The Marlowe Papers

***WINNER OF THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE* 'Sharp, concise, stunningly visual' Sunday Times** On 30th May, 1593, a celebrated young playwright was killed in a tavern brawl in London. That, at least, was the official version of events. Now Christopher Marlowe reveals the truth: that his 'death' was an elaborate ruse to avoid being convicted of heresy; that he was spirited across the Channel to live on in lonely exile; that he continued to write plays and poetry, hiding behind the name of a colourless man from Stratford - one William Shakespeare. With the grip of a thriller and the emotional force of a sonnet, this remarkable novel in verse gives voice to a man who was brilliant, passionate and mercurial. Memoir, love letter, confession, settling of accounts and a cry for recognition as the creator of some of the most sublime works in the English language, The Marlowe Papers brings Christopher Marlowe and his era to vivid life. **'The best book I've read for a long time. Truly innovative, truly original, and a powerful poetic journey to another truth' Benjamin Zephaniah 'Rich and charmingly playful' Sunday Telegraph**