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Heartstone
- Narrated by: Anton Lesser
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thriller & Suspense
Non-member price: $15.19
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Shardlake returns in this atmospheric BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of the fourth novel in C. J. Sansom's bestselling Tudor crime series.Spring, 1543. London's streets are filled with preachers; strange signs and portents are seen everywhere; and young men, maddened by differing interpretations of the Bible, are drawn into dangerous fundamentalism.
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Autumn, 1541. Following the uncovering of a plot against his throne in Yorkshire, King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North to overawe his rebellious subjects there. Already in York are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant, Jack Barak. Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a special mission: to ensure the welfare of a dangerous conspirator being returned to London for interrogation. But the murder of a local glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries.
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Book great, Anton Lesser is magic.
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Henry VIII has proclaimed himself Supreme Head of the Church, and the country is waking up to savage new laws. Under the order of Thomas Cromwell, a team of commissioners is sent to investigate the monasteries. At the monastery of Scarnsea, events have spiralled out of control. Cromwell's commissioner, Robin Singleton, has been found dead. And Matthew Shardlake, lawyer and long-time supporter of reform, has been sent by Cromwell into an atmosphere of treachery and death to investigate.
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Summer, 1546. King Henry VIII is slowly, painfully dying. His Protestant and Catholic councillors are engaged in a final and decisive power struggle; whoever wins will control the government of Henry's successor, eight-year-old Prince Edward. As heretics are hunted across London, and the radical Protestant Anne Askew is burned at the stake, the Catholic party focus their attack on Henry's sixth wife, Matthew Shardlake's old mentor, Queen Catherine Parr.
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In 1350 the people of Cambridge are struggling to overcome the effects of the Black Death - and with a high mortality rate among priests and monks, the townsfolk are vulnerable to sinister cults that have sprung up. At Michaelhouse, Matthew Bartholomew is training new physicians when the body of a friar is found in the massive chest that the university uses to store precious documents. While investigating, Bartholomew stumbles across a derelict church being used as a meeting place for the mysterious sect he believes is at the heart of a web of blackmail.
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The fourth chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew continues the adventures of the 14th-century Cambridge physician when he is called to attend to two deaths from some poisoned wine. The opening of a new and very well-endowed college has created petty infighting amongst the academics as new appointments are made. The winter and spring have been appallingly wet, there is a fever outbreak amongst the poorer townspeople and the country is not yet fully recovered from the aftermath of the plague.
Publisher's Summary
Summer, 1545. England is at war. Henry VIII’s invasion of France has gone badly wrong, and a massive French fleet is preparing to sail across the Channel. As the English fleet gathers at Portsmouth, the country raises the largest militia army it has ever seen. The King has debased the currency to pay for the war, and England is in the grip of soaring inflation and economic crisis.
Meanwhile Matthew Shardlake is given an intriguing legal case by an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr. Asked to investigate claims of “monstrous wrongs” committed against a young ward of the court, which have already involved one mysterious death, Shardlake and his assistant Barak journey to Portsmouth.
Once arrived, Shardlake and Barak find themselves in a city preparing to become a war zone; and Shardlake takes the opportunity to also investigate the mysterious past of Ellen Fettipace, a young woman incarcerated in the Bedlam. The emerging mysteries around the young ward, and the events that destroyed Ellen’s family 19 years before, involve Shardlake in reunions both with an old friend and an old enemy close to the throne. Events will converge on board one of the King’s great warships, primed for battle in Portsmouth harbour....
Critic Reviews
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What listeners say about Heartstone
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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- Anonymous User
- 28-02-2020
Very enjoyable
Another Stirling story & wonderful performance. Sansom has such a wonderful grasp of the era and writes very good plots: and Anton Lesser is a skilled and sensitive narrator.
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- John Blackmore
- 24-12-2010
Abridged ?
Sansom and Lesser great as always but why was it necessary to abridge the book ?
