"The sights, the voices, the very smell of this turbulent age seem to rise from the page. With his remarkable debut, C. J. Sansom can lay claim to a place among the most distinguished of modern historical novelists." --
P. D. James"Sansom seems to have been born with, or instinctively acquired, that precious balance of creativity and research that lets a mystery set in another time walk a delicate line between history and humanity." --Chicago Tribune
"With this cunningly plotted and darkly atmospheric effort, Sansom proves himself to be a promising newcomer." --Publishers Weekly
"This is a humdinger of a whodunnit. Read it!" --Colin Dexter