Product Description

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 brutally 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 . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #169 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Stella Duffy, The Guardian
... a strong and intelligent novel which, while it will certainly please historical crime fans, deserves a wider readership.

Stella Duffy, The Guardian
Sansom appears to have entirely beaten the second novel blues.

Sainsbury's Magazine, December 2004
Steeped in the sights, sounds and smells of one of the most fascinating periods in history...

Customer Reviews

excellent sequel to Dissolution - recommended
Having raced through DIssolution last weekened, I'm thrilled to discover Dark Fire, also featuring the hunchback Tudor lawyer Matthew Shardlake, just as compelling. Set three years after the events of the first novel, it has the honest barrister once again forced to work for Lord Cromwell - a man who still strikes terror into all, but who is on the verge of losing his power and his head thanks to his attempts to shore up Henry Vlll's dismal marriage to Anne of Cleves. Cromwell intervenes to allow a young girl, accused of murdering her cousin, two weeks' grace in order for Shardlake to track down the secret of "Greek Fire", a fearsome weapon believed to have been rediscovered by two alchemists, now brutally murdered. To assist him in this Shardlake not only has the enchanting Arab physician (now apothecary) and former monk, Brother Guy, but a Jewish man, Barak, loyal to Cromwell. Their difficult relationship and reluctant respect for each other form a most entertaining and thoughful part of a race against time to solve two murder cases. Once again, what is so captivating about this new star of historical fiction is the intelligence and compassion with which he writes. I highly recommend this to all who love really good detective fiction, historical fiction and an intelligent, literate novel that does not disdain a strong plot and characters.

Compelling stuff
If you have even a passing interest in historical fiction, particularly Tudor London, and you enjoy a gripping mystery replete with twists, turns and colourful characters, you're likely to have a good time with this book. C.J. Sansom's Shardlake character is a little on the obvious side, with his pure heart and indefatigability overcoming the constraints of his flawed physical being (he's a hunchback lawyer in case you're wondering). Still, it's impossible not to become enthralled by this tale of political intrigue and murder with its adroit descriptions of the machinations of the nobility, corrupt lawyers and officials, and vivid portrayal of the sights and sounds of Tudor London. To my mind, one of the best compliments a book like this can have is that it makes you want buy the next one before you've even finished it, just to be able to delve straight back into Shardlake's world.

it does the job - and some
Shardlake has got into his stride and has been allowed to break out of the confines of Scarnsea Abbey. Back in London, he has to contend with a handful of different cases, with various challenges to his ingenuity and safety. 3 years on from DISSOLUTION, a lot has changed, for Shardlake personally with his now cooled reformist zeal, and for the political climate. Yet again, Sansom manages to weave intricate details of national affairs with well-drawn bit parts and key characters' emotional credibility. Shardlake is a sympathetic hero who lives in a three-dimensional and almost tangibly vibrant Tudor London. The politics is lethal and even if you are vaguely familiar with the bullet points of the period, this brilliantly fills in the gaps of historical ignorance with plausible and gripping narrative. But it doesn't matter if Tudor history is a blank page for you - Sansom's research and eye for historical detail and nuance are remarkable - we can all learn something from this book about life 500 years ago.

This is what historical fiction should be like - yet again. Couldn't put it down and found myself thoroughly immersed in this world. Fantastic.