Its 1540, three years after Shardlake was commissioned by Cromwell to investigate the murders at Scarnsea monastery. It is the hottest summer of the sixteenth century. Shardlake is trying to keep a low profile, believing himself to be out of favour with Thomas Cromwell while at the same time maintaining his London-based legal practice. Paperback , 200 pages Published April 1st 2011 by Pan MacMillan (first published November 5th 2004)