'Tudor terror tingles through C. J. Sansom's murder mystery novels . . . With remarkable expertise, sustained over more than 850 pages, Sansom weaves together a wide cast of characters and knits his murder story into a vivid tapestry of little-known historical happenings' Peter Kemp, Sunday Times'Sansom handles his huge cast with aplomb. This is a totally immersive and vividly written tale: compelling reading for history lovers and crime aficionados alike' Laura Wilson, Guardian'Sansom has the trick of writing an enthralling narrative. Like Hilary Mantel, he produces densely textured historical novels that absorb their readers in another time' Andrew Taylor, Spectator'Tudor England of 1549 is effortlessly evoked. The murder mystery absorbs, the characters are vivid and the history is seductive, but it's the author's inclusive humanity that lingers' Elizabeth Buchan, Daily Mail