LONDON (AP) — British author C.J. Sansom, best known for his historical crime novels featuring the Tudor lawyer and investigator Matthew Shardlake, has died, his publisher said Monday. He was 71.

Pan Macmillan said Christopher John Sansom was working on his latest Shardlake novel, “Ratcliff,” when he died Saturday after a period of worsening health.

Sansom introduced the character of Shardlake in his first novel, “Dissolution,” a murder mystery set in Tudor England in the 16th century. The title referred to King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.

Published in 2003, the book’s combination of intriguing detective story and convincing historical details won Sansom critical acclaim and many fans, and he went on to release six more novels featuring Shardlake.

“Dissolution” has been adapted into a Disney+ series, and the show, starring actors Sean Bean and Arthur Hughes, is set to be released on Wednesday.