Shardlake series collection

Matthew Shardlake #1-6

by C.J. Sansom

Shardlake series collection c. j. Sansom 6 books set (Dissolution, Dark Fire, Sovereign, Revelation, Heartstone, Lamentation)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery

Paperback

About the author

Christopher John "C.J." Sansom was an English writer of crime novels.

Sansom was educated at the University of Birmingham, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he decided to retrain as a solicitor. He practised for a while in Sussex as a lawyer for the disadvantaged, before quitting in order to work full-time as a writer.

He came to prominence with his series set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century, whose main character is the hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake. Shardlake works on commission, initially from Thomas Cromwell in Dissolution and Dark Fire and then Thomas Cranmer in Sovereign and Revelation.

He has also written Winter in Madrid, a thriller set in Spain in 1940 in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

Dark Fire won the 2005 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, awarded by the Crime Writers' Association (CWA). Sansom himself was "Very Highly Commended" in the 2007 CWA Dagger in the Library award, for the Shardlake series.

The television series "Shardlake" was adapted from the books and released by Disney+ on 1st May 2024, just 4 days after Samson's death.

(from Wikipedia®)

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful series, if a bit hard to get into. The narrator is a lawyer, so there's less glamour and romance than usually found in books set during the reign of Henry VIII, and more real life. Beggars in the street, brutal assaults, a rigid class system, and just plain evil done by men because they have rank and wealth so they can get away with it.

Life was hard. Henry was hateful and spiteful and must have had a core of steel to survive so long, so fat!

Sansom brings this world to life, and takes you into it to ride with Matthew Shardlake, lawyer with a hunched back, on his journeys.

I am a bigger fan of the Plantagenets than the Tudors, but I these books are great.

[Elizabeth]

Brilliant series, completely addicted. I hope CJ Sansom will write more in the near future.

[Apina_lukee_kirjoja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very formulaic as a series. Every book is the same. But that can be a comfort in these troubled times.

Can't write women, which is always baffling, particularly as the men can be interesting and develop and grow through the series. Just write a human being?

The historical backdrop is interesting and it's always nice to learn more while reading detective fiction. A couple of the books get tedious where the murder is obviously just a device to delve into a particular historical event. I skimmed through many pages on Heartstone and Tombland.

Outside the brutality of the time period, there's a sweet innocence in the books - things will always work out for the main character and his friends. I like that.

[Shalufar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing was good. The story was okay. But, in the history of mystery that was the most boring character (lawyer acting as detective) I have ever read.

Rating: 2.5

[Kay Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are brilliant. They draw you in to the times of Henry VIII time really quickly. It is a time of great power struggles and some really gruesome deaths. The writing is really good and once you start reading you can't stop. The character of Shardlake is so well written that you feel as though you know him. Each book follows on seamlessly from the last. An era full of political intrigue, religious upheaval. I can't recommend these books highly enough, I know I will be reading them again.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow to start off with but eventually, it picked up and I couldn’t put it down. Well written but unfortunately I thought that the killer was a little predictable. I had guessed it about 8 or 9 chapters before it was revealed. Overall, good book - most likely won’t continue on the series as I dislike Matthew as a main character and don’t care to much for his well being or further adventures.

[Jennifer Mills Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series. Sansom develops characters and relationships very well for a mystery. Also weaves in historical details. Scenes are alive with tension of the time(s). Shardlake is one of my favorite characters, maintaining his dignity amidst a crazy world. (Quite relevant today.) Strong descriptive settings which change across books bring a unique perspective to each mystery. I enjoyed listening on Audible as well. Thoroughly recommend!

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice detective. Relaxed read

[J.lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed! So disappointed when I finished the series. Hoping it continues!

[Lynn Marie Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series!! Historical context intriguing.

[sheila conway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read Dissolution again & working through the rest of the series

[DianeR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the BBC "full cast dramatization" of all these books and can't recommend it enough. I put my life on hold and did nothing but work jigsaw puzzles and listen, often into the night. I haven't been as captivated by a radio production since Orson Welles' War of the Worlds. Set in Tudor England, Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer (but he acts as a detective, too) who meets Oliver Cromwell and Queen Katherine Parr; he does investigations for both. If you've seen the musical Six, you'll find this Katherine Parr quite different from the party girl in the musical. Highly recommend this audio dramatization.

[Ewan Ward-Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read all the books in sequence for the second time. Fast pace and familiar (to informed Tudor historians) research with lots of details. The characters matter. Useful twists and turns to every plot. Will read again next year.

[Tracey Keir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revelation - Think this has been my favourite one so far. Very gripping.

[Rebecca Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just WOW!

I have always been a history nerd. Mainly, Henry VIII. This series was just perfection for me!

The writing was so immersive. I felt like I was watching a movie. The description was exquisite and the twists and turns flowed so easily.

Simply, my favourite historical fiction series of all time!

[Donna Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is very well written and pulls you in quickly, but at times was too gruesome for me. In some ways, the religious battles going on in King Henry VIII time are similar to what’s going on now…people rarely learn from the past.

[Martin Heaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read all the Shardlake series apart from Tombland. So well written and easy to read. The characters are brilliant.

[Kathy]

This was an error. I have the correct book up on my list.

[lisa unwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just for the record, I read REVELATION only. I'm not sure why Goodreads has incorporated the entire series into one volume!

[Alex Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant books. Really enjoyed them.

[Emma Bevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best set of books ever - historical interest and thrillers combined, just brilliant.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just started to read Sovereign-part three of the collection