Dissolution: A Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery

C. J. Sansom

Apr 2004 · A Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

The first novel in the Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery series—the inspiration for the Hulu original series Shardlake!

Dissolution is an utterly riveting portrayal of Tudor England. The year is 1537, and the country is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is brutally murdered in a monastery on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s feared vicar general, summons fellow reformer Matthew Shardlake to lead the inquiry. Shardlake and his young protégé uncover evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason, and when two other murders are revealed, they must move quickly to prevent the killer from striking again.

A “remarkable debut” (P. D. James), Dissolution introduces a thrilling historical series that is not to be missed by fans of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.

Awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger – the highest honor in British crime writing

Ratings and reviews

C.J. Sansom's Book 'Dominion' Is One Of My All Time Favorite Novels, So Going Into This Book I Has Very High Expectations. I Can Say I Was Not Let Down. This Novel Is Old Fashioned With Some Lovable Cliches. No Matter Your Tastes, Everyone Should Atleast Give It A Shot. I Really Liked It.

Very well written, author portrays the period very well, you feel in it, and hear / smell / see the places as they truly were during that period. Plot has unexpected twists, unpredictable (in the most positive sense), you feel the characters, very enjoyable read. You actually learn facts and info about the period too. Great read!

After a moderately slow start, this novel pulled me in. The characters are beautifully developed, tho only the main character discerned the truth about the murders. The imagery of the Tudor life and times was very vivid. It truly raced along, making it difficult to put down!

About the author

C. J. Sansom, the internationally bestselling author of the novels Winter in Madrid and Dominion and the Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery series, earned a Ph.D. in history and was a lawyer before becoming a full-time writer.