{"product_id":"9781447285878-heartstone","title":"Heartstone","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShardlake goes to war in the fifth historical mystery in the compelling series. \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eHeartsone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e is C. J. Sansom's fifth spellbinding mystery in \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eC. J. Sansom's number one bestselling Shardlake series, for fans of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'When it comes to intriguing Tudor-based narratives, Hilary Mantel has a serious rival' - \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Sansom has the trick of writing an enthralling narrative. Like Hilary Mantel, he produces densely textured historical novels that absorb their readers in another time’ - Andrew Taylor, \u003ci\u003eSpectator \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEngland, 1545:\u003c\/b\u003e England is at war. Henry VIII's invasion of France has gone badly wrong, and a massive French fleet is preparing to sail across the Channel. As the English fleet gathers at Portsmouth, the country raises the largest militia army it has ever seen. The King has debased the currency to pay for the war, and England is in the grip of soaring inflation and economic crisis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile Matthew Shardlake is given an intriguing legal case by an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr. Asked to investigate claims of \"monstrous wrongs\" committed against a young ward of the court, which have already involved one mysterious death, Shardlake and his assistant Barak journey to Portsmouth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOnce arrived, Shardlake and Barak find themselves in a city preparing to become a war zone; and Shardlake takes the opportunity to also investigate the mysterious past of Ellen Fettiplace, a young woman incarcerated in the Bedlam. The emerging mysteries around the young ward, and the events that destroyed Ellen's family nineteen years before, involve Shardlake in reunions both with an old friend and an old enemy close to the throne. Events will converge on board one of the King's great warships, primed for battle in Portsmouth harbour .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA bestselling phenomenon, the Shardlake series is perfect for fans of Hilary Mantel's \u003ci\u003eThe Mirror and the Light.\u003c\/i\u003e Continue the gripping historical series with \u003ci\u003eLamentation \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Tombland\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40943932997729,"sku":"9781447285878","price":12.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/products\/stand_6877158_jpg.jpg?v=1707817944","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781447285878-heartstone","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}