Review: The Cromwell Enigma by Derek Wilson

Synopsis: July 1540. The courts of Europe are stunned to hear that Henry VIII has executed his all-powerful minister, Thomas Cromwell.

Poet and classicist Nicholas Bourbon is sent from the cultured court of Queen Marguerite of Navarre to investigate. Thrust into a turbulent world of religious, political and personal rivalries, his travels take him far and wide. He endures perils at sea, incarceration in a monastic prison and poisonous intrigue in the Tudor court. 

Yet this retiring scholar cannot abandon a quest which steadily becomes an obsession, drawing him ever deeper into the beliefs and motivations of his mysterious quarry.  Only after facing many hazards does he discover the astonishing secret that unlocks the Cromwell enigma.

The synopsis pretty much covers it story-wise.  And this reminded me of what I refer to as "in the footsteps of" - wherein an author attempts to walk in the footsteps of their chosen subject to discover more about them and takes the reader along their journey. Usually this type of book is non-fiction, but I find that it works just as well in a fictional format - as it does in this instance.

Utilising the real-life character of Nicholas Bourbon, the reader is taken on a quest to discover the missing years of Thomas Cromwell (or Tom Crom as he is often referred to) in order to understand the man he became at the time of his execution (no spoilers here - just the facts). I really do love the use of other real historical characters to give some authenticity to the plot.

So, who are our main characters:  firstly we have our narrator, Nicholas Bourbon, who was a noted court poet, as well as tutor to Jeanne d'Albret, daughter of Marguerite Queen of Navarre, as well as (in this instance) her ambassador. Whilst we learn of Nicholas' past throughout his mission - and his dealing with the English Court of Henry VII - very little is known about his final years.  As such, Wilson creates a possible scenario for Bourbon's final years.

Whilst not appearing in the physical sense, Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VII's most trusted advisor, Lord Privy Seal, and the architect of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, looms larger than life throughout.  What has always interested people is Cromwell's rise to power from humble beginnings, and those years he spent in Italy early on.  And this is what Wilson explores through the use of Nicholas Bourbon, as almost a detective type figure.  However, not everyone welcomes Bourbon's investigation and some are keen not to follow in Cromwell's footsteps to the executioner's block by voicing their opinions.

Although no exactly nail biting, white knuckle edge-of-your-seat drama, there is action aplenty to keep the reader entertained as we draw ever closer to Cromwell's secret. The narrative is peppered with extracts from documents and correspondence of the day, adding to the authenticity of the tale.

As Nicholas is given to say: " ... like a squirrel worrying a nut, I was possessed by the need to find a kernel of truth written within the shell of conflicting information ..."

Definitely one for historical fiction and Tudor fiction readers.