There is always a ready audience for murder mystery books covering this period in history and the Matthew Shardlake books are among the better ones on offer and have become something of a cult following among their many readers. This is the fourth book in the series and the character if Matthew Shardlake is starting to feel like an old friend. Matthew Shardlake, lawyer, confidant and servant to some of the most important and powerful men in the kingdom has come a long way since his early dealings, six years ago for Thomas Cromwell. The Dissolution of the monastries was not a happy time for Matthew, not sitting well with his own religious convictions and going against much of what he himself believed in. Time has moved on apace, six years in fact and Matthew has struggled hard to better himself and to improve the standing of his lawyer's practice. He has over time even had dealings concerning King Henry himself. Meanwhile, Matthew has received notice of the foul murder of an old and trusted friend. So shocked is he by the news, that Matthew promises the widow of his poor dead friend that he will do everything in his power to track down the perpetrators of the crime This turns out to be no easy task in a city where life is cheap and many a throat has been cut for the price of a loaf of bread. Trying to follow up this case on top of his other workload is no easy task for Matthew and he needs all the help he can get from his assistant Jack Barak and his long time friend Guy Malton, The clues take them on dangerous and frightening journey, a journey that uncovers more than just the murder of his friend . . .