C J Sansom

"We of alien looks or words must stick together."

Christopher John "C.J." Sansom is an English writer of crime novels. He was born in 1952 and was educated at the University of Birmingham, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he decided to retrain as a solicitor. He practised for a while in Sussex as a lawyer for the disadvantaged, before quitting in order to work full-time as a writer.

He came to prominence with his series set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century, whose main character is the hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake. Shardlake works on commission initially from Thomas Cromwell in Dissolution and Dark Fire and then Thomas Cranmer in Sovereign and Revelation.

The BBC have commissioned an adaptation of Dissolution with the actor Kenneth Branagh set to star as Shardlake. The rest of the Shardlake books are expected to follow. C. J. Sansom has been consulted on the series, which is in the final stages of negotiation.[citation needed].

He has also written Winter in Madrid, a thriller set in Spain in 1940 in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

Dark Fire won the 2005 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, awarded by the Crime Writers' Association (CWA). Sansom himself was "Very Highly Commended" in the 2007 CWA Dagger in the Library award, for the Shardlake series.

(from Wikipedia®)

C J Sansom also contributed to the series The Medieval Murderers

What genres does C. J. Sansom write?

He is best known for historical crime fiction, especially the Tudor-era Shardlake novels. He has also written standalone thrillers, including a World War II era novel.

Where should I start with the Shardlake series?

Begin with Dissolution, which introduces the protagonist Matthew Shardlake. For best continuity read the Shardlake novels in publication order.

Who is the main character in Sansom's historical series and what is his role?

The central character is Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer who investigates crimes and undertakes commissions for powerful figures in Henry VIII's court.

Has C. J. Sansom received any awards for his work?

Yes. Dark Fire won the 2005 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger. Sansom was also Very Highly Commended in the 2007 Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for the Shardlake series.

Are any of Sansom's books being adapted for screen?

A screen adaptation of Dissolution has been reported, with Kenneth Branagh named to play Shardlake and the author consulted. Reports have suggested other Shardlake books may follow, but production details can change.