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Anthony Blanke Mysteries #2
Of Judgement Fallen
Spring, 1523. Henry VIII readies England for war with France. The King's chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, prepares to open Parliament at Blackfriars. The eyes of the country turn towards London. But all is not well in Wolsey's household. A visiting critic of the Cardinal is found brutally slain whilst awaiting an audience at Richmond Palace. He will not be the last to die.
Anthony Blanke, trumpeter and groom, is once again called upon to unmask a murderer. Joining forces with Sir Thomas More, he is forced to confront the unpopularity of his master's rule. As the bodies of the Cardinal's enemies mount up around him, Anthony finds himself under suspicion. Journeying through the opulence of More's home, the magnificence of Wolsey's York Place, and the dank dungeons of London's gaols, he must discover whether the murderer of the Cardinal's critics is friend or foe.
With time running out before Parliament sits, Anthony must clear his name and catch the killer before the King's justice falls blindly upon him.
Anthony Blanke, trumpeter and groom, is once again called upon to unmask a murderer. Joining forces with Sir Thomas More, he is forced to confront the unpopularity of his master's rule. As the bodies of the Cardinal's enemies mount up around him, Anthony finds himself under suspicion. Journeying through the opulence of More's home, the magnificence of Wolsey's York Place, and the dank dungeons of London's gaols, he must discover whether the murderer of the Cardinal's critics is friend or foe.
With time running out before Parliament sits, Anthony must clear his name and catch the killer before the King's justice falls blindly upon him.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
371 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 2, 2023
4 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 13, 2023
Full of murder mystery and intrigue a smashing read
April 24, 2023
Usually I’m living in three eras – the late 16th century, the 1970s and, at times, the present day! However, I can now add a fourth. So vivid are the descriptions in this book I was almost under the impression that I was accompanying Anthony Blanke as he pursued clues to murder mysteries in the 1520s.
As with the first book, these crimes must be solved and Cardinal Wolsey has again assigned the task to Anthony, re-instated trumpeter and groom at his court. Assisted by his friend Mark, as well as Sir Thomas More, after a transfer to the scholar’s household, Anthony pursues the guilty, with surprising results, and within a limited time span, the exceeding of which would have had dire consequences for him.
This second of the Anthony Blanke Tudor Mysteries has kept my interest throughout. With the very well-written story proceeding at an easy pace, I could picture each scene as it unfolded. Changes of location and additional characters enhanced the plot, along with some surprising events, all tested my crime unravelling abilities to the very end, when I was presented with the realisation that my assumptions were only partly correct. Once again, Steven Veerapen has given us a plausible thriller set in the reign of King Henry VIII, and I am very much hoping for a further sequel, focusing on the likeable young Anthony Blanke whose powers of detection are second to none.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical novels which include much accuracy accompany the fictional stories.
As with the first book, these crimes must be solved and Cardinal Wolsey has again assigned the task to Anthony, re-instated trumpeter and groom at his court. Assisted by his friend Mark, as well as Sir Thomas More, after a transfer to the scholar’s household, Anthony pursues the guilty, with surprising results, and within a limited time span, the exceeding of which would have had dire consequences for him.
This second of the Anthony Blanke Tudor Mysteries has kept my interest throughout. With the very well-written story proceeding at an easy pace, I could picture each scene as it unfolded. Changes of location and additional characters enhanced the plot, along with some surprising events, all tested my crime unravelling abilities to the very end, when I was presented with the realisation that my assumptions were only partly correct. Once again, Steven Veerapen has given us a plausible thriller set in the reign of King Henry VIII, and I am very much hoping for a further sequel, focusing on the likeable young Anthony Blanke whose powers of detection are second to none.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical novels which include much accuracy accompany the fictional stories.
September 13, 2023
Anthony Blanke, son of John Blanke, Henry VIII’s black trumpeter, is given the task of investigating a suspicious death that takes place in Cardinal Wolsey’s palace. Blanke comes under suspicion himself when he is found beside the dead body of a young apprentice and only escapes prison under penalty of finding the real killer, with only a short time to do so or he will be tried for the murder.
Veerapen recreates the Tudor period with real depth of knowledge and research, drawing the reader into the highest levels of society and the lowest. He has constructed a fascinating mystery set at the heart of the Tudor political system , with a fascinating central character. In his Note at the end of the novel, Veerapen promises another story involving Anthony and I’m certainly looking forward to reading it.
Veerapen recreates the Tudor period with real depth of knowledge and research, drawing the reader into the highest levels of society and the lowest. He has constructed a fascinating mystery set at the heart of the Tudor political system , with a fascinating central character. In his Note at the end of the novel, Veerapen promises another story involving Anthony and I’m certainly looking forward to reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2023
The second instalment in the Anthony Blanke series and another excellent read. I’d give this 4.5 stars.
