CJ Sansom's literary depiction of the  unsettled times that followed Henry VIII's break with Rome in 1534, is a brilliant, brooding, and surprising work. Tudor England springs to life as we follow the fleeting triumphs and devastating losses of those unwittingly caught up in the DISSOLUTION of the English monasteries. The main character, lawyer and investigator, Matthew Shardlake, is one such person - and he is a protagonist, you will remember long after you have turned the last pages!