5 people found this helpful
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- ThePuss
- 16-04-2012
Excellent book, well read
CJ Sansom's lawyer/detective is once again on a royal job that he doesn't particularly want. The writing is inspired and together with the actual historical events that are entwined in the story line, the Matthew Shardlake series of books are a pleasure to read... you can almost "smell" the 16th Century from the description. And, Anton Lesser's narration is once again excellent... just enough accent and voice change between characters to recognise each one, without getting into the world of silly voices!
If you haven't read one of these yet, I really recommend starting with "Dissolution" and going through in order, but if you start here you'll still enjoy the ride!
2 people found this helpful
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- J. Williams
- 06-08-2013
Intriguing, historically accurate story.
Would you consider the audio edition of Heartstone to be better than the print version?
First CJ Hanson novel so can't compare
What other book might you compare Heartstone to, and why?
Phillipa Gregory for the interweaving of history and fiction
What does Anton Lesser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
He gives the character's their voice which I can't do in my head.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Intriguing,murder mystery set in Tudor England
Any additional comments?
My first C J Hanson novel but definitely not the last - so glad my friend recommended the novels.. Going to put another on my ipod for a long haul flight - I'd rather listen to a book than watch a movie.
1 person found this helpful
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- Kath Potter
- 17-07-2013
Tudor times brought to life
Where does Heartstone rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
The best
Who was your favorite character and why?
Matthew Shardlake is an honest compassionate lawyer who you'd be glad to have on your side if you were in trouble.A warm, kind, sensitive man who has to bear the affliction of being a hunchback in a time when such a condition aroused fear and suspicion.
What does Anton Lesser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Anton Lesser is simply the best reader. His voice is so expressive, he breathes life into each character and is also very good at regional accents.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Mystery and intrique in Tudor England
1 person found this helpful
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Overall

- jo
- 08-08-2011
Heartstone
I was very pleased to see this on the list, Anton Lesser is fabulous as usual. Why oh why is it abridged?? I normally avoid them not seeing the point at all. Having read the book it misses out some of the great details that make Sansom books so good. Abridged books are to be avoided !!
1 person found this helpful
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Overall

- Good Foodie
- 24-01-2011
Heartstone
The minute I start listening to these stories by C.J. Sansom I am transported back in time and I am living it. The period comes alive, the sights, smells and above all the fear.
I love these books by C.J. Sansom and I thoroughly enjoy the reading by this narrator. I could listen to his reading over and over again. More please.
1 person found this helpful
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- Rogayah
- 15-12-2010
To battle
Shardlake rides to the rescue again of someone in need. A simple request by Queen Jane combined wtith his own curiosity about a woman in Bedlam turns a journey to Portsmouth into a glimpse into one of Henry VIII's disastrous clashes with the French and a gripping tale of mystery and intrigue.
Set in the turbulent period of Henry VIII's reign, this book offers both solid historical fact and an entertaining story about Lawyer Shardlake, a minnow in the hands of his enemies in Henry's court like the powerful Richard Rich.
Anton Lesser has read all the Shardlake series to date and has made them his own now, a better reader cannot be found
1 person found this helpful
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- Harriet Morris
- 09-10-2010
A MUST HAVE FOR LOVERS OF TUDOR HISTORY!
Yet another terrific book from C.J. Sansom! The narrative by Anton Lesser must be somewhere near the top for the magical characterisation of his readings! I just could not stop listening (all night)! This particular part of Henry VIII reign is given a quite different angle! Just wonderful!
1 person found this helpful
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- Kenneth
- 07-10-2010
Another great story from C.J.Sansom
What can i say another reverting story about Shardlake and Barak with interesting historical facts,
Having listened to all the other Shardlake stories i really enjoyed this one and excellently read by Anton Lesser.
1 person found this helpful
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- L. Collins
- 25-06-2020
another masterpiece from anton lesser
more mr lesser...you are shardlake and cant wait for your next outing and wonderful voice
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