DARK FIRE by C. J. Sansom (Penguin)

Following his CWA Ellis Peters Histosrical Dagger Award-winning DISSOLUTION, Sansom has another winner. In this outing, hunchback lawyer Matthew Shardlake is commissioned by Oliver Cromwell to find the source of a 16th century weapon of mass destruction. Although commissions from Cromwell are not to be ignored, Matthew has another compelling case on his hands--defending a young girl accused of murder who refuses to speak, even when threatened with torture. C. J. Sansom has, with just two books, established himself in historical mystery's forefront.