Review: Murder in St Paul's by Richard Dale

I, like many, others enjoy when an author takes on a long forgotten event or mystery, dusts it off, puts a new spin on it, or attempts to provide a credible alternate theory.

In this instance it is the mysterious death - or murder - of Richard Hunne - a medieval death in custody if you will, that was written off a suicide then heresy once the manner of Hunne's death became known. Whilst familiar with the Tudor period, I am not so much a student of Reformation history - so this episode was one I quite possibly passed over. 

In short, Richard Hunne was an English merchant tailor in the City of London during the early years of the reign of Henry VIII (1509-1547). After a dispute with his priest over his infant son's funeral, Hunne sought to use the English common law courts to challenge the church's authority. In response, church officials arrested him for trial in an ecclesiastical court on the capital charge of heresy. In December 1514, while awaiting trial, Hunne was found dead in his cell, and murder by church officials was suspected. His death caused widespread anger against the clergy, and months of political and religious turmoil followed. (source: wikipedia).

It is into this tumultuous period that "Hunne’s widow, Anne, takes centre stage in this narrative as she attempts to solve and avenge the death of her husband. "

I am not sure what I was expecting to be honest, as Hunne's wife is equally elusive as the facts surrounding Hunne's death. So I went in search of Anne - and found very little that I could use to corroborate or support the idea that she took on the Establishment in such a way as portrayed herein. I know the author, Richard Dale, prefaces the story by letting us know that he made that character of Anne stronger than she may have actually been - we will never really know how close to the truth this may be - and this fascinates me - how close the fictional and the actual historical figure are to being the same (and rather maddening when one cannot assess the truth of it all).

I guess, for a plausible scenario to be put forth or light to be shed on a heinous act, someone must investigate - and who better to champion a dead man than his wife. However, I am not sure, in this instance, given the political and religious situation in England in the early 16th century, that Anne makes for a credible investigator; and this is where the story just fell flat for me.

In the end "... one kind of persecution is replaced with another ..."

further reading:

Murder of Richard Hunne London in the Early Reign of King Henry VIII by M. Clement Hall

> you can actually read the chronology leading up to the death of Hunne (though not a great deal beyond that)

Richard Hunne - A Tale of Old London by George Sargent

> read online here at the Lollard Society

History Today - Death at St Pauls

> online article here

Richard Hunne and the English Reformation by Bill Cooper

> synposis here at amazon

Richard Hunne by WR Cooper

> published online for the William Tyndale Society - Reformation Journal