C.J. Sansom, author of the historical best-selling Shardlake novels, has passed away at age 71.

via Deadline

He died on April 27th following a years-long battle with multiple myeloma.

Deadline reported the news, noting that Sansom’s Shardlake series had recently been adapted into a new show on Disney+. He died just days shy of the Shardlake premiere on Disney+ on May 1st.

via The Telegraph

Sansom’s colleagues and friends showed an outpouring of fond memories of the author, with his agent, Antony Topping, remarking on his “joyful and piercing sense of humor.” His longtime editor, Maria Rejt, said, “I shall miss him hugely, not only as a wonderfully talented writer who gave joy to millions, but as a dear friend of enormous compassion and integrity.”

The Shardlake series is made of seven novels and follows Matthew Shardlake, “a barrister with a hunchback who solves crimes while navigating the political intrigue and religious tensions under Henry VIII.”

©Disney

Shardlake is set in Tudor England, with Arthur Hughes leading the series alongside Anthony Boyle and Sean Bean. The new series is streaming on Disney+ on May 1st.

Our thoughts are with C.J. Sansom’s family and friends during this difficult time.