The events of DISSOLUTION take place in 1537, when Henry VIII’s Vicar-General, Thomas Cromwell, is beginning to intensify efforts to turn England into a Protestant state. The country is waking up to savage new laws, rigged trials and the greatest network of informers England has ever seen. Queen Anne Boleyn has been executed on questionable charges and everywhere courtiers and landowners are casting acquisitive eyes on the lands of the monks. is a lawyer, and a long-time supporter of Reform. He is also a hunchback, emotionally burdened but not embittered by his disability. Shardlake is beginning to have his doubts about how Reform is being achieved, and what are its true long-term aims, but these are doubts he must keep to himself and, to a degree, even hide from himself. Robin Singleton is summoned by Cromwell and sent to a Benedictine monastery perched next to the sea marshes on the coast of Sussex. He is to investigate the murder by decapitation of another of Cromwell’s men, Robin Singleton, who had been attempting to negotiate the surrender of the monastery. When Shardlake and his companion, Mark, arrive at the monastery the atmosphere is tense and behind a courteous front some of the monks are hostile and secretive…

评论：“精彩极了”----P.D. James “《土崩瓦解》真是部精彩、充满想象力的杰作，一流的谋杀推小说是我这几十年来读过的最大气的历史长篇小说之一。”《星期日邮件》 “棒极了，是最精致的一部历史小说。----Peter Robinson “是我读过最好的一部犯罪小说”Colin Dexter 中文简介：《土崩瓦解》的故事是发生在1537，那时是亨利八世执政。当时的(英国国教)代理监督Thomas Cromwell正准备大刀阔斧对英国国教进行改革，想让英国改成新教国家。 整个英国逐渐意识到了新颁布法规的残忍性、越来越多营私舞弊、有失公正的审判以及那个英国有史以来规模最大的告密者联盟。Anne Boleyn女皇被绞死了，可指控的罪名却站不住脚；全国各地 朝臣、地主们窥视着牧师们手里的大片土地。Matthew Shardlake是位律师，他至始至终都是支持改革派的。他是个驼背 ，心理上是有沉重感的，但他并没因此而自暴自弃。Shardlake 开始对改革派所取得的一切表示质疑，他不明白改革派到底想要做出什么成绩来，但这些疑虑他只能隐藏在心理，甚至在某种程度上来说，他都不想让他自己知道这一切。Cromwell把Shardlake召见来，派遣他至位于苏塞克斯海岸旁湿地畔的本尼狄克修道院，去调查Cromwell 另一个部下，Robin Singleton，被人斩首的凶杀案。在此之前，Robin Singleton一直试图用谈判方式重新赢回修道院的行使主权。Shardlake和他的同伴Mark一起来到了修道院，当时气氛十分紧张，客套的外表背后隐藏着 冷漠、鬼鬼祟祟的僧侣们。