Dissolution: A Shardlake Novel

By C. J. Sansom

The 1st instalment in the wildly popular Matthew Shardlake mystery series, now available from Vintage Canada.
 
It is 1537, a time of revolution that sees the greatest changes in England since 1066. Henry VIII has proclaimed himself Supreme Head of the Church. The country is waking up to savage new laws, rigged trials and the greatest network of informers it has ever seen. And under the orders of Thomas Cromwell, a team of commissioners is sent throughout the country to investigate the monasteries. There can only be one outcome: dissolution. But on the Sussex coast, at the monastery of Scarnsea, events have spiralled out of control. Cromwell's commissioner, Robin Singleton, has been found dead, his head severed from his body. His horrific murder is accompanied by equally sinister acts of sacrilege. Matthew Shardlake, lawyer and long-time supporter of Reform, has been sent by Cromwell to uncover the truth behind the dark happenings at Scarnsea. But investigation soon forces Shardlake to question everything that he hears, and everything that he intrinsically believes...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9780307362377

C. J. Sansom

C. J. Sansom was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. Sansom is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Shardlake series, the Spanish Civil War thriller Winter in Madrid and the number one bestseller Dominion. in 2023, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He lives in Sussex.

Reviews for Dissolution

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a gripping murder mystery which I really enjoyed. I only worked out, for certain, who the murderer was near the end of the book which always makes for a better read. An added bonus was the setting of the book - a Scarnsea monastery in Tudor England a year after Anne Boleyn was executed, and Thomas Cromwell was dissolving monasteries in an attempt to destroy all things papal. For me, this just made the book even better, as it proved to be a great historical novel as well, providing a wonderful insight into the life and times of this turbulent period in history. Looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

[jonfaith · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

How men fear the chaos of the world, I thought, and the yawning eternity hereafter. So we build patterns to explain its terrible mysteries and reassure ourselves we are safe in this world and beyond.

There was a germ of something remarkable in this genre novel. Double cursed with the blights of "historical" and "detective" baggage, Dissolution betrays yet another misfortune as it flies headlong into the pillars of its territory: The Name of the Rose meets Man For All Seasons as remixed by DJ Spooky and Iain Sinclair. Despite almost audible machinations of the plot, there is a palpable process of character development. I was initially put off by protagonist Shardake but eventually felt his construction needed both his deformity and the arrogance of station as Commissioner, how else would he come to terms with the Terror from the Throne? There is a sober meditation on alienation within these pages. Are there surges of anachorism? Tempering those escapes remains a challeneg but for the most alterof wardens. Sansom does allow a iew of the English Reformation in the making. The destruction of the monasteries strikes the modern reader as being eternally cynical but what isn't in the sidelong view of Progress?

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A mystery set in 1537 in a monastery threatened with dissolution, but which has been undergoing it's internal dissolution and concerning the commissioner sent to investigate the murder of his predecessor, who finds contribute to the dissolution of his own self-deceptions. A mostly well told, competent mystery, it does drag a bit in the middle.

[jody12-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Historical whodunits are a popular genre and Sansom’s Shardlake series is no exception. The monastery setting with its quirky population of monks and villagers (and the essential dead body) all set during the time of Cromwell and Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries satisfied the mystery lovers in our group. Along with the obvious points … history, power and wealth, the formula writing for mystery novels was discussed and we felt this one followed it to the letter, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Many readers prefer the familiar and respond well to this method. But some of us found the plot a little weak and plodding, with a melting pot of issues and characters that were a little underwhelming. Those of us who love a good whodunit enjoyed the well described setting and historical background and felt the combination of characters was authentic and plausible. Shardlake himself was found likable enough, with just the right amount of clever uniqueness required of heroes nowadays. And although there is nothing exceptional regarding this tale, it does the job of so many whodunits … entertain with just the right amount of intrigue and mind stretching.

