Of Blood Descended: An Anthony Blanke Tudor Mystery

Anthony Blanke Mysteries #1

by Steven Veerapen

Beautifully written ... a unique tale told in a unique voice' - S.G. Maclean

Summer, 1522. In a wave of pomp, Henry VIII’s court welcomes the Imperial emperor, Charles V. Anthony Blanke, the son of the king’s late ‘black trumpet’, John Blanke, is called to Hampton Court by his former employer, Cardinal Wolsey. The cardinal is preparing a gift for King a masque of King Arthur and the Black Knight. Anthony is to take centre stage.

The festive mood, however, quickly sours. Wolsey’s historian, charged with proving the king’s descent from King Arthur, is found murdered, his body posed in a gruesome tableau. A reluctant Anthony is charged with investigating the affair. His mission takes him on the path trod by the historian, through ancient monastic libraries and the back streets of London.

On a journey that takes him from Hampton Court to Windsor and Winchester, and which sees him lock horns with secretive monks, historian Polydore Vergil, and a new face at court, Anne Boleyn, he must discover the murderer, secure the great masque, and avoid King Henry’s wrath.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 30, 2023

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this first of the Anthony Blanke tales our hero is drawn into intrigue in the court of Henry VIII when a historian is murdered and Cardinal Wolsey tasks him with finding out the truth. Loved this! A good mix of drama, action and mystery.

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antony Blanke son of a black trumpeter has been invited to take part in the forthcoming Mask in the presence of Henry VIII and Emperor Charles V The event seems to be cursed from the start with murder and intrigue a must read for all Tudor enthusiasts

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1522, and London is in a jovial mood. King Henry VIII and his wife Catherine of Aragon are to play host to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as he visits England. As one of King Henry VIII’s most loyal advisors, Cardinal Wolsey had the great honor of hosting a grand masque featuring King Arthur and the Black Knight for the distinguished company. Unfortunately, as preparations for the luxurious masque are in full swing, Wolsey’s historian is horrifically murdered. The only one who can solve the case is Anthony Blanke, the son of John Blanke, the trumpeter before the masque is ruined, and Henry VIII discovers the truth. The story of this case is told in Steven Veerapen’s latest novel, “Of Blood Descended.”

I want to thank Steven Veerapen for sending me a copy of his latest novel. I am always in the mood for a good Tudor mystery, and when I heard that the main character was the son of John Blanke, I was intrigued to see how Veerapen would portray his story.

Veerapen begins this novel by introducing Pietro Gonzaga, Cardinal Wolsey’s historian, and his family as Gonzaga is on the cusp of revolutionary discovery. We then cut to Anthony Blanke returning to London after his father, John Blanke’s death. He is reluctant to go back to court and all of its intrigues, but it is necessary as Cardinal Wolsey himself summoned him. Wolsey is hosting a grand masque in honor of King Henry VIII and the Imperial Emperor Charles V; the theme is King Arthur and the Black Knight, and he has decided to cast Anthony as the titular Black Knight.

Progress with the masque goes smoothly until someone discovers Signor Gonzaga’s body after being brutally slain. Gonzaga’s murder sets the stage for a whirlwind chase to find the murderer, but the monster leaves a trail of blood behind him, and no one is safe. The action, intrigue, and mysteries will keep you guessing until the final pages to figure out who the mastermind was behind it all.

I loved the mystery behind the murder and how Veerapen was able to weave the Arthurian legends and prophecies with the story of the Tudors. I enjoyed the cameos from Thomas Boleyn and Anne Boleyn, but my favorite cameo was Henry VIII’s historian Polydore Vergil, who does not appear that often in Tudor historical fiction. I thought Anthony was such a fascinating protagonist as he gave a different perspective on the diversity of London life. Even though characters like Anthony Blanke, Sister Jane, Mark Byfield, and Harry Gainsford are entirely fictional characters, they feel like they would fit exceptionally well in the Tudor world.

I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn that Veerapen included in this novel. I hope to see more stories with Anthony, Jane, Mark, and Harry. If you enjoy Tudor murder mysteries, you will be enthralled with “Of Blood Descended” by Steven Veerapen.

[Chasqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been very impressed by the first two Christopher Marlowe Spy Thrillers by Steven Veerapen, I turned to this book, the first of the Anthony Blanke Tudor Mysteries. I was not disappointed! Set in 1522 and revolving around Anthony Blanke, the fictional son of the actual historical character John Blanke, this story is slow-moving and full of description as the mystery unfolds. These two qualities give the reader the chance to become acquainted with all aspects of the tale while trying to pinpoint the perpetrator of the evil deeds. I have to admit that my guess as to the evil-doer was wrong, a situation which always pleases me as it means the author has not given away too much, and so there is an unexpected ending.

