A review by batbones
Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

4.0

Monastery mysteries never fail to bring back memories of The Name of the Rose. This was shorter but satisfyingly puzzling, and a bit of a thriller, closing with an ending that leaves me reeling and thoughtful. The historical backdrop is vividly alive with architectural detail, lively conversations and sights and smells. Shardlake is an intriguing narrator: he's clever, burdened by his disability (which is well-written about; it never becomes an overbearing focal point of the plot but the emotions that come with it, mostly tortured and bitter, drives a continued interest in his thoughts), and very humanly flawed in ways that the reader can sympathise with, without becoming overly frustrated whenever he stalls. What he balks at and resists (violence, gore, putrid smells) are very relatable. He may be frequently emcumbered by his burdens both physical and emotional, but the result is acceptance, affection, and an effort at patience as the eager reader waits for him to undo the knot of murder with persistent hands.