[alexezell · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was excited about starting this series because the historical period and setting is very interesting to me. That part of the book was great. The mystery plot was pretty weak. I never figure these things out and I had it solved half way through. For the great lawyer and investigator he's supposed to be, Shardlake doesn't come off as very smart or interesting. I might check out the next book but I'm not going to jump right into it.

[msaucier818 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to love this book, but I never fully warmed up to it. This is the first in a series that follows Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer/investigator for Cromwell during the reign of Henry VIII. What I liked about this book was the writing style, and the way Sansom weaved the history of Tudor England into the novel. What I didn't like was any of the characters, and how the story seemed to really drag on far longer than necessary.

I will give the series another shot and will pick up the second book at some point. It seems to be a favorite of people I follow on this site, so hopefully the series picks up for me.

[eadieb-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dissolution takes place in Tudor England in 1537 during the reign of Henry VIII. Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer who has been commissioned by Thomas Cromwell to look in to a murder at the monastery of Scarnsea on the Sussex coast. The monasteries have been ordered to be dissolved as King Henry as announced himself to be the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Shardlake soon finds more murders, sexual misconduct, embezzlement and treason and leaves Shardlake questioning everything he hears and believes. I enjoyed this book very much and found C.J. Sansom to be an excellent writer. I enjoyed the glimpse of Tudor England from a different point of view. Sansom's historical facts and revelations make for an easy read and one that is very fascinating. His descriptions give a very real atmosphere and the reader actually can share in the sights, voices and the smells of the turbulent times right after the execution of Anne Boleyn. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and I highly recommend this book to those who love historical mysteries.

[ariadnearanea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Historical fiction is my guilty pleasure - this one does not disappoint.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Okay, I'm hooked. I started reading this book on Thursday and finished it on Sunday night Every minute I wasn't doing something else (and some of them when I was like when I was making strawberry jam) I was reading this book. I've always been fascinated by the Tudor period in English history but most of what I have read has been centred on the royal family. This book showed the underpinnings of the Reformation that made sure the royal edicts were carried out. The nitty gritty of everyday life is shown from the clothing to the weather to sexual habits and even to the bathroom accomodations (something I've always wondered about). I didn't always like Shardlake or even admire him but partly that's because Sansom made him realistic with failing and foibles that all of us have. I suspect that I will like Shardlake more now that he has started to question Cromwell and the reformist movement. I'm sorry that some of the characters from the monastery won't be in future books as I thought they were most interesting (or maybe they will pop up in the future?) I had an inkling about the ending but that just made me want to read faster. I'm looking forward to the other two books I have on Mt. TBR. There no greater satisfaction than finishing a good book and realizing there are more to come.

[clue_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[Dissolution] by [C. J. Sansom] is a mystery set in 1537, a year after the death of Anne Boleyn. Under the orders of Thomas Cromwell a team of commissioners is investigating monasteries and preparing for their dissolution. Mathew Shardlake, a lawyer and Reformist, is sent to the monastery at Scarsea to investigate the murder of one of those commissioners. What he learns and all that he must question leads him down dangerous paths and ends in surprising discoveries not just within the monastery but also of his own beliefs. A fine historical mystery.

[bg853 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Dissolution we meet Matthew Shardlake a hunchbacked lawyer who is a Commissioner for Thomas Cromwell, during the reign of Henry the Eighth.The Dissolution referred to in the title is the disbanding of the formerly papist abbeys in the now Protestant England. Another commissioner who was sent to an abbey has been found beheaded and Cromwell wants to know what happened and wants to know quickly. Matthew Shardlake struggles with solving the crime while also struggling with his growing disillusion with Cromwell. An interesting blend of mystery and history! recommended.

[fluffyblue_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well written book about a Commissioner (Shardlake) in the time of King Henry VIII, working for Thomas Cromwell. The book is set at the time the King is dissolving monasteries and Shardlake is sent to investigate a monastery where a previous commissioner has been murdered.Interesting plot, which kept me turning the pages and wanting to read on.

