Dissolution
Crime & Thrillers, Fiction, Fiction & Poetry, Crime General
Paperback Published on: 09/05/2024
£10.99
Bookseller Reviews
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Bring on Book 2!
Such a richly woven tale of murder and mystery set in the unlikely setting of a Tudor monastery. I was hooked from page one and literally couldn't have gue... READ MORE
Time travel in a book!
Oh, why oh why did I wait so long to start this series? As a Tudor obsessive, there is really no excuse for me. I LOVED it. Shardlake is an excellent chara... READ MORE
Worth the hype!
So glad I finally gave in and read this oft-recommended book. I'm obsessed with the Tudor period so I really don't know why I hadn't read it sooner! An eng... READ MORE
Enjoyable
Coming rather late to the party on this one, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and it mostly lives up to its hype! Ever a popular book with our c... READ MORE
Synopsis
Dissolution is the first novel in C. J. Sansom’s phenomenal bestselling Shardlake series, perfect for fans of Hilary Mantel and Phillipa Gregory. After one of Cromwell's commissioners is brutally murdered, Matthew Shardlake is drawn into an investigation that becomes darker than he could have ever imagined . . .
England, 1537. It is 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 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 Shardlake's investigation soon forces him to question everything that he hears, and everything that he intrinsically believes.
- Publisher: Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781035012282
- Number of pages: 480
- Weight: 326g
- Dimensions: 197 x 130 x 30 mm
Customer Reviews
View allGreat Historical Whodunit
This is Tudor whodunit, set in the reign of Henry VIII. Shardlake is a commissionaire for Lord Cromwell and is asked to go to a monastery to investigate th... READ MORE
Dissolution
This book had me gripped from the first page. I couldn't put it down. You just don't want it to end. Grab a glass of wine, light the candles and go back to... READ MORE
Really good book
This is definitely a 'curl up in front of the fire' on a dull afternoon book. Its the first Matthew Shardlake story I've read and I'll definitely be readin... READ MORE
Dissolution
Great Character Descriptions. Slow page turner full of historical fact merged with fiction at the same time a great Who done It!.
Superb
I absolutely loved this book! I never used to be a big fan of historical fiction until reading this. Unstoppable page turner with characters which are both... READ MORE
Atmospheric, great characters and a complex plot. A Great read!
This is the first book in the famous Shardlake series, and a worthy beginning to a set of books that have disturbed and created interest in this period. Th... READ MORE
Dissolution
Fantastic read. Great whodunnit. Two flaws to my mind,, minor onesA Catholic priest would never casually discuss what someone told him in confession. Secon... READ MORE
A great historical whodunnit...
DISSOLUTION is the first of the Shardelake series, set in Tudor England. With the political and religious climate coming to a head, one of the king's repre... READ MORE
Dissolution
At first I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this book as it is not my usual genre, however within the first 3 chapters I was hooked. I loved the mix ... READ MORE
Dissolution
Finally got around to getting the first three of the Shardlake series after reading the fourth one a while ago and I was not disappointed. As the first in ... READ MORE
A thrilling Tudor detective tale
Having not been overly impressed by Winter in Madrid, I was a little bit worried about picking up another book by the same author, but this one was a barga... READ MORE
Dissolution
An Unusual Hero
Mr Sansom has a wonderful feel for the era and doesn't shirk from showing his readers the darker and less salubrious side of Tudor life and its complicated... READ MORE
Dissolution
Outstanding!
Dissolution
If you enjoy a good historical mystery, then you'll love this one. CJ Sansom manages to capture the dark mood of the period perfectly, interweaving siniste... READ MORE
Thoroughly Addictive!
I don't tend to read books of this genre, but this book has made me want to read more! I have been absolutely addicted to this book and could not literally... READ MORE
A Medieval Whodunit
I thought that the common wisdom was that Henery VIII had done England a big favour by dissolution from Rome, the destruction of the monasteries and the es... READ MORE
Wonderful !
C J Sansom has the gift of not only bringing the past to life but can tell a brilliant crime novel at the same time !
Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer based a... READ MORE
Absolutely brilliant!
The starting book of the fantastic Shardlake series...I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this book as Tudor history was never my 'thing', so I was pleasantly surprise... READ MORE
Brilliant - Couldn't put this book down
A brilliant medieval who dunnit. I had a few late nights as I couldn't put this book down. A real page turner where the narrative grips your attention and ... READ MORE
BRILLIANT
Dissolution by C J Sansom is the literary equivalent to heroine. I am thoroughly addicted to this wonderful series of books that are compulsive reading. Th... READ MORE
Dissolution
It has been a long time since I have been so interested in reading to the point were i could not put down the book. This has continued from Dissolution thr... READ MORE
Dissolution
I got hooked on the Shardlake series with this novel!
Absolutely fantastic!
When I was recommended Dissolution, I was, at first, a little skeptical. I had never read an historical book before, let alone an historical-crime book. Bu... READ MORE
Dissolution
I absolutely LOVED this book, and could not put it down! The way Sansom brought to life the way of Cromwell and the Reformation... As a lover of this perio... READ MORE
Dissolution
I bought this book as an after thought when looking to get my 3 for 2 purchase.
This is a very well written novel. It is filled with historical information... READ MORE
Dissolution by C.J. Samson
Well written historical thriller at the time of Henry Vlll’s dissolution of the monasteries by Cromwell. Has you guessing right up to the end. Loved it.
Couldn't put it down!!
Dissolution is my first foray into the writing of C. J. Sansom and I wasn't disappointed!
I found it an easy read but filled with great scene setting desc... READ MORE
A great introduction
I was introduced to this series of books by my very good friend from Manchester. She said it would be best to start with Dissolution. I was hooked from the... READ MORE
Good book, but finale is predictable
CJ Sansom is a brilliant writer and this is a good book; it’s definitely worth a read. However, it became pretty obvious who the murderer was at around 100... READ MORE
Dissolution
Super
The perfect historical crime novel
C. J. Sansom's Shardlake series is the stuff of literary legend. Set during the reign of Henry VIII, the peak of Tudor tyranny, protagonist Matthew Shardla... READ MORE
The perfect historical crime novel
C. J. Sansom's Shardlake series is the stuff of literary legend. Set during the reign of Henry VIII, the peak of Tudor tyranny, protagonist Matthew Shardla... READ MORE
Definite page turner!!
As someone who is new to the historical fiction genre, this book was an excellent choice to start with!. I didn't know what to expect from this book but it... READ MORE
Intriguing
This is first of the Shardlake books written by the late CJ Sansom and what a book. The historical book is set in the time of Henry VIII after the death of... READ MORE