A Tip for the Hangman

A Novel

By: Allison Epstein

Narrated by: James Meunier

An Elizabethan espionage thriller in which playwright Christopher Marlowe spies on Mary, Queen of Scots while navigating the perils of politics, theater, romance—and murder.

England, 1585. In Kit Marlowe's last year at Cambridge, he is approached by Queen Elizabeth's spymaster offering an unorthodox career opportunity: going undercover to intercept a Catholic plot to put Mary, Queen of Scots on Elizabeth's throne. Spying on Queen Mary turns out to be more than Kit bargained for, but his salary allows him to mount his first play, and over the following years he becomes the toast of London's raucous theater scene. But when Kit finds himself reluctantly drawn back into the world of espionage and treason, he realizes everything he's worked so hard to attain—including the trust of the man he loves—could vanish in an instant.

Pairing modern language with period detail, Allison Epstein brings Elizabeth's lavish court, Marlowe's colorful theater troupe, and the squalor of sixteenth-century London to vivid, teeming life. At the center of the action is Kit himself—an irrepressible, irreverent force of nature.

Marlowe as a spy

Cleverly based novel on the numerous theories about Marlowe as a spy though various liberties are taken regarding a role in Mary Queen of Scots’ execution. This Marlowe while still brilliant, lacks the joie de vivre I expected. He also is immature, takes his lover for granted again and again, and certainly lacks the mental discipline of a successful spy to compartmentalize his secret work from his private life. A solid effort however, worth reading. The Audible version needs a better narrator who speaks more smoothly, not with the stop and start phrasing of this narrator. Dialogue is fine but non-dialogue is delivered in an annoying staccato style. I increased the playback to overcome this problem.

Extremely well written

Great storyline and pace. Believable dialogue, very easy to lose yourself in the story. A new favorite of mine, can't wait to read more from the author.

Good novel, poor history

Your enjoyment of this novel will depend on your tolerance for the author's reinvention of Christopher Marlowe. The real Marlowe was a total badass and probably not a very nice guy - but hey, he was a genius. Allison Epstein transforms him into a sensitive wimp and invents a love affair to make him more sympathetic. I would have preferred a more true to life portrayal.

The narration, however, is first rate.

enjoyable

I found this book an engaging read. The characters were realistic, The story was compelling enough that it made me look up more about Christopher Marlow because I wanted to know more.

Feisty and Fraught

This is the Kit Marlowe I’ve been waiting to see. Throughly enjoyable romp Through Elizabethan England with a Kit who tries so hard to find himself. Will he? Did he? We know What happens, yet we can’t help but hope.