Darkstroke

Dark Fire (Matthew Shardlake, #2)

Dark Fire (Matthew Shardlake, #2) book cover
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Historical Fiction Mystery & Thriller Fiction Mystery & Thriller Mystery & Thriller

by C.J. Sansom

starstarstarstarstar
4.24 (11.9K ratings)
calendar_today 2004
description 501 pages

Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom holds a highly rated rating of 4.24 out of 5, based on 11.9K reader ratings. First published in 2004. The book spans 501 pages.

About Dark Fire

        It is 1540, and Henry VIII has been on the throne for thirty-one years when Matthew Shardlake, the lawyer renowned as "the sharpest hunchback in the courts of England," is pressed to help a friend's young niece who is charged with murder.         Despite threats of torture and death by the rack, the girl is inexplicably silent. Shardlake is about to lose her case when he is suddenly granted a reprieve - one that will ensnare him again in the dangerous schemes of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's feared vicar general.          In exchange for two more weeks to investigate the murder, Shardlake accepts Cromwell's assignment to find a lost cache of Dark Fire, an ancient weapon of mass destruction. Cromwell, out of favor since Henry's disastrous marriage to Anne of Cleves, is relying on Shardlake's discovery to save his position at court, which is rife with conspiracy

Detail Value
Author C.J. Sansom
Published 2004
Pages 501
Genres Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Mystery & Thriller
Average Rating 4.24 / 5.00
Total Ratings 11,927

Reader Ratings & Analysis

Rating Overview

4.2
starstarstarstarstar
11.9K ratings
With a rating of 4.24, Dark Fire is rated near the global average of 4.17. Compared to its genre average of 3.95, it performs above expectations.

How It Compares

4.24
This Book
3.95
Mystery & Thriller Average
4.17
Global Average

Frequently Asked Questions

What genre is Dark Fire?

Dark Fire is categorized as Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Fiction, Mystery & Thriller. Its primary genre classification is Mystery & Thriller.

Is Dark Fire worth reading?

Based on 11.9K reader ratings, Dark Fire has an average score of 4.24 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."

How many pages is Dark Fire?

Dark Fire has 501 pages. It is a longer read suited for dedicated readers.

Who wrote Dark Fire?

Dark Fire was written by C.J. Sansom. It was first published in 2004.

What is the ISBN for Dark Fire?

The ISBN-13 for Dark Fire is 9780143036430.0.

Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026