Composite paintings of Henry VII and a scene in England during his rule, the central figure in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

The late C. J. Sansom wrote a series of seven outstanding mysteries set in Tudor England before his untimely death in 2024. His protagonist, a resourceful lawyer named Matthew Shardlake, has the misfortune of gaining the attention of the most powerful lords in the land, including King Henry VIII and his chief advisor, Thomas Cromwell. Against his better judgment, and sometimes against his will, they press him into investigating some of the most consequential cases of the era.

Sixteenth century London comes to life in Sansom’s writing. Its sights, sounds, and smells grab hold of the senses. And the cases he investigates, cast light on the politics and intense religious conflicts of the era. But these books are novels of suspense, mysteries that invariably involve murder and endanger Matthew’s life and those of his assistants.

The Shardlake novels span the years from 1536 to Henry’s death in January 1547. They open with the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, and draw to a close in 1549, two years after Henry’s death, when his young son, Edward VI, sits on the throne of England. Those events transpire in the seventh novel, which I haven’t yet read. I’ll do so soon, though, and will update this post once I do.

1. Dissolution (2003) 416 pages ★★★★★ (In 1537, a lawyer investigates a murder at a monastery)

Cover image of "Dissolution," the first book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

Not long after the execution of Anne Boleyn on trumped-up charges, King Henry VIII moved quickly to shut down or “dissolve” the monasteries, claiming their immense wealth as his own. But at one monastery a royal commissioner sent to close it is brutally murdered, and Henry’s chief advisor Thomas Cromwell dispatches fellow religious reformer Matthew Shardlake to investigate the crime. Matthew quickly discovers evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason among the monks. Then in quick succession two more murders turn up.

2. Dark Fire (2003) 528 pages ★★★★★ (King Henry VIII’s search for an ancient superweapon)

Cover image of "Dark Fire," the second book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

Three years after the events in Dissolution, Cromwell commands Matthew to wrap up a difficult case within two weeks and turn to a new challenge. He must recover a lost cache of “Dark Fire” for the royal armory. It’s allegedly a supply of the legendary Greek Fire, the superweapon of its time. Matthew and his assistant, a former soldier in Cromwell’s employ named Jack Barak, soon find themselves in the sights of mysterious and deadly enemies bent on keeping the weapon for themselves.

3. Sovereign (2000) 583 pages ★★★★★ (A lawyer for the Crown in the time of Henry VIII)

Cover image of "Sovereign," the third book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

In Sovereign, the third book in the series, Matthew and Jack Barak, rush to York at Cromwell’s behest. Their assignment: transport a dangerous prisoner south to the Tower in London. There, he will undoubtedly be tortured to learn the identity of his coconspirators in a rising against the Crown that has rocked the North. The King will shortly arrive with a vast host on their progress to help pacify the region, and that will present Matthew with a challenge in itself. Yet events that transpire in the city directly threaten his and Jack’s life as they investigate a murder that seems unsolvable.

4. Revelation (2008) 564 pages ★★★★★ (Religious fanatics and other madmen in Tudor times)

Cover image of "Revelation," the fourth book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

The fever dream that is the Bible’s Book of Revelation has captured the imagination of religious fanatics—and one of them has turned serial killer. Matthew and Jack soon find themselves engaged in a desperate hunt for the lunatic, having been pressed into service in the case because the killer threatens Catherine Parr, whom King Henry has resolved to marry as his sixth wife. Meanwhile, a nettlesome case Matthew had taken on as a lawyer complicates his life and his pursuit of the murderer.

Cover image of "Heartstone," the fifth book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

It’s 1545, the 36th year in the reign of Henry VIII, less than two years before his death. As a massive French fleet gathers across the Channel, threatening to invade England, Queen Catherine Parr draws Matthew into service on behalf of a former maidservant. Her son has committed suicide after lodging a formal complaint that two children he had tutored had suffered a terrible wrong. As Matthew strives to untangle the complex circumstances in this case, he is continuously distracted by an earlier case. He had worked then on behalf of a woman confined to the Bedlam lunatic asylum. Though no lunatic, she refuses to leave.

6. Lamentation (2015) 664 pages ★★★★★ (Religious conflicts threaten the stability of Henry VIII’s reign)

Cover image of "Lamentation," the sixth book in this book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

Once again Queen Catherine has called on Matthew to undertake a sensitive assignment. She is a religious reformer, her beliefs at odds with the King’s, who has been growing steadily more traditional. The court is split, as is the country at large, and tensions are high. Hotheads on both sides of the sectarian split are inflaming their followers’ passions. In this explosive environment, someone has stolen a confessional book the Queen wrote, and if Henry learns about it her life may be in jeopardy because she had hidden it from him. As Matthew and his small team of assistants pursue the investigation, first one, then another of the possible thieves are murdered—and Matthew learns that the case is closely tied up with powerful lords on the King’s Privy Council.

7. Tombland ()

Cover image of "Tombland," the seventh and last book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England

About the author

Photo of C. J. Sansom, author of these book in this series of mysteries set in Tudor England
C. J. Sansom. Image: Andrew Hasson – New York Times

C. J. Sansom died of cancer in April 2024 at the age of 71, cutting off his work on this monumental series. Had he lived longer, it seems highly likely he would have continued the narrative into the Elizabethan era, which began 11 years after the passing of Henry VIII. Sansom was born in Edinburgh in 1952 and educated at the University of Birmingham, which granted him a BA and then a PhD in history. He later trained as a solicitor and practiced law for many years before turning to writing full-time. In addition to the seven Matthew Shardlake novels, he wrote two other works of historical fiction. One was set during the Spanish Civil War. The other was an alternate history of Britain, which won him the coveted Sidewise Award.

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