The Matthew Shardlake Series by C.J. Sansom follows Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer and investigator living in Tudor England during the reign of Henry VIII. Initially drawn into cases involving powerful political and religious figures, Shardlake investigates murders, conspiracies and mysterious crimes while navigating the dangerous political and religious upheaval of the Tudor court. As the series progresses, his investigations take him through monasteries, royal palaces and towns across England, uncovering secrets and betrayals against the backdrop of a rapidly changing nation.