• Sovereign

  • A Matthew Shardlake Novel
  • By: C. J. Sansom
  • Narrated by: Anton Lesser
  • Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (60 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Sovereign  By  cover art

Sovereign

By: C. J. Sansom
Narrated by: Anton Lesser
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $10.89

Buy for $10.89

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Abridged edition.

Following on from Dissolution and Dark Fire, Sovereign is the third title in C. J. Sansom's bestselling Shardlake series.


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 gripping historical series with Revelation, Heartstone, Lamentation and Tombland.

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

Critic reviews

"Anton Lesser performs with marvellous versatility, helped by Sansom's sure touch for voicing telling detail with simple directness." (The Times)

What listeners say about Sovereign

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    40
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another stunning performance

An enjoyable and plausible historical mystery which is enhanced massively by Anton Lesser's wonderful delivery

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great historical crime series

This is a wonderful series set in Tudor England. Sansom captures exactly the right mix of historical authenticity and modern sensibility. The narrator is fantastic. I love his voice and he does a wonderful job of conveying character with subtlety.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Como siempre, excepcional

A lo largo de la saga demuestra su talento para escribir un guión y sobre todo su investigación y estudio de absolutamente todo sobre la época histórica deleitando al lector con descripciones de escena que te llevan a ese lugar con todos los sentidos. Estoy ansiosa por continuar con la saga del gran Sharlake.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Completely absorbing historical thriller

This is an incredible story full if intrigue and twists. Completely absorbing right until the end. Heartily recommend the whole series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

An enjoyable tale

Well written and narrated, with an entertaining plot, the book falls a bit short of great. I like a richer historical context, or more character development, but I recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!