Dark Fire

A Matthew Shardlake Novel

By: C. J. Sansom

Narrated by: Anton Lesser

Abridged edition.

Winner of the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, Dark Fire is the second thrilling historical crime novel in the Shardlake series by C. J. Sansom.

It is 1540 and the hottest summer of the sixteenth century. Matthew Shardlake, believing himself out of favour with Thomas Cromwell, is busy trying to maintain his legal practice and keep a low profile. But his involvement with a murder case, defending a girl accused of brutally murdering her young cousin, brings him once again into contact with the king's chief minister – and a new assignment . . .

The secret of Greek Fire, the legendary substance with which the Byzantines destroyed the Arab navies, has been lost for centuries. Now an official of the Court of Augmentations has discovered the formula in the library of a dissolved London monastery. When Shardlake is sent to recover it, he finds the official and his alchemist brother horribly murdered – the formula has disappeared.

Now Shardlake must follow the trail of Greek Fire across Tudor London, while trying at the same time to prove his young client's innocence. But very soon he discovers nothing is as it seems . . .

Continue this gripping historical series with Sovereign, Revelation, Heartstone, Lamentation and Tombland.

© C. J. Sansom; (P) Macmillan Publishers Ltd

Critic reviews

"Having hugely enjoyed Anton Lesser's reading of Sovereign, the third of C.J. Sansom's Tudor mystery series starring the hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake, I backtracked to hear the first two in the series, Dissolution and Dark Fire.. . As a trio, they reveal just how skilled Sansom is in creating convincing characters in a fully imagined historical world, and it is no surprise that a television series featuring Shardlake is planned. I'm not sure if Anton Lesser will star in it, but after hearing him narrate all three books, I can't imagine anyone better suited to the role... Following the text in a paperback, I let my eyes chase what my ears were hearing and was impressed at how little had to be lost." Christina Hardyment (The Times Books)

Compelling plot and characters

This is the second in this series that I’ve listened to. Anton Lesser is faultless as a narrator. I have bought all the others in the series now as I really enjoy the plots and well-researched historical setting. I also find Matthew Shardlake a very believable and likeable protagonist.

Worth a listen

I did not expect to like it so much. I think the narrator did a great job.

Magnificent

Brilliantly written and performed. I am definitely planning to listen to the whole series now.

Good Plot & Interesting Historical Background

A good mystery plot with a very believable detective in Matthew Shardlake, a flawed, yet clever lawyer, who tries to avoid conflict with powerful men such as the Duke of Norfolk and Thomas Cromwell. The action and the intentions of the characters are believably those of people from 1540.
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical element of this novel. The dialogue doesn't jar as happens in some efforts at historical writing.
The narration is smooth and rich.

Wonderful narration

A wonderful narration by Anton Lessor who, as ever, delivers a marvellous performance of an intriguing story