Dark Fire
A thrilling tale of murder and mystery in Tudor London.
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Pan Macmillan
Published:16th Jul '15
Should be back in stock very soon
In Dark Fire, Matthew Shardlake navigates a murder case while seeking the lost formula of Greek Fire, embroiled in Tudor political intrigue.
In Dark Fire, the second installment of C. J. Sansom's acclaimed Shardlake series, readers are transported to Tudor England in the year 1540. Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer, finds himself entangled in a complex murder case that could threaten his already precarious standing with Thomas Cromwell. As he defends a young girl accused of killing her cousin, Shardlake is reluctantly drawn back into the political machinations of the court, where danger lurks at every turn.
The plot thickens as Shardlake is assigned to recover the lost formula of Greek Fire, a legendary substance once used by the Byzantines. This quest leads him to a gruesome discovery: the official tasked with recovering the formula has been brutally murdered, along with his alchemist brother. The formula is missing, and Shardlake must navigate the treacherous waters of Tudor London, where secrets abound and loyalties are constantly tested.
As he races against time to prove his client's innocence and uncover the truth behind the murder, Shardlake realizes that nothing is as it seems. Dark Fire masterfully weaves historical detail with a gripping narrative, showcasing Sansom's talent for creating richly textured stories that captivate readers. This novel is a must-read for fans of historical crime fiction, offering a compelling blend of intrigue, suspense, and the complexities of human nature.
Historical crime fiction is sometimes little more than a modern adventure in fancy dress. Not so the novels of C. J. Sansom, whose magnificent books set in the reign of Henry VIII bring to life the sounds and smells of Tudor England . . . Dark Fire is a creation of real brilliance. * Sunday Times *
Sansom gives us a broad view of politics – Tudor housing to rival Rachman, Dickensian prisons, a sewage-glutted Thames, beggars in gutters, conspiracies at court and a political system predicated on birth not merit, intrigue not intelligence . . . like many before him, he offers an enjoyable history; but this is also an ethically informed one . . . a strong and intelligent novel. * Guardian *
One of the author’s greatest gifts is the immediacy of his descriptions . . . But it is Shardlake himself who steals the show. His honesty and humility shine out in a dark world where murder and mayhem are the order of the day. -- Colin Dexter
Spellbinding . . . Sansom’s vivid portrayal of squalid, stinking, bustling London; the city’s wealth and poverty; the brutality and righteousness of religious persecution; and the complexities of English law make this a suspenseful, colourful and compelling tale. * Publishers Weekly *
Dark Fire is wonderful stuff, featuring a sort of Tudor Rebus who moves through the religious and political chaos of the 1540s with sinister élan. -- James Naughtie * Glasgow Herald *
CJ Sansom’s books are arguably the best Tudor novels going * Sunday Times *
- Winner of CWA Historical Dagger 2005 (UK)
ISBN: 9781447285847
Dimensions: 198mm x 131mm x 37mm
Weight: 436g
608 pages