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Shardlake: The Complete BBC Radio Collection

By: CJ Sansom
Narrated by: full cast, Jason Watkins, Justin Salinger, Bryan Dick, Mark Bonnar, Robert Glenister, Sam Dale, Sean Baker, Emily Wachter, Jessica Hardwick
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Summary

The complete collected dramatisations of C. J. Sansom's historical mystery series.

Set during the reign of Henry VIII, these six stunning dramas follow the adventures of hunchbacked lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake as he navigates the dangerous world of Tudor England, solving crimes and seeking out murderers.

Dissolution - Winter, 1537. When a king's commissioner is brutally murdered at Scarnsea monastery, Thomas Cromwell sends Shardlake to investigate. Can he catch the killer before he strikes again?

Dark Fire - Summer, 1540, and Shardlake is embroiled in two urgent cases: tracking down a batch of Greek Fire, an ancient weapon of mass destruction, and defending an orphan girl accused of murder. Accompanied by Cromwell's man, Barak, he must race against time to save Elizabeth's life - and Cromwell's skin.

Sovereign - Autumn, 1541. As the king embarks on a Royal Progress to York, Shardlake and Barak arrive in the city on a secret mission for Archbishop Cranmer. But soon they are caught up in a murder investigation - and a daring plot to bring down the royal family....

Revelation - Spring, 1543. With London rocked by religious turmoil, Shardlake must complete two vital assignments: help a teenage boy imprisoned in Bedlam for his heretical ravings, and prevent a serial killer from completing his unholy mission.

Heartstone - Summer, 1545, and Shardlake and Barak are drawn into two murky mysteries: one involving 'monstrous wrongs' committed against a ward of the court, the other involving the troubled past of Bedlam inmate Ellen Fettiplace. Meanwhile, across the Channel, the French fleet is preparing to attack....

Lamentation - 1546. Henry VIII lies dying, and his Protestant and Catholic factions are vying for power. As heretics are burned at the stake, the Queen rashly decides to write a compromising confessional book - and when it is stolen, she turns to Shardlake. His investigations lead him from London's backstreet print shops to the heart of the royal court....

Jason Watkins and Justin Salinger star as Shardlake, with Bryan Dick as Barak, Mark Bonnar and Robert Glenister as Cromwell, Sam Dale and Sean Baker as Cranmer and Emily Wachter and Jessica Hardwick as Queen Catherine Parr.

Written by C. J. Sansom.

Dramatised by Colin MacDonald.

Produced and directed by Kirsteen Cameron, David Jackson Young and Bruce Young.

©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
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What listeners say about Shardlake: The Complete BBC Radio Collection

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

Was glued to my phone. So much factual history

I was captured from the beginning. Story unfolds so well, Shardlake is a well balanced character
And I could , at times , smell the places and the descriptions were very graphic
I hope there are more tales in this series of books
Great acting great story lines and each character came to life in the story

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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History worth listening to

A Great listening experience set in dangerous times
I’m looking forward for more by the author

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

Great production set In interesting and dangerous times. Henry and his court are fraught with danger. Hope there’s more to come

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1 person found this helpful

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

Great acting, superb stories, brilliantly dramatised

Big fan of the shardlake books so wasn’t sure if I would like these but I loved them. Fully acted and dramatised, with nothing to jar or annoy. Yes, they are heavily edited so some of the complex plots and storylines of the original books are missing, but you will only notice if you read the originals, and it helps keep the pacing fast and stories tight.
Highly recommend.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Charlie has a voice

As a registered blind person full cast dramas are brilliant, this one included, well done.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

I have was so looking forward to the dramatisation of Christopher Sansom’s books, but oh dear I was so disappointed with the storylines, which are confused at times and with little depth. Thank goodness I read the books prior to listening to the performances. The stories were so condensed they are almost unrecognisable as coming from such amazing books. In some cases the character voices were so similar, it was easy to confused just who was speaking. Unfortunately, not worth the wait 😞

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Sad I finished them so quickly

Great plots, well dramatised despite the complexity and number of characters - where are the next ones?

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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OUTSTANDING DRAMA

A wonderfully immersive drama series that propels the listener back to the middle ages.

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

Wonderful dramatisation

Really enjoyed listening to these books that I read some time ago and loved so dearly!
The dramatised reworking although substantially abridged managed to paint a glorious picture of the world Sansom so skilfully built. Loved it!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Perhaps too abbreviated

I had already read the books but if I hadn’t I think these dramatisations would have been difficult to follow as so much detail has been removed. It’s good to revisit the stories and the voices were excellent but in truth you would be better off listening to the whole books to get a better understanding of what is going on.

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