Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you loved Shardlake, read C.J. Sansom's Dissolution, then Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, then Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, and Caleb Carr's The Alienist and Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen. All are Tudor mysteries.
C.J. Sansom's Shardlake series follows a lawyer in Henry VIII's England, starting with Dissolution. These picks share its history and detective plots.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissolution | C.J. Sansom | Adult | Tudor mysteries |
| Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel | Adult | readers who like court intrigue |
| The Name of the Rose | Umberto Eco | Adult | readers who love libraries |
| The Alienist | Caleb Carr | Adult | readers who like historical thrillers |
| The Other Boleyn Girl | Philippa Gregory | Adult | Tudor intrigue |
| The White Queen | Philippa Gregory | Adult | readers who like historical fiction |
| The Pillars of the Earth | Ken Follett | Adult | readers who like epics |
| Dominion | C. J. Sansom | Adult | Britain under appeasement |
| The Daughter of Time | Josephine Tey | Adult | armchair detection |
| The Cater Street Hangman | Anne Perry | Adult | Victorian crime |
| A Beautiful Blue Death | Charles Finch | Adult | gentleman detectives |
| Maisie Dobbs | Jacqueline Winspear | Adult | readers who like historical mysteries |
| Year of Wonders | Geraldine Brooks | Adult | plague village |
| Sarum | Edward Rutherfurd | Adult | epic of a place |
| The Last Kingdom | Bernard Cornwell | Adult | readers who like action |
1. Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
Lawyer Matthew Shardlake investigates a murder at a monastery in Tudor England. Rich historical atmosphere.
Best for: Tudor mysteries.
2. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Thomas Cromwell rises in Henry VIII's court in this award-winning novel. Sharp, intimate and full of political danger.
Best for: readers who like court intrigue.
3. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
A monk investigates murders in a medieval abbey with a secret library. Rich and learned.
Best for: readers who love libraries.
4. The Alienist by Caleb Carr
In 1896 New York, a psychologist, a reporter and an illustrator hunt a killer of boys. Historical and atmospheric.
Best for: readers who like historical thrillers.
5. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Mary Boleyn tells her story at the court of Henry VIII. Dramatic and juicy.
Best for: Tudor intrigue.
6. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Elizabeth Woodville rises from a commoner to Queen of England during the Wars of the Roses. Historical romance with politics.
Best for: readers who like historical fiction.
7. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
A master builder, a monk and a noble family struggle over a cathedral in 12th-century England. Long, gripping and emotional.
Best for: readers who like epics.
8. Dominion by C. J. Sansom
In 1952 Britain, a civil servant joins the resistance. Long, gripping and detailed.
Best for: Britain under appeasement.
9. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Inspector Grant, bedridden in hospital, investigates whether Richard III really murdered the princes in the Tower. A classic puzzle of history.
Best for: armchair detection.
10. The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry
A Victorian family is shaken by murders in London. Class, manners and crime.
Best for: Victorian crime.
11. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
Charles Lenox, an amateur detective, investigates a death in Victorian London. Well written and cozy.
Best for: gentleman detectives.
12. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
A psychologist and investigator in 1929 London takes on cases tied to the Great War. Thoughtful and historical.
Best for: readers who like historical mysteries.
13. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
A village isolates itself during the plague in 1666. Gripping and moving.
Best for: plague village.
14. Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd
The story of Salisbury Plain from the Ice Age to modern times. Sprawling and rich.
Best for: epic of a place.
15. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
Uhtred, a Saxon boy raised by Danes, fights in the wars to create England under King Alfred. Fast battle scenes.
Best for: readers who like action.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Shardlake: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Shardlake. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For Tudor history, read Wolf Hall. For history and mystery, try The Name of the Rose. For other eras, pick The Alienist.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Shardlake?
C.J. Sansom.
Where do I start?
With Dissolution.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, a Disney+ series.
Which book here is best for readers who like action?
Try The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell, which suits readers looking for readers who like action.
Which book here is best for epic of a place?
Try Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd, which suits readers looking for epic of a place.
Which book here is best for plague village?
Try Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, which suits readers looking for plague village.
Which book here is best for readers who like historical mysteries?
Try Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, which suits readers looking for readers who like historical mysteries.
Which book here is best for gentleman detectives?
Try A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch, which suits readers looking for gentleman detectives.