This is first of the Shardlake books written by the late CJ Sansom and what a book. The historical book is set in the time of Henry VIII after the death of his first wife. It tells of Thomas Cromwell dissolution of the monasteries. There is a death and Thomas Cromwell sends his man to investigate, the hunchback lawyer named Matthew Shardlake. The book is a typical who done it but Sansom's ability to bring the Tudor era to life is brilliant. Just when you think you know ‘who dine it’ there is a twist. A must read for followers of Henry VIII and fans of who done it book. Intriguing

Such a richly woven tale of murder and mystery set in the unlikely setting of a Tudor monastery. I was hooked from page one and literally couldn't have guessed 'whodunit'! Filled with great plot twists and turns coupled with unique, well-drawn characters- I cannot wait to get onto reading book 2 in the series.

Great Character Descriptions. Slow page turner full of historical fact merged with fiction at the same time a great Who done It!.

I bought this book as an after thought when looking to get my 3 for 2 purchase. This is a very well written novel. It is filled with historical information that is slipped between the lines of the story. The storyline flows well and there are questions to be answered on the turn of every page. Much intrigue, twists and turns, lead Shardlake on a path that will change his life forever. Wonderful first novel of a series. I just had to go out and buy all the other Shardlake novels!

At first I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this book as it is not my usual genre, however within the first 3 chapters I was hooked. I loved the mix of the historical background alongside the fast moving, page turning mystery. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery!