"Christopher Black has delivered the book that historians of early modern Europe have all been waiting for. Focusing on key aspects of the Inquisition's history, and illustrated with vivid case histories, it is a pleasure to read and will certainly live on as a significant contribution to a range of fields for many years to come." - David Gentilcore, University of Leicester"Impressively comprehensive and up-to-date, this book is sure to become the fundamental point of reference for Anglophone readers interested in the Roman Inquisition during the period of its most important activity." - Simon Ditchfield, University of York "A revealing picture of this famous and often infamous institution and its organization, procedures, and personnel. With a deft hand Black effectively melds traditional institutional history, religious history and the new social and cultural history to rethink the impact of the Italian Inquisition. The result is an important synthesis which is both path-breaking and very readable." - Guido Ruggiero, University of Miami