Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake) by C J Sansom - Revision history

Alex at 13:09, 17 December 2021

2021-12-17T13:09:28Z

Sue at 16:21, 18 February 2018

2018-02-18T16:21:21Z

Sue at 15:42, 9 November 2014

2014-11-09T15:42:14Z

Sue at 16:18, 8 January 2011

2011-01-08T16:18:36Z

Sue at 16:17, 8 January 2011

2011-01-08T16:17:03Z

Sue at 16:16, 8 January 2011

2011-01-08T16:16:38Z

Sue: Created page with '{{infobox |title=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake) |sort=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake) |author=C J Sansom |reviewer=Sue Magee |genre=Crime (Historical) |summary=The first in the …'

2011-01-08T16:10:21Z

Created page with '{{infobox |title=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake) |sort=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake) |author=C J Sansom |reviewer=Sue Magee |genre=Crime (Historical) |summary=The first in the …'

New review

{{infobox
|title=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake)
|sort=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake)
|author=C J Sansom
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Crime (Historical)
|summary=The first in the acclaimed Matthew Shardlake series and one not to be missed. Highly recommended.
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=0330450794
|hardback=
|audiobook=0230529119
|ebook=B003O86FM2
|pages=300
|publisher=Pan Books
|date=May 2007
|isbn=978-0330450799
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330450794</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>B003O86FM2</amazonus>
}}

In 1537 England was undergoing more changes than at any time since 1066. The king – Henry VIII – proclaimed himself Supreme Head of the Church and the country was suffering from savage new laws, trials were rigged and an extensive network of informers meat that people didn’t know where it was safe to speak. A team of commissioners under Thomas Cromwell was moving around the country investigating the monasteries. The wise know that there can only be one outcome and that is dissolution. On the Sussex coast at the monastery of Scarnsea Cromwell’s commissioner, Robin Singleton, was murdered – his head severed from his body – and if this was not enough there were other sinister acts of sacrilege.

Matthew Shardlake supported Reform – the principles appealed to his lawyerly mind – and he was sent by Cromwell to investigate Singleton’s death and to replace him as a commissioner. It’s the depths of winter and Shardlake has truly been presented with a poisoned chalice. His investigations will put him in danger and force him to rethink everything that he believes.

Each of the Matthew Shardlake novels reads well as a stand-alone but because there is an ongoing story in the series your enjoyment of these books can be reduced if you read them out of chronological order. You will know that someone plays a prominent part in a future story and thus cannot really be a serious suspect in the current investigation – or you’ll realise from the fact that someone doesn’t appear in other novels that they’re not going to see this story out. They’re small spoilers, but these books are brilliant and it’s a great pity to reduce your enjoyment of them.

And the books are brilliant – certainly the best historical crime which I’ve read. This book is the first in the series and lays the ground for all the future novels, but there’s no obvious exposition and Sansom uses his extensive knowledge with a lightness of touch which is impressive. There’s all he background there, but no sense that every little bit of research has been shoe-horned in – in fact you sense quite the reverse. The plot too is excellent – I really didn’t see the ending coming and had someone else chalked in as the murderer. There’s not a superfluous word in the book and it’s one which you really shouldn’t miss.

If this book appeals then you’ll almost certainly enjoy [[The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir]].

{{amazontext|amazon=0330450794}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=5614863}}

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 And the books are brilliant – certainly the best historical crime which I’ve read.  This book is the first in the series and lays the ground for all the future novels, but there’s no obvious exposition and Sansom uses his extensive knowledge with a lightness of touch which is impressive.  There’s all he background there, but no sense that every little bit of research has been shoe-horned in – in fact you sense quite the reverse.  The plot too is excellent – I really didn’t see the ending coming and had someone else chalked in as the murderer. There’s not a superfluous word in the book and it’s one which you really shouldn’t miss.
-If this book appeals then you’ll almost certainly enjoy [[The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir]].
+If this book appeals then you’ll almost certainly enjoy [[The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir]]. You might also enjoy [[Madness Between Light and Dark by Kathlaine C Gill and D Clark Gill]].
 [[C J Sansom's Matthew Shardlake Novels in Chronological Order]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake)
 |author=C J Sansom
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date=May 2007
 |isbn=978-0330450799
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330450794</amazonuk>
+|cover=Sansom_Dissolution
-|amazonus=<amazonus>B003O86FM2</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0330450794
 }}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{infobox
 |title=Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake)
 |author=C J Sansom
 |reviewer=Sue Magee
@@ Line 9: / Line 8: @@
 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=300
 |publisher=Pan Books
@@ Line 33: / Line 28: @@
 [[C J Sansom's Matthew Shardlake Novels in Chronological Order]]
-{{amazontext|amazon=0330450794}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=5614863}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0330450794}}
 {{commenthead}}