Shardlake

In 1536, idealistic lawyer Matthew Shardlake investigates a death at a monastery. The programme is a historical mystery drawn from CJ Sansom's novels. Arthur Hughes portrays Shardlake, with the narrative centring on his legal expertise and moral conviction in this adaptation.

The programme is a period‑set mystery that follows the work of Matthew Shardlake, an idealistic lawyer operating in the year 1536. It draws its narrative from the novels written by C.J. Sansom, presenting a historical backdrop that frames the story’s events. In the central episode, Shardlake is called upon to examine a suspicious death that has occurred within the walls of a monastery. His investigation leads him through the monastic community, where he seeks to uncover the circumstances surrounding the demise and to determine who might be responsible. The series is presented as a historical mystery, with its roots firmly in the source material by Sansom. By situating the plot in the mid‑sixteenth century, the show offers a glimpse of the legal and social environment of the time, while keeping the focus on Shardlake’s pursuit of truth within a religious setting.