomes involved in retrieving the manuscript of a dangerous book written by Catherine Parr, Henry's sixth wife and Shardlake's old patron. This novel works at two distinct levels: a political thriller where Court intrigue is a fluid game of alliances and enmities between senior figures vying for power and position as Henry approaches the end of his reign; and, an adventure as Shardlake and his team battle to retrieve the lost manuscript across Tudor London.Sansom uses his historical skills to present a clear picture of life at all social levels in London and to show the real dangers and opportunities affecting people in this world. The London presented here feels like a 'real' place and the characters are people we care about and are interested in.Another hit.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Once again I enjoyed this installment of Matthew Shardlake series. Once again, excellent combination of historical background and suspenseful plot. However, I found this novel somewhat bloated comparing with previous works. We will definitely see more of master Shardlake as author positioned his character very well in the end of this novel. There will be more intrigues, more threats against his new employer, more historical characters will be presented and I am looking forward to it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lamentation was one of those rare books that I didn't want to reach the end. Sansom creates such a believable world, and I love the richness of it, from problems with the servants to difficult clients, and the workings of the Court. Sansom is a gifted humanitarian who creates faulted individuals that you care about. I do hope Shardlake finds love in the next installment, he deserves it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer in Tudor England, who serves ordinary folk and is also frequently asked to take cases that bring him in contact with the court of King Henry VIII. This novel takes place in 1546, when Catholic-Protestant tensions are high and the King is on the hunt for heretics. The book opens with a grisly execution that plunges the reader immediately into this fearful time. Shardlake has taken a case involving a property dispute between two siblings, and then Queen Catherine (Parr) asks him to investigate a theft. The latter case puts Shardlake and his associates in grave danger, perhaps more than any time in the past. Shardlake is deeply devoted to Queen Catherine, which blinds him to the danger and concerns raised by close friends. This book required me to do a little side research to understand the Anabaptist movement of this period -- I should have consulted the historical notes at the end of the novel, where Sansom provides this context and makes clear what is fact and what is fiction in the novel.Each of Shardlake's cases have an element of mystery; I typically find those set in the King's Court most interesting, but the other case adds interest and sheds light on other aspects of society and daily living during that time period. I also enjoy the way other recurring characters have evolved over the series, most notably the physician Guy and Shardlake's assistant Jack Barak. In Lamentation these relationships are tested nearly to the breaking point, and Sansom barely ties up the loose ends. And with the death of King Henry in 1547 (come on, that's not a spoiler!!), Sansom also takes care to set up Shardlake's future and leave room for more novels in this series.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5C. J. Sansom's Tudor mysteries about hunchbacked lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, are the kinds of books that grab the reader from the first page and cause lack of sleep. But they are so worth the interruption of life. In his sixth installment, Sergeant Shardlake is forced to watch an execution as part of his duties. He has seen beheadings and hangings before but this one is death by fire, which is a particularly cruel way to die. Heresy is the crime du jour and a simple recantation will suffice to save lives, but people like Anne Askew are fervent in their beliefs and are willing to die for them. Another person with strong religious beliefs is the Queen, Catherine Parr, who has written a testimonial about salvation called "Lamentation Of A Sinner" which has been stolen from her locked trunk . She calls on her old friend Matthew to find the tract before it falls into the wrong hands. He would do anything for her including risking his life and the lives of his best friends. Lots of spying and subterfuge ensue, with more than a few sword fights with injuries and deaths, to make this a swashbuckling page-turner. Henry VIII is literally on his last legs but still rules with an iron fist and hard heart. Not even a beloved queen is safe from his style of justice.The reader can expect many rich historical details of dress, customs, food, transportation, etc. Shardlake is a historian who sticks to the facts but doesn't mind adding some fun characters and situations of his own. Be sure to read the 22 pages of historical notes at the end wherein he separates the two and adds some more interesting historical content. I love learning English history through the tutelage of C. J. Sansom and the antics of Matthew Shardlake.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the sixth book in the Shardlake series and is a fantastic read. Our hero is representing an intransigient woman fighting her brother over their late mother's will when he is called to the palace by the Queen. She has written a book which could be seen as heretical in the continuing protestant/catholic in-fighting but the book has been stolen!
Full of the sights and 'sounds' of the time it reads like a narrative of the time rather than fiction not least because as usual we meet Shardlake's advisories Wriothesley and Richard Rich in particular.
From the burning of Anne Askew, which was a historical event, to the very end we are immersed in the time period. Henry VIII was constantly changing how Christian worship should be so the population was constantly in fear that they would say or do the wrong thing which comes over well.
