Players of Death

Previously published as A Serpent in the Garden

'Will Shakespeare as a detective is so good you realise he was wasted as a playwright... This clever crime tale blends pace and humour into a riveting, believable and funny read' Sun Pick of the Week

It's 1592. As plague ravages London and playhouses close, the Bard turns sleuth

A young William Shakespeare was the rising star of the theatre world before a deadly epidemic forced the curtain to come down on his promising career as a dramatist.

Lady Celia Vernon is one of the first to succumb, but her cousin, the Earl of Southampton, is convinced she was actually murdered. He commands Will to uncover the truth.

But while Shakespeare is investigating the capital's cutthroats, Robert Cecil Queen Elizabeth's spymaster hears of his activities. Cecil suspects the earl of treason, and charges Will to report on his comings and goings.

Caught between a suspected murderer and two of the most powerful men in the kingdom, Will is playing a dangerous game. Losing might cost him his life

A perfect historical mystery for those new to Shakespeare and Bard aficionados alike, this is a fantastically realised imagining of the events of the famous 'Lost Years', where almost nothing is known about the most formative events of Will's incredible life.

'A thrilling adventure wonderfully evoked as Shakespeare turns spy' James Oswald

'Impressive... a delicious tapestry of intrigue and adventure' Crime Time

'Hugely entertaining, clever, engaging. An all-round delight' Trevor Wood

'A masterpiece' Rachael Blok

'I don't think I've ever read any fictional account that so accurately portrays the terrible autocracy that was in force during Elizabeth I's reign. I couldn't put it down' Barbara Nadel

'Absolutely fantastic. Clever, sly, funny, gripping everything to make it a terrific read' Ajay Chowdhury

'A rich page-turner the sights, sounds and atmosphere of 16th Century London pour from the pages' Isabel Ashdown

'Up there with the best historical fiction I've read Will Shakespeare is an almost competent private eye' James Oswald

'I haven't had this much fun in the Elizabethan era since Joseph Fiennes woo'd Gwyneth Paltrow' Douglas Skelton

'One of the best historical novels I've read in years' Robert Rutherford