Matthew Shardlake Books in Order
Matthew Shardlake is a hunchbacked lawyer in Tudor London, clever, honourable and often uneasy with the powerful men who employ him. His cases take him through the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, from the dissolution of the monasteries to Kett’s Rebellion. Rich, absorbing historical crime novels.
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Series facts
- Books
- 7
- Published
- 2003 to 2018
- First book
- Dissolution
- Latest
- Tombland (2018)
- Setting
- Set in London
The reading order
Every Matthew Shardlake book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
- 1Dissolution2003With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1537, Thomas Cromwell sends Matthew Shardlake to a remote monastery on the Sussex coast to investigate the brutal murder of a royal commissioner.Buy on Amazon
- 2Dark Fire2004With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1540, Shardlake defends a girl accused of murder, while Cromwell orders him to find the lost secret of Greek Fire.Buy on Amazon
- 3Sovereign2006With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1541, Shardlake travels to York during Henry VIII’s great progress to the north, charged with protecting an important prisoner.Buy on Amazon
- 4Revelation2008With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1543, as the King courts Catherine Parr, a killer whose crimes follow the Book of Revelation is at large in London.Buy on Amazon
- 5Heartstone2010With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1545, as England prepares for a French invasion, Shardlake investigates a case of wardship that takes him to Portsmouth and the warship Mary Rose.Buy on Amazon
- 6Lamentation2014With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1546, with Henry VIII dying, Queen Catherine Parr asks Shardlake to find a dangerous manuscript she has written, which has been stolen.Buy on Amazon
- 7Tombland2018With Matthew ShardlakeIn 1549, Shardlake travels to Norwich to investigate a murder linked to the family of the Lady Elizabeth, and is caught up in Kett’s Rebellion.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Dissolution, as Shardlake’s life and friendships develop through the series.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Matthew Shardlake | Jack Barak | Guy Malton | Tamasin Reedbourne | Richard Rich | Thomas Cromwell | Catherine Parr | Nicholas Overton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dissolution | LLead | MMajor | ||||||
| 2 Dark Fire | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | |||
| 3 Sovereign | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||||
| 4 Revelation | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 5 Heartstone | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |||
| 6 Lamentation | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | |
| 7 Tombland | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor |
Characters in the Matthew Shardlake books
9 characters from C.J. Sansom’s chart, with the number of Matthew Shardlake books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew ShardlakeHunchbacked lawyer in Tudor London | 7 | Dissolution 2003 |
| Jack BarakFormer Cromwell agent and Shardlake’s assistant | 6 | Dark Fire 2004 |
| Guy MaltonMoorish physician and Shardlake’s friend | 6 | Dark Fire 2004 |
| Tamasin ReedbourneBarak’s wife | 5 | Sovereign 2006 |
| Richard RichRuthless royal official | 3 | Dark Fire 2004 |
| Thomas CromwellKing’s chief minister | 2 | Dissolution 2003 |
| Catherine ParrHenry VIII’s last queen | 2 | Revelation 2008 |
| Nicholas OvertonYoung law student and Shardlake’s assistant | 2 | Lamentation 2014 |
| Mark PoerShardlake’s young assistant | 1 | Dissolution 2003 |