Sovereign

Shardlake, Book 3

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Sovereign

By: C. J. Sansom

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

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About this listen

Following on from Dissolution and Dark Fire, Sovereign is the third gripping historical novel in C. J. Sansom's number one bestselling Shardlake series, for fans of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory.

‘Sansom has the trick of writing an enthralling narrative. Like Hilary Mantel, he produces densely textured historical novels that absorb their readers in another time’ - Andrew Taylor, Spectator

Autumn, 1541: King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North to attend an extravagant submission of his rebellious subjects in York.

Already in the city are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak. As well as assisting with legal work processing petitions to the King, Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a special mission for the Archbishop Cranmer – to ensure the welfare of an important but dangerous conspirator being returned to London for interrogation.

But the murder of a local glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries, connected not only to the prisoner in York Castle but to the royal family itself. And when Shardlake and Barak stumble upon a cache of secret papers which could threaten the Tudor throne, a chain of events unfolds that will lead to Shardlake facing the most terrifying fate of the age . . .

Continue the number one bestselling historical series with Revelation, Heartstone, Lamentation and Tombland.

C. J. SansomSteven CrossleyMacmillan Digital AudioShardlake

Christian Fiction

Genre Fiction

Historical

Mystery

Thriller & Suspense

Royalty

Fiction

Exciting

Tudor

Christian Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Mystery Thriller & Suspense Royalty Fiction Exciting Tudor

Critic reviews

I have enjoyed C. J. Sansom's series of historical novels set in Tudor England progressively more and more. Sovereign, following Dissolution and Dark Fire, is the best so far . . . Sansom has the perfect mixture of novelistic passion and historical detail. (Antonia Fraser)

Even if heart-pounding suspense and stomach-tightening tension were all Sansom’s writing brought to the table, few would feel short-changed. Added to these gifts is a superb approximation of the crucible of fear, treachery and mistrust that was Tudor England, and a memorably blood-swollen portrait of the ogreish Henry’s inhumane kingship. A parchment-turner, and a regal one at that.

Not only a great detective novel but also a fabulous insight into the historical happenings of the Tudor period, this book is an absorbing read.

A dazzling conspiracy theory novel of the Tudor age.

Third volume of CJ Sansom’s deservedly popular Tudor detective series . . . Between them, Sansom and Starkey have the 16th century licked.

A brilliant evocation of tyranny in Tudor England.

A fine setting for crime fiction and CJ Sansom exploits it superbly . . . Never mind the crime: this is a terrific novel. (Peter Green)

I was enthralled by Sovereign by C. J. Sansom, a novel combining detection with a brilliant description of Henry VIII’s spectacular Progress to the North and its terrifying aftermath. (P.D. James)

A master class in suspense...an age of political and religious convulsion is conjured up with thrilling immediacy. (Peter Kemp)

Both marvellously exciting to read and a totally convincing evocation of England in the reign of Henry VIII.

Sansom has a real knack for bringing the sights, sounds and smells of Tudor times to life and his evocation of a time when your fate could be decided on a whim and England was ruled by a bloated monster make you very glad indeed that, fascinating as it is, you'll never have to witness Shardlake's world first hand.

Sansom brings the colours, sights and sounds of Tudor England brilliantly into the imagination in this gripping historical novel.

The best detective story I’ve read since The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . . . [a] devilishly ingenious whodunit . . . Sansom’s description of the brutality of Tudor life is strong stuff, but he is a master storyteller.

Sansom is excellent on contemporary horrors. This is no herbs-and-frocks version of Tudor England, but a remorseless portrait of a violent, partly lawless country . . . You can lose yourself in this world. (Jane Jakeman)

Dissolution by C J Sansom was an impressive start to a historical fiction series featuring stubborn, admirable Tudor lawyer Matthew Shardlake. Sovereign is the third outing, and this series just gets better and better.

Most relevant

Would you listen to Sovereign again? Why?

I have read all the Shardlake novels and have enjoyed listening to them too. Listening is a very pleasurable way of accessing books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sovereign?

I particularly liked Shardlake's horror in being transported to the Tower of London and the satisfying way threads were drawn together at the end of the novel.

Which character – as performed by Steven Crossley – was your favourite?

Richard Rich and Henry the Eighth. Their unassailable privilege.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Carry on Henry-oops I think that's been done.

Any additional comments?

I love the way Shardlake cannot move from his social station-you want him to argue and rile against and contradict other characters but he is deferential. Check out Anne Perry's Victorian detectives. Is this peculiarly English?