His usual friends of Barak and Guy the physician are joined by others including Josephine and Timothy who have found a home with him'
I cannot praise this book enough. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sansom is back to form after the, for me, disappointing heartstone.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Where C.J.Sansom scores over other authors writing about the same period is in his creation of Matthew Shardlake. This sympathetic and rather vulnerable figure is central to the whole series of six (thus far) books. In 'Lamentation' he is asked by the Queen,Catherine Parr to recover a book which has been stolen. This book 'Lamentation of a Sinner' ha been written by Catherine Parr and if found by her enemies,could end in her downfall.In a word - Brilliant !
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the sixth novel in the author's Shardlake series. It is now the dying months of Henry VIII's reign and religious paranoia, twists in official policy and the rise and fall of various figures in the opposing factions, reflect a society in a state of totalitarian oppression akin to that of Stalin's Soviet Union. The plot surrounds the radical religion of Queen Katherine Parr, as shown in the book she has written, The Lamentation of a Sinner, which may fall foul of the shifting religious sands. Murder and deception play themselves out in the usual complex and multi-faceted plot, with well written and convincing descriptions of Tudor London and the small details of street life. As in a couple of the others, I thought it was occasionally over-written, but overall extremely good and I felt for the recurring characters as they faced danger. The ending of the novel suggested a closure to the series (though Wikipedia suggests there will be further novels to come).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5These go from strength to strength, although I think Shardlake is more unlucky than most in his choice of steward. There were quite a few fight scenes in this one - however benign Shardlake's case initially appears, it inevitably becomes perilous - all of which ended disastrously. This series is fascinating in its depiction of the way religion and politics and daily life were so intertwined.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm always a fan of the Shardlake stories, and C.J. Samson has a great way of bringing this period in history to life. Well done!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shardlake books are long but enjoyable. An immersion into a different time.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The story takes place in in the summer of 1546 in London and there is a lot of intrigue in the Tudor Court of Henry VIII. Shardlake, the Lincoln Inn Lawyer is hired by Queen Catherine Parr to find and destroy her personal text called lamentations which describes her way to hope and salvation by accepting the New Testament. At the same time, there is another book by a rebel preacher Anne Askew, that is also being tracked down.So Shardlake is thrown into this at the deep end by first witnessing the death of Anne and two heretics who were burned at the stake.Shardlake is assisted in his search by his faithful servant Batak and a new character, Nicholas who becomes like a son.There is a lot of palace intrigue, secret meetings, mistrust among those seeking power, spies everywhere, family arguments and many violent sword fights.Life at the Whitehall and Hampton Court are well described as are the clothes, the decor, paintings, banquets, pastimes. At this age of his life, Henry is 6 months away from his death and he is grossly obese and immobile.It’s an interesting story but I found it to be about 200 pages too long.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When you see the name of King Henry VIII, what's the image that comes to your mind? One in which the monarch has the physique and appearance of a model (as portrayed by Jonathan Rhys in the TV series The Tudors)? Or the way that Henry himself wanted to be portrayed; A man of authority who, even when he's not kitted out in full royal regalia exudes power. One of the most famous of contemporary portraits shows him directly facing the viewer, legs firmly planted apart and arms akimbo to emphasise his powerful physique. The message is clear: don't even think of messing around with me. In C.J Sansom's historical series featuring a 'detective' lawyer, Shardlake, the man of law has learned over the years to fear his encounters with the King and the powerful men who surround him. Lamentation, the latest episode in the series sees Shardlake once again become embroiled in the kind of political intrigue that could easily cost him his head. This time it's the King's wife Katherine who needs his help when a book of spiritual reflections she has written is stolen from her bedroom. In the religious turmoil of the 1540s, this book could incite even further discord in the land if it is published. Katherine's own safety as risk. For the King;s own wife to write such a text without his knowledge could be considered as treason. Shardlake has a soft spot for the queen so accepts her plea to find the book before the King discovers what's happened.What ensues is a romp around London, from its leafy Inns of Court and the splendour of its royal palaces to the seedy streets of the poorer quarters as Shardlake tries to discover who is behind the theft and why. It brings him into personal danger with sword fights and a spell in the dreaded dungeons of The Tower. It's all very entertaining if somewhat improbable on many occasions —although Shardlake suffers from his physical deformity and often refers to his aching back, the man still seems to have an extraordinary level of stamina, always dashing about on horse or foot for hours.That's really a minor point in a novel that otherwise exudes authenticity. Sansom's evocation of the period always feels authoritative and sure (he even provides extensive notes at the back of the book to substantiate his interpretation.) In Lamentation he plunges us into a time when the King's health is a matter for concern though he and his courtiers go to great lengths to keep up a pretence in his public engagements that all is well. Shardlake however stumbles upon some scenes within the inner sanctum of the palace that show the extent to which this once powerful man has declined. In a quiet courtyard he sees the King propped up by two helpers shuffle along the path:
