Category: Five Favourite

My 5 Favourite…June Reads

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My5FavouriteJuneReads

Yes, I know we’re a week into July already but I seem to be permanently in catch-up mode at the moment!  Anyway, here goes… 

Of the 14 books I read in June, these are my five favourite. Click on the book title to read my review.

GoldenHill2Golden Hill by Francis Spufford

June was dominated by reading the books shortlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and this was one of them. Although I felt slightly let down by the end, it was a highly enjoyable romp with a great cast of characters, some wonderful set pieces, lots of sly humour and a convincing period setting.

BrokenBranchesBroken Branches by M. Jonathan Lee

The first offering from new publishers, Hideaway Fall, the author creates an unsettling atmosphere with a distinctly gothic feel as he explores the impact of guilt, secrets and tragedy on one family.

WolvesintheDarkWolves in the Dark by Gunnar Staalesen

Orenda Books can be relied on to come up with some cracking crime stories and this was no exception. The book is full of twists and turns and interrelated stories creating a complex web for its protagonist, Varg Veum, to untangle.  I was lucky enough to win the previous two books in the series in a giveaway.

ACountryRoadATreeA Country Road, A Tree by Jo Baker

Another of the novels shortlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, but probably the least known, the book follows the experiences of an unnamed protagonist (but clearly identifiable as Samuel Beckett) during WW2. Not only is the story beautifully told and compelling, it is a really clever book. It inspired me to learn more about Beckett with the result that I picked up lots of references in the book that I’d missed the first time.

DarkDawnoverSteepHouseDark Dawn over Steep House by M R C Kasasian

I’d been aware of this historical mystery series for a while but never read any of the books. Luckily for me, my friends at Head of Zeus gave me the opportunity to read this, the 5th book in the series, and I absolutely loved it.  The mixture of quirky humour, eccentric characters and compelling plot was really entertaining and I’m now looking forward to reading the previous four books.

 

What were your favourite reads last month?

My 5 Favourite…Tudor historical mystery series

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Tudor

C.J Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake (6 book series so far)

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Sansom came to prominence as the creator of Matthew Shardlake, the hunchbacked lawyer who is the main character in this series of six historical mysteries set in the reign of Henry VIII. Terrific stories with a convincing historical setting, in my mind these established the standard for mysteries set in the Tudor period.

S. J. Parris’s Giordano Bruno (5 book series so far)

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Parris’s protagonist is fugitive Italian monk, Giordano Bruno – philosopher and heretical scientist – who flees to London to escape the Inquisition. Set in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Bruno is persuaded to undertake his first undercover mission for the Queen’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. Further missions follow in later books with Bruno racking up enemies – and a few romantic conquests – as he goes. This is another great series with an engaging main character and great stories woven into actual historical events.

Rory Clements’s John Shakespeare (7 book series so far)

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Clements’s series is also set in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In the first book, John Shakespeare (older brother of the struggling playwright, William) finds himself enmeshed in a tale of murder and a conspiracy to assassinate Sir Francis Drake.   Later books see the same enthralling story lines mixed with great period settings. This is another great series for fans of the genre.

Phil Rickman’s John Dee (2 book series)

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Rickman (probably better known for his Merrily Watkins series) makes the real life character, Dr John Dee, astrologer to Queen Elizabeth I, the focal point for his two historical mysteries. Dee reluctantly embarks on his first mission for the Queen’s chief minister, Sir William Cecil, which is to bring back King Arthur’s bones from Glastonbury Abbey. His companion on the mission is Robert Dudley, possibly the Queen’s secret lover, and soon they are both plunged into violence, magic and a conspiracy. Dee returns in a second book to investigate the death of Dudley’s wife. These are two enjoyable historical mysteries again incorporating real figures and actual events.

James Forrester’s William Harley (3 book series)

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James Forrester is a pen-name of historian Dr Ian Mortimer, better known for his Time Traveller’s Guide series. This is a terrific trilogy that I was lucky enough to come across and I devoured each one. Set during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign when any Catholic could be accused of plotting against the throne,Herald William Harley, otherwise known as Clarenceux King of Arms, is persuaded to hide a manuscript for a friend.   This decision will draw him into a web of conspiracy that will have dire consequences unfolding over the three books in the series. If the ending of the third book leaves you unmoved, then you‘re a stronger person than I am.

Have you enjoyed any of these series?  Can you recommend other historical mysteries set in the Tudor period?