The shardlake series collection C. J. Sansom 6 books set ( Dissolution , Dark Fire , Sovereign , Revelation , Heartstone , Lamentation)

Product Information

He [Thomas Cromwell] was holding up a casket [small box] and studying the contents with a contemptuous frown, his wide, narrow-lipped mouth down-turned above his lantern chin. His jaw held thus made me think of a great trap that at any moment might open and swallow one whole with a casual gulp.” Writing Shardlake has been nothing short of a joy,” commented screenwriter Stephen Butchard. “C.J. Sansom’s novels are incredibly rich in story, character and history; full of intrigue, excitement, cruelty and compassion – and at the centre of it all is Matthew Shardlake, a hero like no other. Thus, his investigation is no easy affair. He is met with disgust, scorn and damn right revulsion at every turn. But, he overcomes it. He is used to it, and has risen far above it. He gets on with his job and sets out to find what caused the death of a supposedly innocent man. Shardlake is clever, compassionate and determined. He has the nose of a bloodhound. He analyses the facts in a pragmatic way; he doesn’t jump to conclusion and only delivers a realistic approach to the crime. He questions everything, which left me in a continuous state of suspense until he found his answers.

My master Singleton is foully murdered in the heart of the monastery, in a most terrible manner. He was found this morning in the kitchen, in a lake of blood, his head cut clean off. Some great enemy of Your Lordship must have done this, but all here deny it. The church has been desecrated and the Great Relic of the Penitent Thief with its bloody nails is vanished away. Ramachandran, Naman (31 March 2023). "Disney+ Sets Series Adaptation of C.J. Sansom's 'Shardlake' Murder Mystery Novels". Variety . Retrieved 24 May 2023. As colonization and the slave trade dominate world affairs, a group of English merchants, desperate to find new trading opportunities, sets up a Company of Merchant Adventurers to seek a north-east passage to the Far East. The destination of the projected voyage is kept strictly secret lest Spanish spies should learn of it. After the secretary of the Company suddenly dies, Shardlake is recruited to the post as a competent man who can be trusted to keep matters secret. Working as a lawyer for some time, he operated a legal practice from Surrey in the UK whereby he would help those less fortunate and at a disadvantage economically. This was after working a succession of jobs following university as he trained up to be a solicitor. With this inside look into the legal world, he managed to gain an insight he wouldn’t otherwise have had that was to help his work greatly later on. Holding strong political views as well, he’s donated to various causes over the years too, and has managed to build himself a strong body of work which shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Writing Career

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

The Shardlake series is a series of historical mystery novels by C. J. Sansom, set in 16th century Tudor England. The series features barrister Matthew Shardlake, who, while navigating the religious reforms of Henry VIII, solves crime and tries to avoid getting caught up in political intrigue. Dissolution was adapted in 10 episodes for BBC Radio 4 in September 2012, and Revelation in March 2017. Briefly, the Pope wasn’t happy about Henry VIII’s annul/remarry plans, so Henry started his own church, the Church of England with himself as the head. Today’s C of E is also known as the Anglican Church, and Queen Elizabeth II is the Supreme Governor. I know he was worried about starting a war with Spain and France, but wouldn’t this all have been easier and saved a lot of hanging, beheading, burnings etc. if only Catherine of Aragon had say had an accident in the bath or had a bit of loose stone masonry fall on her head? Not that I wish ill on Catherine. She seems to be the one purity in this whole sordid mess, but would thousands of lives been spared? El gallo negro (2003), de C. J. Sansom (1952-) es una novela de intriga histórica al estilo de El nombre de la Rosa, aunque ambientado dos siglos después, en la Inglaterra del reformista (entre muchas otras "habilidades") Enrique VIII. Una época especialmente interesante, llena de conspiraciones, persecuciones, luchas de poder, asesinatos y, por encima de todo eso, el grave conflicto entre católicos y protestantes, con un Cromwell convertido en el ángel exterminador de católicos y especialmente de los “depravados” monjes. Se trata de un El nombre de la Rosa despojado de la erudición de Eco, de sus explicaciones filosófico-religiosas (lo que puede ser un aliciente para algunos), pero también de la exquisita prosa y del mundo interior de los personajes del escritor italiano.

