Sovereign

Lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his right hand man, Jack Barak, have travelled north from London to York prior to Henry VIII making his own progress there.  They are to meet with a barrister there to hear pleas to the king.  However, Thomas Cranmer wants shard lake to also ensure the safety of a prisoner who is being sent from York to The Tower.

The people of York are hostile to those from the south, they do not like being forced to follow the new religion.  The morning after their arrival a glazier is killed, and he speaks his last words to Shardlake.  Are they the words of a traitor or is there something more to them?  Shardlake is ordered to investigate the death.

During the investigation, Shardlake and Barak discover a box containing old papers.  Before Shardlake can discover what all the papers are about, he is knocked unconscious.  The name Blaybourne keeps cropping up.  That same night the prisoner, whose safety Shardlake is supposed to ensure is poisoned.  Fortunately he survives the attempt on his life.  

The evening that the king and queen arrive in York, another attempt is made on Shardlake's life.  Later Barak and Tamasin, the young woman he is seeing, see Thomas Culpeper coming out of Queen Catharine's quarters.  Culpeper, Catharine and Lady Rochford see the two young lovers.  They are now in danger.

The morning that the royal entourage is to set out for Hull, another attempt is made on Shardlake, only it is Barak that suffers.  Fortunately it is only an injured ankle.  Storm-stayed in Hull, Shardlake comes across information that may be behind the attacks on him.

Shardlake's responsibility for the prisoner had been removed before leaving Hull, so when the prisoner dies aboard the boat to London, he wonders if his own safety is jeopardised.  However, when they arrive in London, Shardlake is immediately arrested and taken to the Tower on the suspicion he knew of the queen's dalliance with a courtier by the name of Dereham.  How long will Shardlake last under the hands of the torturer?

Author C. J. Sansom has written an excellent historical murder mystery thriller well based on fact.  A great read for fans of this genre.