[ffortsa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first Shardlake, and I listened compulsively to the audiobook, which was delightful. In fact, given the style of language, I probably enjoyed it better as an audiobook than I would have had I read it.And it didn't hurt that it covers some of the time of Thomas Cromwell's story, since I so enjoyed [Wolf Hall] and [Bring Up the Bodies]. Cromwell is not as nuanced here, of course, but he is also not a major character in the mystery. There's a touch of one of the Three Pines stories as well, since it takes place in a monastery.

[oataker-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is not just a murder mystery set among the terrrible Tudors but also deals with the theological issues of the times. Sanson gives his detective a reforming zeal and allows him to vigorously confront what he sees as Catholic superstition. The monks represent some of the worst of the previous system's abuses with brainless intoning of masses, sexual depravity and soft living. But the theology gets discussed and argued over quite satisfactorily with the Spanish attempt at reformation without Luther being quoted as an opportunity missed in England. Shardlake has a fairly convincing late-mediaeval cast of mind as he thinks about judgement quite a lot and is thoroughly class conscious, although probably rather squeamish by Tudor standards. I detect teh first signs of doubts in his mind by the end of the book and one reason I shall read the other books is to see whether Shardlake will end up as an atheist or a crypto-catholic by the final book in the series.

[theidlewoman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well-written, brisk-paced opening to the Matthew Shardlake series. Full of period detail and with an appealingly individual main character. It's also difficult to put down: I read it all in one day. Having said that, there are points where it begins to feel rather like The Name of the Rose. A great debut, though - perfect for long train journeys or flights.

[nautilus-11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Terrific murder mystery set in a monastery at the time of the dissolution during the reign of Henry VIII. The main protagonist is a supporter of Cromwell and goes through his own crisis of faith about the new regime.

[maggieflo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first in a series featuring Matthew Shardlake and the series takes place during the reign of Henry VIII after Anne Boleyn was executed. Shardlake is a lawyer working as a commissioner for Thomas Cromwell to oversee the dissolution of the abbey in Scarnsea. The dissolution is part of the Crown's plan to rid the country of corruption in the abbeys and direct the monies to the crown. Shardlake arrives with his assistant Mark Poer to investigate the murder of the previous commissioner. I am delighted to have discovered a historical fiction series of this caliber. The plot, the writing, the atmosphere, the characters and the outcome are very well done.The historical background is accurate and describes the continuing conflict between the King and the Catholic Church in England. I look forward to reading more in this series.

[gregory_gwen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this one. The main character actually learned a few things, which isn't always the case in a mystery. Looking forward to reading #2 in the series.

[justininlondon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

16th century, crime fiction, Thomas Cromwell, detective, England, fiction, Henry VIII, historical fiction, historical mystery, Matthew Shardlake, series, monasteries, monastery, monks, murder, mystery, fiction, Reformation, Tudor,

[ilurvebooks_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant characters this author can take you back to old England in an instant!

[debbiemccauley-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's 1537; England is divided between those loyal to the king and the reformers of the Church of England and those in the Catholic Church. A royal commissioner is murdered in a monastery and Cromwell calls in commissioner and hunchback Matthew Shardlake to investigate. Whilst there, two other murders are uncovered. Amongst a brotherhood of monks aware that their way of life is about to be shattered, Shardlake must solve the murders before he is the next victim. An interesting look at this era in history.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been meaning to read this for ages. It's been tempting me more ever since I started volunteering at the tiny local library, so finally I picked it up -- and I'm glad. I think I needed it, something of a palate cleanser, something a bit different. It really was absorbing: I read it in great big chunks, and didn't want to put it down. It's in the same sort of tradition as Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael, I suppose: a murder mystery set in a particular political period, somewhat shaped by that period. It doesn't matter that Cadfael and Matthew Shardlake have completely opposed occupations: there are plenty of other similarities, which I won't enumerate for fear of spoilers!I think the book inevitably calls up comparisons to Mantel's Wolf Hall (which I haven't yet read) and Eco's The Name of the Rose: to my mind, it holds its own reasonably well in the genre. I liked that the protagonist-narrator has a disability, and that he is capable of pity towards people not of his own beliefs. I was worried about how the gay priest would be treated -- obviously it would be a big anachronism for him to be out and proud, or for Shardlake to be completely understanding. But I think Sansom pulled that off without anachronism and without being insulting.All in all, it wasn't that surprising: something about the structure and pacing seem so obvious, thinking it over. I could practically predict to the second when someone else would die, when there'd be a revelation, etc. But I think it was, overall, pretty well handled, and well written. I guess the local library's borrowing stats are gonna be improved as I borrow this series...

