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. His investigations will put him in danger and force him to rethink everything that he believes.Įach 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. It’s the depths of winter and Shardlake has truly been presented with a poisoned chalice. 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. 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. The wise know that there can only be one outcome and that is dissolution. A team of commissioners under Thomas Cromwell was moving around the country investigating the monasteries. 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. In 1537 England was undergoing more changes than at any time since 1066.

Summary: The first in the acclaimed Matthew Shardlake series and one not to be missed.

Dissolution cj sansom summary