Series · historical mystery
Matthew Shardlake
The Matthew Shardlake series by C. J. Sansom has 7 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Dissolution (2003).
- Books
- 7 books
- First published
- 2003
- Status
- completed
- Last checked
Start here: Dissolution (2003) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Dissolution
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dissolution - Book 2:
Dark Fire
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dark Fire - Book 3:
Sovereign
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Sovereign - Book 4:
Revelation
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Revelation - Book 5:
Heartstone
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Heartstone - Book 6:
Lamentation
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lamentation - Book 7:
Tombland
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Tombland
About the Matthew Shardlake series
C. J. Sansom's Shardlake novels follow Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer in the reign of Henry VIII, who investigates murder and conspiracy against the backdrop of Tudor England's most dangerous decades. Dissolution opens in 1537 with Shardlake sent to investigate a killing at a monastery on the eve of Henry's dissolution of the monasteries, and the series follows him across the following decade through the fall of Thomas Cromwell, the king's later marriages, the Boulogne campaign, and finally, in Tombland, Kett's Rebellion in the reign of the boy-king Edward VI.
The appeal is Sansom's exacting historical research (he holds a PhD in history) paired with proper whodunit plotting: Shardlake is an outsider by physical disability in a society openly hostile to it, which gives him a sharp, sympathetic vantage point on Tudor law, religion, and politics, while real historical figures — Cromwell, Cranmer, Catherine Parr — move through the story around him. These are dense, serious novels (several run past 600 pages) that use detective plots to dramatize a genuinely turbulent, dangerous period of English history, rather than costume-drama window dressing.
Complete at seven novels, it's a natural next stop for readers of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy who want the same era rendered as historical crime fiction rather than literary fiction — meticulous, morally serious, and unafraid of Tudor England's genuine brutality.
How to read this series
Read the seven novels in publication order, starting with Dissolution (2003) — the series follows Shardlake's career and Tudor history in a single forward-moving timeline from 1537 to 1549, so publication order is also chronological order throughout. There are no companion novellas or optional side reads.
Several years often pass between books within the story (matching the years between publication), so each novel largely stands as its own case while carrying forward Shardlake's relationships and the wider political situation. The books are long and dense with period detail; readers new to the era may want some general familiarity with Henry VIII's reign before starting, though it isn't required.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Shardlake series?
Seven novels: Dissolution (2003), Dark Fire (2004), Sovereign (2006), Revelation (2008), Heartstone (2010), Lamentation (2014), and Tombland (2018).
What order should I read Shardlake in?
Publication order, starting with Dissolution. The series follows Matthew Shardlake's career in a single continuous timeline, so publication order and in-story order are the same.
Is the Shardlake series finished?
Functionally, yes. C. J. Sansom had spoken of wanting to carry Shardlake into the reign of Elizabeth I, but he died in April 2024 without writing further novels, leaving Tombland (2018) as the series' last book.
Do I need to know Tudor history to follow Shardlake?
No prior knowledge is required -- Sansom explains the political and religious backdrop as the story goes -- but the novels assume you'll pick up period detail as you read rather than offering a simplified version of Henry VIII's reign.
Is there a Shardlake TV or film adaptation?
Yes -- Disney+ produced a Shardlake television series (2024) adapting Dissolution, with further books possible depending on its reception; it isn't required viewing to follow the novels.
Reading order last verified .