There is a lot to recommend here but ultimately, I was left a little cold by this book. It tells the story of Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer working for Thomas Cromwell who is sent to Scarnsea monastery to investigate the murder of a colleague. Given that this book takes place immediately following the death of Jane Seymour, the monastery is fighting to survive the purge so there are some wonderful opportunities for intrigue and deception. Sansom has re-created the world incredibly vividly, with sights, sounds and smells all lovingly portrayed in a manner that lends authenticity to the narrative. The plot is quite intricate, which is great, but I was constantly reminded of Eco's Name of the Rose while I was reading, which is perhaps one of the problems I had. I also found some of the plot contrivances a little irksome and was often slightly thrown out by the motivations of our main character. Shardlake is a very interesting man and I am sure that in future novels, he will become more fully realised but here, I often found him to be shockingly impulsive and overly thoughtful by turn. Overall, I do think that this novel will appeal to many and I would read more books in this world, but I found this instalment a little ponderous in its pacing.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

CJ Sansom is about to publish another book featuring Matthew Shardlake, Tudor lawyer and detective – it may well be the last one. Tombland, out in October, will be the seventh in the series, and is eagerly awaited.

It is hard to remember how very unusual Dissolution (the first in the series) was when it was published. Before the millennium I had little time for historical novels. And then the new century produced Philippa Gregory’s Other Boleyn Girl, and Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies to change my mind about novels. I had a particular dislike of historical detective stories, and Dissolution was the book that changed my mind on that. They were good years for Tudor fiction.

Dissolution completely immersed the reader in Tudor life: Shardlake is sent by Thomas Cromwell to sort out a problem at a monastery on the south coast, a monastery that surely knows it is going to have to close soon. The weather is freezing, the combination of snow and fog is beautifully described. (This was an excellent book to read in the current UK heatwave.)

Shardlake and his assistant settle into the monastery to try to find its secrets, and yet more crimes are committed. The story turns out to be horrible and violent, and tied up with events outside the cloister…

Sansom is a master at creating atmosphere, and believable characters. These are not modern people in Tudor clothes, and he makes their thoughts and decisions and difficulties very real and convincing. Nobody has nice 21st century views about religious tolerance. Shardlake is very much pre-disposed to dislike the monks, and the excesses of the Catholic church as well as its good points are both shown. There is a feel for a genuine look at both sides of the argument, as well as some painful lessons about the reality of politics and what the King wants.

Altogether this book was just as good as I remembered, although I was surprised by the mention above of the scene that ‘comes clearly to mind all these years later’ – I don’t particularly remember many references to Shardlake writing his memories years later.

And having followed our hero through Henry VIII’s reign, am very anxious to read the new book, which follows him further into the 16th century.

Lamentation, the most recent of the series, is on the blog here.

Picture by Holbein of Sir Richard Southwell, a Tudor courtier, who I felt had a look of Matthew Shardlake.

The other picture is Two Monks Standing by Pontormo - circa 1524-1525.

Both from the Athenaeum website.

This is the first of a long standing series featuring Matthew Shardlake and I am delighted to have finally discovered it as I now have another five books to savour.

Set in the reign of Henry V111,It was a long, satisfying and thoughtful read with the author clearly demonstrating his deep knowledge of the history and mores of the time.

The story enticed me in from the start and never let go and this proved to be one of the better historical detective thrillers that I have read for many a year.

This is a reread for me, the first in this historical series set in Tudor England that introduces and establishes the lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, afflicted by a deformity he was born with, leaving him in constant pain. Henry VIII has ordered the dissolution of the monastaries, intending to profit greatly from them. This has created a febrile atmosphere of religious unrest with Catholics being hunted down and plentiful executions. It is 1537, a tired and unhappy Shardlake has been summoned by the much feared Lord Thomas Cromwell, a man who had ill advisedly allied himself with the now beheaded Anne Boleyn, leaving him with much to prove.


One of Cromwell's agents has been murdered, beheaded no less, whilst investigating St. Donatus monastary at Scarnsea. The beheading is sending a personal message to Cromwell as he insists that Shardlake goes there and find out what is going on. Shardlake and his assistant, Mark Poer, travel to the monastry, finding the monks unsurprisingly scarcely repenting of their faith, as they are politically demanded to do despite the terrible repercussions if they do not. Shardlake has little sympathy with the Catholic faith, being a strong supporter of the reformation. With more murder and a host of suspects, Shardlake has his work cut out to get close to the truth.


Sansom does a terrific job in evoking the turmoil and atmosphere of this historical period. Shardlake makes for a compelling central character that carries this great series with aplomb. I found this just as good a read as the first time round, entertaining and informative. Many thanks to Panmacmillan for an ARC.

Have recommended this book so many times over the years as a bookseller. One of the best historical crime series ever written oozing period detail, and constructed around a compelling and intriguing mystery. Loved this and Dark Fire and Sovereign and Heartstone and Lamentation......