AUTHOR CJ Sansom has died at the age of 71, his publisher today heartbreakingly announced.
The writer is famous for creating the character of Matthew Shardlake, with a new series inspired by him set to stream on Disney+ on Wednesday.
GettyC J Sansom, a historical crime writer, has died aged 71[/caption]
AlamyHis work went on to inspire a Disney TV series[/caption]
Devastatingly the author won’t see it air.
Shardlake was the star of his historical mystery series set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century.
The books have inspired a TV show which is set hit screens from next month.
It will star Arthur Huges as Matthew Shardlake and Sean Bean and Thomas Cromwell.
The character of Shardlake, a Tudor lawyer, was introduced in his first novel Dissolution, which was published 21 years ago.
He released six further novels featuring Shardlake, as well as two standalone historical novels, Winter In Madrid and Dominion.
Sansom was granted the rights to his first Matthew Shardlake novel Dissolution to producer Stevie Lee in 2003.
Tributes are now pouring in for the talented writer.
One fan wrote: “Such a tragic loss. CJ Sansom was one of the finest ever writers of historical fiction.
“He was an inspiration to me and to many others. We are poorer without him.”
Another added: “Very sad to hear of the passing of CJ Sansom, one of my favourite authors and a master of historical fiction.”
A third added: “Oh this is immensely sad. CJ Sansom was a titan. His Shardlake books – a long-anticipated adaptation of which starts this week on Disney+ – revolutionised the genre when they started in the mid-2000s.
“They remain the milestone by which all other historical fiction is judged. RIP.”
Publisher Pan Macmillan shared the heartbreaking news today.
It wrote online: “It is with immense sadness that Pan Macmillan announces the death of C.J. Sansom at the age of 71.”
We are immensely saddened to hear of Chris’s death.
Lucy Hale
His longtime editor and publisher, Maria Rejt, has said: “‘An intensely private person, Chris wished from the very start only to be published quietly and without fanfare.
“But he always took immense pleasure in the public’s enthusiastic responses to his novels and worked tirelessly on each book, never wanting to disappoint a single reader.
“He was working on his new Shardlake novel, Ratcliff, when he died but his worsening health made progress painfully slow.”
She said Sansom’s “meticulous historical research and his writing were always so important to him”.
Ms Rejt continued: “I shall miss him hugely, not only as a wonderfully talented writer who gave joy to millions, but as a dear friend of enormous compassion and integrity.”
Chris was so proud of all the work and determination that went into bringing the novels to our television screens.
Antony Topping
Lucy Hale, Managing Director of Pan, added: “We are immensely saddened to hear of Chris’s death: it has been our profound privilege and pleasure to be Chris’s publisher from the very beginning, and Pan Macmillan will continue to celebrate him and introduce many more readers to his extraordinary body of work for many years to come.
“We are all thinking of his friends at this very difficult time.”
His literary agent Antony Topping called it an “extraordinarily strange coincidence that Chris has died only a handful of days before a new generation of fans will meet Matthew Shardlake”.
He added: “This is also a moment for which Chris’s established fans have been waiting a long time.”
“Chris was so proud of all the work and determination that went into bringing the novels to our television screens, which I hope will bring an entirely new audience to the books and which will maybe also inspire some old fans to return to their favourite CJ Sansom novels.
“So long, Chris. I was lucky to know you.”
Maria Rejt’s full tribute to CJ Sanson
“An intensely private person, Chris wished from the very start only to be published quietly and without fanfare.
“But he always took immense pleasure in the public’s enthusiastic responses to his novels and worked tirelessly on each book, never wanting to disappoint a single reader.
“He was working on his new Shardlake novel, Ratcliff, when he died but his worsening health made progress painfully slow: his meticulous historical research and his writing were always so important to him.
“I shall miss him hugely, not only as a wonderfully talented writer who gave joy to millions, but as a dear friend of enormous compassion and integrity.”