He is described as an intelligent and energetic guy who speaks very little. He is simple and a man of rules. He is a firm believer of social reforms and that is why he becomes the chosen aide for these secret missions. Though after his first mission he decided to take up simple cases where in the innocent is exempted from the clutches of law, He is again pulled into a high profile assignment by the King Henry VII. In this book Shardlake has to face more dangers and death threats as this time the destination is not simple. He and Barak the assistant appointed by Cromwell himself find themselves with lot many hurdles before they end up unravelling the mystery. In this book the humanitarian and compassionate side of Shardlake can be understood as he tries to help a small girl accused of killing her cousin. He puts his heart and soul in helping her just because he feels sorry for her and she is too young to be punished hard. The BBC explored adapting the Shardlake novels for television in 2007 and even cast Sir Kenneth Branagh to play the detective. The project never made it to air, however, and Branagh eventually signed up to star in Wallander for the BBC.Duffy, Stella (6 November 2004). "A wherry across the Thames: A review of Dark Fire". The Guardian. UK. The four-part series is written by The Last Kingdom's Stephen Butchard and produced by The Forge and Runaway Fridge. As colonization and the slave trade dominate world affairs, a group of English merchants, desperate to find new trading opportunities, sets up a Company of Merchant Adventurers to seek a north-east passage to the Far East. The destination of the projected voyage is kept strictly secret lest Spanish spies should learn of it. After the secretary of the Company suddenly dies, Shardlake is recruited to the post as a competent man who can be trusted to keep matters secret. The six first books are set during the reign of Henry VIII, while the seventh, Tombland, takes place two years after the king's demise. Sansom has said that he plans to write further Shardlake novels taking the lawyer into the reign of Elizabeth I. [1] Description [ edit ] Quizá esté siendo demasiado crítico, porque espera más de esta novela. La verdad es que no me ha deslumbrado. En realidad, lo que intento decir es que El gallo negro tiene una calidad suficiente tanto en argumento, personajes, ambientación histórica y prosa para pasar un buen rato, pero no tiene la fuerza necesaria para sobresalir entre otras obras del género.

Shardlake is based on thefirst novel in Sansom's series, "Dissolution", which is set during thedissolution of the monasteries. Teasing the plot, the makers say: "Shardlake's sheltered life as a lawyer is turned upside down when Cromwell instructs him to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery in the remote town of Scarnsea.The BBC have commissioned an adaptation of Dissolution with the actor Kenneth Branagh set to star as Shardlake. The rest of the Shardlake books are expected to follow. C. J. Sansom has been consulted on the series, which is in the final stages of negotiation.[citation needed]. Matthew Shardlake – main character and narrator of the series, a barrister of Lincoln's Inn and later Serjeant-at-law. Initially an adherent to the new Anglican faith, and ever a religious thinker, he was once refused as a candidate for the priesthood due to his infirmity. Following these two chart toppers C.J Sansom came up with his successive stories in the Matthew Shardlake series namely Sovereign, Revelation, and Hearthstone etc. The latest release this year is Lamentation that has been released by Mantle publication house London. C.J Sansom who is a lawyer himself is able to put himself in the place of Shardlake and narrate the stories with the tone that makes even a non-reader get involved in his books. The simple language, the style and the ability to explain the historical details clearly as a picture in front of their eyes are the prominent features of the Shardlake series. Seeing the success of the Shardlake series, the author has promised his readers to take Shardlake to the reign of Elizabeth I.The Matthew Shardlake (Series by C.J. Sansom) have been adapted in both Radio and television. The BBC decided to adapt the Dissolution in 2007 with Kenneth Branagh set to star as Shardlake. But This did not materialize and in 2012 the loyalists of Shardlake got their share of joy with BBC Radio 4 adapted Dissolution into a 10 part radio serial adapted by renowned Colin MacDonald and his team. Shardlake with his rather comely (male) assistant in tow arrives at the monastery to discover that there are more problems than just one murdered man. Needless to say everyone is on edge knowing that the King’s representative needs very little cause to close the monastery and confiscate their lands. Shardlake finds a nest of barely repentant monks still clinging to their idols and traditions. It is too much to expect that people can just flip a switch and do away with beliefs that have sustained them their whole lives. The townsfolk are desperately poor and starving (and cold!) while the brothers eat well. These are real people, not just theatre props, and I loved it all.

A wherry across the Thames A review of Dark Fire, by Stella Duffy, in The Guardian, 6 November 2004 Tombland, the seventh novel in the series, finds Shardlake in 1549, working for the 15-year-old Lady Elizabeth, two years after her father Henry VIII’s death. Elizabeth sends Shardlake to Norwich to investigate a murder case involving a distant relative, John Boleyn, and his estranged wife, who had disappeared and been declared dead years before unexpectedly returning to be killed for real. Sansom captured this era, mood, and volatility perfectly and from the narrative you could get a real sense of how fragile the position was if anyone raised their head too far above the parapet, but there was always an undercurrent of revolt and unrest as Monasteries were torn down and people were forced to defend a different faith. Mechler, Anita (10 February 2022). "CJ Sansom Wins Diamond Dagger Award". Library Journal . Retrieved 19 January 2023.This is a murder mystery set in the political upheaval of Tudor England. The churches are undergoing dissolution, hence the title of the book. This, to me, sounded utterly fantastic. I mean, at last, a crime book that I want to read. I have a real interest in the Tudor period of history. It was a reign that changed the face of England. I mean, imagine how different the country would be today if King Henry VIII never broke with Rome, and with the Pope. Arguments between branches of Christianity may never have become so heated. King Charles I may never have been executed for his Catholic sympathies, amongst other things. The Dissolution with the Catholic Church changed the face of England forever along with its sequential history.