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Dark Fire (Matthew Shardlake, #2)

C.J. Sansom

Start date: May 15, 2023

Finish date: June 7, 2023

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Group members enjoyed the first in this historical mystery series.
[close] Group members enjoyed the first in this historical mystery series.

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What Members Thought

Jul 06, 2014 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is the second Shardlake novel, following on from Dissolution. Shardlake finds himself embroiled in a complicated case, when a young girl called Elizabeth Wentworth is arrested for murder. Her family, apart from her Uncle Joseph, all believe her guilty of the crime – killing her cousin Ralph, the only son of her Uncle Edwin, whose London house she was living in. However, Elizabeth refuses to plead, which means she faces the Press (which was as bad as it sounds) and has been thrown into the H This is the second Shardlake novel, following on from Dissolution. Shardlake finds himself embroiled in a complicated case, when a young girl called Elizabeth Wentworth is arrested for murder. Her family, apart from her Uncle Joseph, all believe her guilty of the crime – killing her cousin Ralph, the only son of her Uncle Edwin, whose London house she was living in. However, Elizabeth refuses to plead, which means she faces the Press (which was as bad as it sounds) and has been thrown into the Hole (as unpleasant as it sounds) in Newgate. Shardlake is convinced of her innocence, but seems destined to fail in his endeavour to save her until, suddenly, he is offered a reprieve. Two weeks to investigate, as long as he carries out a little job for Cromwell...

An ancient weapon, little more than a myth, Greek Fire, has been found in a former monastery. The men who have this strange substance, capable of burning a ship in moments, want money to release the weapon to Cromwell. He sends Shardlake to speak to them and make arrangements, but when he arrives the would be conspirators have been murdered. Cromwell has promised King Henry an exhibition of Greek Fire in two weeks time, which leaves Shardlake two investigations to solve in only a few days. Along with Jack Barak, Cromwell’s loyal supporter, the two men embark on a race around London to find Greek Fire and help prove Elizabeth Wentworth’s innocence.

London in 1540 is awash with rumours about King Henry; said to be about to put aside Anne of Cleves – a disastrous marriage he blames solely on Cromwell – and to marry the young Catherine Howard. With the Duke of Norfolk, Cromwell’s enemy, possibly about to gain the King’s ear, Cromwell cannot afford to fail – and neither can Shardlake. Unwillingly thrust again into politics and danger, Shardlake does his best, while his clients desert him, he is attacked, threatened and seems to be making enemies in high places.

Jack Barak is a much more suitable sidekick than the young Mark Poer, who accompanied Shardlake in Dissolution. He adds swagger and danger to the storyline; brave, loyal and always willing to take a risk. However, in this novel, even Shardlake’s usually calm demeanour is thrown slightly, when he has to question the beautiful widow, Lady Honor. With Shardlake suffering slights because of his hunchback, his friend the physician Guy (first seen in Dissolution) gaped at because of his dark skin and Jack Barak threatened due to his Jewish heritage, we see Tudor London not only through the politics of power, but through the eyes of outcasts. This is a sublime series and Shardlake a brilliant fictional creation. The next book in the series is Sovereign and, if possible, try to read the series from the beginning as it is wonderful to see how the characters develop over time. ...more

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Apr 27, 2018 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history, murder, c-j-sansom, historical-fiction, matthew-shardlake, british, series, mystery, tudor

This second in the Matthew Shardlake series was actually my first time reading this series and I found that it certainly deserves every praise that it has received and more. I actually finished this book early last week but for one reason or other haven’t gotten down to it until now.

Greek Fire or dark fire as it is also called was something I first came across in the Tradewinds Caravans game, and it is this mysterious weapon of the past, something that belongs to the realms of alchemists, and al This second in the Matthew Shardlake series was actually my first time reading this series and I found that it certainly deserves every praise that it has received and more. I actually finished this book early last week but for one reason or other haven’t gotten down to it until now.

Greek Fire or dark fire as it is also called was something I first came across in the Tradewinds Caravans game, and it is this mysterious weapon of the past, something that belongs to the realms of alchemists, and almost falls in the same category as the philosopher’s stone, that forms one of the themes of this mystery. It is 1540, and Henry VIII is in the process of contemplating a divorce from his fourth wife Anne of Cleves, and courting Katherine Howard. Thomas Cromwell, who was responsible for making the match with Anne of Cleves is as a result in trouble. The only thing that can save him is this claim by a small-time alchemist and his brother that they have discovered the secret of the famed Greek Fire. After some demonstrations, Cromwell has passed on the secret to the King who waits to see it with his own eyes. But before that can happen, the alchemist and his brother have begun to act strangely and then they end up brutally murdered. Cromwell enlists the help of his one-time protégé, Matthew Shardlake to get to the bottom of the case and to help Shardlake assigns Jack Barak. Meanwhile Shardlake has an equally complex case of his own on his hands. Though he doesn’t usually do criminal work (these were days when accused were not allowed representation), a client as charged him with the task of helping his teenage niece accused of brutally murdering her much younger cousin. But when asked she will say nothing, not what happened, and not even plead her innocence. Her uncle however is convinced she cannot be guilty, and soon, so is Shardlake. Her refusal to plead however means she must face the press soon, a horrifying prospect. But a brief respite with Cromwell’s intervention means Shardlake at least has some time to look into the matter. The trouble is, it isn’t very much, in barely two weeks, he must get to the bottom of both matters and time doesn’t wait for anyone.