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5London, 1546 – Matthew Shardlake is still haunted by the sinking of the Mary Rose the year before but pursues his legal cases as best he can. In July he is suddenly approached by a representative of the queen to help her in a most delicate personal matter: the confession of her beliefs, put down in a small volume entitled Lamentation of a Sinner, has been stolen. Terrified of what the king will do should he find out, Shardlake is tasked with recovering it, all with the utmost secrecy. In the course of his investigation he comes into contact with the most important men of the realm, and the political machinations make this a very dangerous case indeed.As always I'm completely in awe of how C.J. Sansom manages to weave a convincing whodunit story among certain established historical facts, turning the whole into a sort of entertaining history lesson. With Lamentation the plot is especially serpentine and illustrates beautifully the political elbow wrestling for power among the great of the realm and the real sense of suspicion and distrust in matters of religion, where wives are keeping secrets from their husbands, neighbour is set against neighbour and friends are at odds with each other. Yet somehow it didn't grab me as much as I expected (compared for example with the nail-biting tension and tautness of plot encountered in Dark Fire and Sovereign), perhaps because Shardlake, in the manner of many a private detective, crosses London hither and thither, talking to witnesses/suspects, that at times I felt the plot was treading water, and I feel the novel, with all of its 600+ pages, is definitely about 50 pages too long. It has to be said that even so it still stands head and shoulders among most of the other historical crime fiction out there.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lamentation starts with the grimly detailed description of the burning of a Radical Protestant woman called Anne Askew and two of her followers. Our hero, hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake, has been sent by the masters of his Inn of Courts to observe and “be seen”. Henry VIII is on his last legs and those around him are jockeying for power. The religious witch-hunts across London are increasing in fervor and driving a wedge between friends and families. Shardlake, once a Reformer, believes it’s safest to “worship in the way the King decrees”.
The Catholics have their sights set on bringing down Catherine Parr. She summons Matthew who has done confidential work for her in the past. What she tells him could put them to death. The Queen has unwisely written an account of her religious views called Lamentation of a Sinner, which have moved dangerously close to what might be construed as heresy. Worse, she has concealed her writing from the increasingly tyrannical and suspicious king. If the manuscript, which has been stolen, were to find its way into the wrong hands, it could cause her to end up like Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. It has gone missing from a locked chest to which only the she has a key. Shardlake, still harboring unrequited love for the queen, will do anything to protect her and sets about investigating the theft, involving himself and his friends in the plots of others and schemes of his own as the bodies and threats begin to pile up.
Lamentation has a double story line, the hunt for the missing manuscript and a seemingly unrelated but profoundly interesting private case Shardlake has taken on that features the litigious case of a brother and sister at each others throats.
One of the best things about the Shardlake series is the way the author captures his character. He's a man of incredible intelligence and personal charm. We grow to love him and to feel for him. He is disabled but does not let that stop him from doing anything. He's a man we have come to trust and when he’s disappointed or unhappy we feel the same. He is also a very romantic man and perhaps one day he will find true love. I hope if Sansom ever decides to end this series he does it with Matthew finding happiness.
While Lamentation is not a perfect book (there is a little too much repetition and some of Barak's language includes slang that probably wasn't used in the 16th century), it's filled with rich detail of life in the Tudor age. Even though it is the sixth book in a series, Lamentation could easily be read as a standalone book. I listened to the audiobook and Steven Crossley does a magnificent job narrating.
Will the death of Henry mean the end of Shardlake’s career? The book closes with a summons to Greenwich so we'll have to wait and see what C. J. Sansom has planned for Matthew Shardlake's future. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Are we born with the innate gift of writing stories? I’m not sure. What I’m pretty sure is that it takes more than being born with a knack for words to write something worth reading. There’s no point for a writer to complain to the gods that she or he does not have the writing skills of Shakespeare, or Dickens, or Heinlein: what a writer needs to do is to the best he/she can with whatever gifts the writer may have, constantly striving with all one’s soul to enhance the mastery of the craft. That very well may be how all those great writers whose natural endowments we all envy had had to achieve their greatness. Probably by constant study, practice, and sweaty hard work. Shakespeare’s first plays may have been better than anyone else’s first plays, but even he didn’t turn out Lear and Othello during his apprentice years.
You can read the rest of this review on my blog.