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  • Dark Fire

  • A Matthew Shardlake Mystery
  • By: C. J. Sansom
  • Narrated by: Steven Crossley
  • Length: 18 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,644 ratings)

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Dark Fire

By: C. J. Sansom
Narrated by: Steven Crossley
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Publisher's summary

Winner of the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award, Dark Fire revisits acclaimed master of historical fiction C. J. Sansom's colorful and rapier-witted lawyer, Matthew Shardlake.

Set in 1540, this beguiling tale of murder and mayhem is set against a rich backdrop of medieval London. Here, hunchbacked Matthew Shardlake is called upon to investigate the peculiar case of a young woman accused of murder.

©2004 C. J. Sansom (P)2008 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about Dark Fire

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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Very enjoyable

This is my second Shardlake adventure and doesn't fall short of excellent. It's a real pleasure to be brought back in time to experience, often viscerally, the realities of a tumultuous time in history while also cultivating a rich mystery.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Best book read in a while

I loved this book with all the plot twists. The ending was spectacular. I plan to read entire series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful Story

Except if I heard “He looked at me seriously” one more time I was going to throw my phone across the room. Seriously.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A smart mystery with plenty of action!!

I love the story line and how it was woven so cleverly with true events in history. Though fictional, using "dark Fire" as the driver for the plots for the rise and fall of the reformist movement was great. Using a lawyer as the main character is awesome. There was plenty of wit and smarts about the novel. It was a true crime drama. Crossley made this novel worth listening to. His accents and voices were well varied and i knew who was speaking based om his cues. This is the first book I've read of the Matthew Shardlake series because I didn't know anything about it when I started. This book has made me go get the others in the series. I can't wait to get started.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Historical Tidbits Abound

Well-played story. I'm not generally a mystery fan , nor drawn to stories with lots of historical detail but enjoyed the characters and colorful conversations. I am a very big fan of this narrator and recommend him without reservation.

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Great series!

Any additional comments?

Really good story as well as giving you an excellent feel for life in the period. Some parts were a bit gruesome, but that was life during the period. Overall, an enjoying series.

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Good history and a great mystery at the same time.

I love C.J. Sansom AND the narration by Steven Crossley. This is my second book and I've enjoyed the twists of plot and the historical background against which it's mounted. The narration is superb and adds to the book for me.

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Enjoyable Series

Excellent writing, excellent historical setting, and excellent narration. Love the characters. My only complaint is that for a whodunit, the author provides no clues as to which suspect/s are the guilty ones. I enjoy finding clues as well as red herrings along the way as I try to solve the murder mystery. Unfortunately, even by the end of the book, I can find no behaviors or actions or words that, at least with hindsight, point to the murderer. Each guilty candidate seems to have equal motives as well as the possibility of being innocent. Regardless, I will overlook this flaw as I continue to follow Master Shardlake and friends. Tudor England is my favorite historical period, and the author brings it to life.

addendum: I have read all the books in this series now and each novel gets better with clues to the murderer woven in well.

#amateur detective #suspenseful #murder mystery #Tudor England #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent Tudor Historical Fiction

Excellent Tudor Historical Fiction...Excellect!..well written AND well narrated...a model for any wonderful listen. Highly recommend....

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A Well Crafted Mystery

Few marry political intrigue and mystery as well as Sansom. This book was a pleasure to listen to.

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