Bestselling author’s latest novel set in Tudor Norwich will be released later this year

C J Sansom's latest Matthew Shardlake novel is titled Tombland and focuses on the historic Kett's rebellion in Norfolk.

The seventh Shardlake installment sees the character take on a new murder case which leads him to Norwich. He then finds himself caught in the peasant revolt of 1549.

Researching the novel, Sansom was in contact with local historians Anne and Adrian Hoare, who are experts in the Kett's rebellion and released a book in 2016 titled On the Trail of Kett's Rebellion in Norfolk. Sansom said he had been planning his novel since December 2011.

Writing on the official C J Sansom website, the author said 'It is a delight to have completed Tombland. I have wanted for a long time to write about the surprisingly little-known English peasant rebellions of 1549, in which more rebels were killed than in the 1381 Peasants' Revolt, and of which Kett's rebellion in Norfolk was the largest. It has been a long time in the making - partly because of the sheer amount of research needed, partly beacause of delays through health problems. But here it is at last, with a murder mystery having ramifications both within and outside the rebel camp at the centre of the story.'

Samuel Wale engraving of Robert Kett beneath the oak of reformation. Photo: Samuel Wale/Wikipedia (Image: Samuel Wale/Wikipedia)

Aside from the Matthew Shardlake series, Sansom is also the author of bestselling books Winter in Madrid (2006) and Dominion (2012), an alternative history novel set in a Britain where Germany has won World War II.

Sansom is a Scottish-born author and was educated at the Univeristy of Birmingham. He currently lives in Sussex.

Earlier this year, Norwich was again thrown into the limelight for its fascinating Tudor history when it featured in a Channel 4 programme Britain's Most Historic Towns. The episode, presented by Alice Roberts, also touched upon the lesser-known Kett's rebellion. She dubbed Norwich 'Britain's most Tudor town.'

Sansom's Tombland will be released later this year on October 18.

The Robert Kett plaque at Norwich Castle (Image: Archant)

For more information on C J Sansom including details on how to preorder the novel, visit www.cjsansom.com.