Books by C.J. Sansom
C.J. Sansom (1952-2024) was a British historical novelist, best known for his Shardlake series, set at the time of England’s break with Rome under Henry VIII. The first book in the series is the murder mystery Dissolution (2003). He also wrote two standalone novels: Dominion and Winter in Madrid, set directly after the Spanish Civil War.
“Dominion is about the Second World War, but it’s a ‘what if?’ book…We’ve become a kind of satellite of the Third Reich. The Nazis have made promises, and they’ve been breaking those promises. At first, they let the British have certain things and then those have gone. We’re more and more under the power of the Nazis…It makes you realize how flimsy democracy is, how fragile our society is. We might so easily have been in that position, had we continued to appease Germany and let the Nazis in. It’s a really clever book. It’s also completely gripping once you get into it.” Read more...
The Best Historical Fiction Set in England
Lesley Thomson, Thriller and Crime Writer
Dissolution: A Novel of Tudor England
by C.J. Sansom
Dissolution is book 1 of C.J. Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake mystery series, set during the English Reformation
“Shardlake is a lawyer…In Dissolution his job is to go around all the dissolved monasteries to check out what they’re doing and take notes on what’s happening. He discovers a murder… but you’re not thinking, ‘This is a murder mystery.’ You’re thinking, ‘I’m in the Tudor times, I’m looking through a window. I’m a silent witness to all of this’…They’re fantastic stories. The series is one long chronicle if you like. He’s written seven so far.” Read more...
The Best Historical Fiction Set in England
Lesley Thomson, Thriller and Crime Writer
The Shardlake Series Boxset
by C.J. Sansom
This boxset includes books 1-7 of C.J. Sansom's Shardlake series, set in Tudor England. The books in the series include:
Dissolution (2003)
Dark Fire (2004)
Sovereign (2006)
Revelation (2008)
Heartstone (2010)
Lamentation (2014)
Tombland (2018)
Interviews where books by C.J. Sansom were recommended
The Best Historical Fiction Set in England, recommended by Lesley Thomson
For avid readers always on the lookout for new books to fall in love with, finding a good author and reading every single book they’ve ever written is a not uncommon strategy. British crime novelist Lesley Thomson introduces some of her favourite books, all works of historical fiction set in England.
