*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