The book provides a great story with twists and turns that keep you intrigued throughout. There’s a real richness in the descriptions of Tudor court and I find the author gets across the sheer colour of this period. We get to meet Sir Thomas More in this volume but I also loved the conversations between Anthony, Mark, and Harry.
Very much recommend and hoping for a third!
The book provides a great story with twists and turns that keep you intrigued throughout. There’s a real richness in the descriptions of Tudor court and I find the author gets across the sheer colour of this period. We get to meet Sir Thomas More in this volume but I also loved the conversations between Anthony, Mark, and Harry.
Very much recommend and hoping for a third!
February 11, 2024
Anthony Blanke returns for a second adventure as he tries to find out why the enemies of Cardinal Wolsey are turning up dead. Absolutely love this series! The writing is so engaging and immediately draws you in to the story. Plenty of drama and intrigue that provides pure escapist enjoyment.
October 21, 2023
Well-described but didn't really grip.
May 17, 2023
The year is 1523, and England is again preparing for war against its mortal enemy, France. Cardinal Wolsey is firmly in power as King Henry VIII's right-hand man who is about to open Parliament, but Sir Thomas More's star is slowly rising. London is busy, and at the center of it, all is Wolsey's trumpeter and groom, Anthony Blanke. In this chaos of Wolsey's household where murder and betrayal lie, and the enemies of the Cardinal begin to pile up. It is up to Anthony Blanke to clear his name and find the murderer before it is too late. Anthony's latest thrilling adventure occurs in Steven Veerapen's novel, "Of Judgement Fallen: An Anthony Blanke Tudor Mystery."
Thank you, Polygon Books and Steven Veerapen, for sending me a copy of this novel. I enjoyed the first Anthony Blanke novel, "Of Blood Descended," so when I heard that there was going to be a second mystery, I could not wait to read it.
Veerapen opens his novel with his first victim, Lancelot Cosyn, a scholar who is in a lot of pain and is on a mission. He is a man who detests Cardinal Wolsey, who he thinks is the source of evil in England, and he has chosen to take action by visiting the great man. Unfortunately, he is found dead inside Wolsey's home before the meeting. Wolsey assigns Anthony Blanke the task of finding the person behind the murder of Cosyn before the news reaches the King's ear and before Parliament opens.
As Anthony begins his investigation, more bodies of the Cardinal's enemies start to pile up around him, so he enlists the help of Sir Thomas More to find the murderer. The color of his skin and how close Anthony is to the case make people suspect him of being involved in these dastardly deeds. Anthony, his friend Mark, and a pup named Bo work with Thomas More to prove Anthony's innocence and determine why these people were murdered and who was behind the chaos in London.
What I love about this series is the diversity that Veerapen has chosen to show in Tudor England. Racism and religious issues are complex issues to discuss. Still, Veerapen has given his audience a window into the past and showed what it might have been like for a person of color to prove themselves in the court of Henry VIII while also dealing with people deemed as heretics for their beliefs.
This was a well-written mystery full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I had no clue who might have done it until the end, a sign of a fantastic mystery writer. If you are a fan of the first Anthony Blanke murder mystery and want another adventure, "Of Judgement Fallen: An Anthony Blanke Tudor Mystery" by Steven Veerapen must be on your to-be-read pile.
Thank you, Polygon Books and Steven Veerapen, for sending me a copy of this novel. I enjoyed the first Anthony Blanke novel, "Of Blood Descended," so when I heard that there was going to be a second mystery, I could not wait to read it.
Veerapen opens his novel with his first victim, Lancelot Cosyn, a scholar who is in a lot of pain and is on a mission. He is a man who detests Cardinal Wolsey, who he thinks is the source of evil in England, and he has chosen to take action by visiting the great man. Unfortunately, he is found dead inside Wolsey's home before the meeting. Wolsey assigns Anthony Blanke the task of finding the person behind the murder of Cosyn before the news reaches the King's ear and before Parliament opens.
As Anthony begins his investigation, more bodies of the Cardinal's enemies start to pile up around him, so he enlists the help of Sir Thomas More to find the murderer. The color of his skin and how close Anthony is to the case make people suspect him of being involved in these dastardly deeds. Anthony, his friend Mark, and a pup named Bo work with Thomas More to prove Anthony's innocence and determine why these people were murdered and who was behind the chaos in London.
What I love about this series is the diversity that Veerapen has chosen to show in Tudor England. Racism and religious issues are complex issues to discuss. Still, Veerapen has given his audience a window into the past and showed what it might have been like for a person of color to prove themselves in the court of Henry VIII while also dealing with people deemed as heretics for their beliefs.
This was a well-written mystery full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I had no clue who might have done it until the end, a sign of a fantastic mystery writer. If you are a fan of the first Anthony Blanke murder mystery and want another adventure, "Of Judgement Fallen: An Anthony Blanke Tudor Mystery" by Steven Veerapen must be on your to-be-read pile.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews