The first in its series, She Died Unshriven by David Field tells the story of Constable Thomas Lincraft. Set in Nottingham in the 16th century, the novel recounts the murder of a young girl and how Tom will go to any lengths to bring the correct perpetrator to justice, even if it meant losing his position as constable.
The novel includes different themes of conflict, from religion to society’s hierarchy. The readers are automatically set up to like Tom, portrayed as the beacon of hope amongst the corruption of the justice system, willing to bend the rules in order for justness to prevail. On the other hand, we are expected to dislike Coroner Greville, who uses his higher rank to his advantage throughout the trial. The dramatization of the ‘good vs bad’ narrative was sometimes over-amplified, with multiple characters, including Greville and Tom’s wife Lizzie, continuously emphasising the fact that Tom is stepping out of his role as constable and risking his position. Yet it was perhaps due to this exaggeration that as the reader, I felt a sense of satisfaction from Greville’s humiliation in the courtroom and rooted for the success of Tom.
Gripping from start to finish, with a shocking last-minute twist, this short novel would go down well with readers who love a fast-paced legal crime story with historical elements intertwined.