This was as I said already an excellent read for me. The setting, and sense of time and place it gives one was just so well done―this book doesn’t just have Tudor England as a background or setting it really takes you there, the sights, the smells (particularly the smells), the turmoil after the monasteries were dissolved (though this is some time after this happened) and the ill-effects this had on the many poorer segments of society who were dependent on them, the things that were filtering in from the new world, sugar banquets and new fruit. And it doesn’t confine one to any one segment of society but takes us from the houses of the nobility to the poorest shacks in town, to prisons and to the establishment of alchemists and apothecaries. While human beings and human nature may be quite the same, one certainly is much more thankful that we have come some way from how things were back then. But it also takes us into the issues facing people themselves, from facing the courts and prisons as an accused to voicing one’s opinions particularly on religious matters, and navigating the politically charged world not knowing when the tides will turn, or indeed for some at least having to live in perpetual fear of the whims of the King himself―Sansom not only shows us this atmosphere but to an extent makes us experience it as well. But beyond all this, this is a mystery series, and not one but both of Shardlake’s mysteries here have aspects we don’t see coming. This book though nearly 600 pages long kept me hooked throughout, never dragging, rather always keeping me reading on and not wanting to put it down. Can’t wait to get started on my next Shardlake.
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Apr 04, 2008 Susan in NC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: want-to-reread, reread, kindle, tbr-with-gr-groups, library-book, favorites

This was a reread, but my first time was almost twenty years ago; I had forgotten much of the plot, so I’m very glad to be revisiting what has become one of my favorite historical mystery series again with the Reading the Detectives group.

I had forgotten how gripping this series was in the early books - I wrote a review way back then on Amazon, but can’t find it now. The plot blurb is straightforward enough, but what drew me in all those years ago, and got me on this reread, was how tense and ex This was a reread, but my first time was almost twenty years ago; I had forgotten much of the plot, so I’m very glad to be revisiting what has become one of my favorite historical mystery series again with the Reading the Detectives group.

I had forgotten how gripping this series was in the early books - I wrote a review way back then on Amazon, but can’t find it now. The plot blurb is straightforward enough, but what drew me in all those years ago, and got me on this reread, was how tense and exciting the plot was.

It’s 1540, Henry VIII is on the throne, invoking terror and fear as he indulges his fierce temper, capricious affairs of the heart, and religious inclinations - largely dependent on who has his ear and favor. Meanwhile, the monasteries have been closed and denuded of valuables, pulled down and the land purchased by the highest bidder.

There are more beggars, orphans and cast-aside religious cramming into London; Matthew Shardlake, lawyer, is working away at Lincoln’s Inn, living quietly after his horrific adventure as Cromwell’s man three years previously. Cromwell is rumored to be losing favor after Henry’s disastrous marriage to Anne of Cleeves. Much as Shardlake tries to avoid it, his desire to help a young woman he believes wrongfully accused of murder gives a desperate Cromwell leverage to pull him back in to his tangled web.

Every time the author came out with a new series entry, from this book forward, I had to read it. They became increasingly hefty (this one clocks in at 500 pages), but no matter; I was always enthralled and entertained from the first page. Despite it being 1540, and our hero being an aging but intelligent, sensitive property lawyer, who had to ride a horse to follow up with suspects, witnesses and clues, I was drawn right in. Sansom brings the time and place to life so realistically - the religious paranoia, fears of treason and the Tower for any stepping out of line from the groupthink in vogue at the moment (old religion? New religion, too reformist, too Lutheran, papist? Questioning the capriciousness of the King?), the filth, the brutality. Can’t get enough until I finish the book - it’s quite an exciting ride! ...more

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Jan 13, 2014 Kavita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: tudors, uk, mystery, historical-fiction

This is the second book of the Mathew Shardlake series. Lush writing, rich descriptions and interesting plots make this book an amazing experience of travelling to London in 1540. Cromwell needs some work done and he calls on his old aide, Mathew Shardlake and sends an assistant to help him. In return, he provides extra time to one of Shardlake’s clients, accused of murder and facing a horrible death. The unlikely duo travel around London trying to solve two problems at the same time.

The two pl This is the second book of the Mathew Shardlake series. Lush writing, rich descriptions and interesting plots make this book an amazing experience of travelling to London in 1540. Cromwell needs some work done and he calls on his old aide, Mathew Shardlake and sends an assistant to help him. In return, he provides extra time to one of Shardlake’s clients, accused of murder and facing a horrible death. The unlikely duo travel around London trying to solve two problems at the same time.

The two plots are separate, so it was amazing how the author managed to weave a narrative that did not seem disjointed. They were both equally represented and were both enjoyable. The characters were very interesting. It was a little odd to see the poor lawyer jumping around with his hunchback, but he was no superhero. A Moor in London and the insecurities he would have faced were very realistically depicted. And what does one say about Barak? He is probably the only one who got away with calling King Henry VIII ‘the old arsehole’ and still, I did not get offended!

There were real historical people like Richard Rich, the Duke of Norfolk, and of course, Thomas Cromwell, in this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions with these people. A handsome and scornful Rich, magnificent in his disinterest, a tantrum throwing Duke and a Cromwell who could both be gentle and heavy handed – an absolute delight to read!

Reading the book really gives a feel of how it would have been during those days, especially in the shoes of the common people. The fears, the uncertainties, and certainly, the small triumphs of everyday life just draw you into the pages of the story to the extent you see yourself relating to people long dead and gone.

The only complaint I have with this book is that instead of choosing inane authors, producers have not seem to have signed up for a show on this series. I look forward to the day when it happens but until then, I am happy to let my imagination run riot along with the author. I still have three more books left.
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May 31, 2012 Ellie M rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Continuing my reading of the Shardlake series, this is book number 2. As enjoyable as the first and a good insight into Tudor London. Taking a break from the series to read Bring Up the Bodies which will also document, as this book did, the demise of Thomas Cromwell. ...more

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