With Cardinal Wolsey and members of his staff in prominent roles within this tale, it has a real feel of the era of Henry VIII’s reign, with the king also much featured as he travels from Hampton Court via Windsor to Winchester with Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. Meanwhile Anthony Blanke suffers much along his route to the truth but supported by friends, manages to overcome all difficulties. The Arthurian Legend is an integral part of this story, offering opposing views regarding its authenticity. As with all historical novels, fact is interwoven with fiction, all combining to make this book one I highly recommend to all interested in this era of history and with a liking for a mystery to solve.

[EclecticReadswithAsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

✨️Summer, 1522. Anthony Blanke, son of John Blanke, Henry VIII's Black Trumpeter, becomes involved in a scandal amidst the pomp and circumstance of Emperor Charles V's visit to England. Enlisted by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Anthony becomes detective around the streets of London to solve the insidious plot before the King catches wind of it.✨️

I really wanted to like this book!! Tudor murder mystery? What's not to like about that concept? I thoroughly enjoyed the podcast episode of After Dark that Veerapen appeared on, talking about murder in Early Modern England; thus, leading me to discover this book. However these are the things that bothered me:
● Modern language: I totally understand that it would be ridiculous if the book used proper 1500s English throughout, but I felt there were too many words and phrases that were too modern and it took me out the period
● Poor characterisation: I don't think Anthony was given much personality, except for being a little clueless and arrogant. I didn't find many of the characters likeable either
● Clunky writing: the sentence structure and flow wasn't very good. It made it difficult to read large chunks at a time

This wasn't a great book to end 2024 on and my buddy reading this, would unfortunately agree!

[Moona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Blood Descended by Steven Veerapen is a historical mystery set in the summer of 1522, during the reign of Henry VIII. Anthony Blanke, the son of the late royal trumpeter John Blanke, is summoned by Cardinal Wolsey to perform in a grand masque celebrating King Arthur and the Black Knight. However, the festivities are marred by the murder of Wolsey’s historian, who had been tasked with proving the king’s lineage from King Arthur.

Reluctantly, Anthony is drawn into a dangerous investigation that takes him through monastic libraries and London’s shadowy streets. Along the way, he encounters secretive monks, historian Polydore Vergil, and the rising court figure Anne Boleyn. Anthony must uncover the murderer’s identity while ensuring the success of the masque and avoiding the unpredictable wrath of King Henry VIII.

With its rich historical detail and gripping plot, Of Blood Descended blends mystery and history, appealing to readers who enjoy Tudor-era intrigues, complex characters, and a suspenseful investigation.

[GBL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Veerapen has written an excellent mystery novel set in Tudor England in 1522, with Anthony Blanke, son of the king’s late ´black trumpet’, John Blanke, as the central character.

The Emperor Charles V has arrived in England and Henry VIII is determined to show his nephew the best that England has to offer. Henry’s Chief Minister, Cardinal Wolsey is keen to impress the two men and is planning an elaborate court masque showing Henry’s descent from the legendary King Arthur. However, someone is keen to disrupt the events and a series of deaths leads the Cardinal to set Anthony Blanke on the track of the killer.

Veerapen creates a real sense of Tudor England and the mystery is entertaining. The central character is a clever creation; with his unusual background and personality he makes an interesting character for the time and setting.

[Glyn Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very impressed with this book, first time i read this author who painted a very vivid picture of life in tudor england. We have henry the eighth , cardinal wolsey and charles v holy roman emperor (henrys nephew). Then there are murders most fowl committed (no spoilers) but it is a very intriguing story with various twists and turns and depicts tudor in pomp and pageantry and right down in the sewers and mud. So just go out and BUY this book and travel back in time, ENJOY.

[Bryngel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's in Tudor England, and Cardinal Wolsey’s historian is murdered. He forced the murder upon Anthony Blake to solve. He is not happy. We get to follow his dealings with the people around Hampton Court to Windsor and Winchester. No matter that this was a well written story, it was not a story for me. I just couldn't get into it.

[Sarsh Isles · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was historically accurate but some of the accuracies lost some of the story and the thriller aspect which could have been brilliant

[Cathleen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the way Veerapen brought the world of Henry VIII’s Tudor England to life. It was interesting to enter Wolsey’s world through the eyes of a Moor. Some interesting theories presented.

[Elle Jay Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this to begin with, but once it started tying up all the loose ends it became less interesting.