[dorritt_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful historical mystery set in 1537 England, just as King Henry VIII and his enthusiastic minister Thomas Cromwell are beginning the work of dissolving the country's monasteries. Matthew Shardlake, the story's protagonist, begins the story as a stalwart supporter of religious reform, but by the end of the story he is beginning to question, if not the ends of the reform movement (to dispose of "papist fripperies and fraud"), then certainly the lengths to which his mentor, Cromwell, will go to force religious reform upon the country.And that's what places this novel a step above most other historical novels I've read. The novel doesn't just present history as a colorful backdrop, as so many others are content to do, but challenges readers to interact with history, encouraging them to question, think, and react. Sure, I enjoyed the plot of the tale, revolving around a serious of mysterious deaths at a desolate monastery targeted for closure. And I appreciated the narrative skills of the author, Sansom, who possesses the gift of creating authentically complex characters, and who knows how to manufacture atmosphere without regurgitating the thesaurus. But what I'll remember most about this tale, years from now, is how the book challenged me to address my own preconcieved notions about religious belief, monks, Henry VIII, and the politics of religious reformation.

[sovranty · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surprises at every turn. Just when you think you have the killer figure out, you find out you are wrong...or are you? Set in Tudor England, this historical fiction allows the reader a glimpse of the English Reformation. True character is in the eye of the beholder, and these characters afford a darker vision of Thomas Cromwell in his efforts to retain power and dissolve the power of the church.

[polarbear123_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I actually read Sovereign before this book. Both are set at a similar time, dealing with religious changes at the time of Henry VIII. Shardlake is an interesting detective as he is hinself an outsider in society. The History is good and the pace is good in both books. I did not work out the murderer in Sovereign however with Dissolution I had guessed the eventual culprit fairly early on. Not that ths dectracted from my overall enjoyment of the book. It was very entertaining indeed. Whenever I need to read an intresting, exciting crime thriller I will turn to C J Sansom. The historical aspect adds to the attraction for me. However there is nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary here. Lets see if I work out the killer in Dark Fire next time.

[marlissa_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the audible version of this one, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Well-drawn, complex characters, put-you-in-the-time historical detail (seamlessly delivered with no info-dumping), all packaged in a tight thriller. I'm on to the next book in the series now.

[fglass_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just finished this second in C. J. Sansom's Shardlake mysteries. This is even better than his first in this series, "Dark Fire." Sansom weaves historical fact into his stories beautifully, and you are drawn into Tudor England with great finesse. I'm starting "Sovereign" immediately - that's the third of the four Shardlake mysteries.

[cathymoore_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A really gripping murder mystery set during the Reformation. Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer sent to a rural monastery to discover who murdered the King's Commisioner who had been sent there to dissolve the monastery. I really enjoyed this. Shardlake is a brilliant character, just troubled and imperfect enough and I'm looking forward to finding out more about him in the next book in the series.

[christinelstanley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'd not read any C J Sansom before, and really enjoyed Dissolution. Sansom has created a believable if unusual hero in Matthew Shardlake, it has good pace and plot, with some suprises along the way. I am eager to read the next in the series dark Fire.

[ltfl_jmls · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this one. The main character actually learned a few things, which isn't always the case in a mystery. Looking forward to reading #2 in the series.