Episode 1

Autumn, 1541. King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Royal Progress to York, aiming to strike fear and awe into his rebellious northern subjects. Shardlake, and his assistant Barak, arrive in the city a day ahead of the 3,000-strong procession.

Officially there to prepare petitions for the King, they have also been tasked with a secret mission by Archbishop Cranmer: to ensure the welfare of one of the northern conspirators, Sir Edward Broderick, who is to be brought back to London for questioning in the Tower.

Tensions are running high in the city, and soon Shardlake is called to investigate a suspicious death – and stumbles upon a daring plot that has the potential to shake England to its core.

Atmospheric dramatisation of CJ Sansom's third Tudor crime novel featuring hunchback lawyer detective Matthew Shardlake.

Shardlake ..... Justin Salinger
Barak ..... Bryan Dick
Wrenne ..... Geoffrey Whitehead
Tamasin ..... Cath Whitefield
Radwinter ..... David Acton
Broderick ..... Nick Underwood
Maleverer ..... Stephen Critchlow
Jennet ..... Alex Tregear
Craike ..... Patrick Brennan
Cranmer ..... Sam Dale
Rochford ..... Amelia Lowdell
Oldroyd ..... Chris Pavlo
Paul ..... Mark Edel-Hunt
The Queen ..... Melody Grove

Other parts are played by members of the cast.

Dramatised by Colin MacDonald.

Director: Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2015.