The Catalogue of Men — David Pownall

A bravura historical novel, humorous, witty and powerfully convincing.No sooner has Miguel settled in at the manor of Sir George Villiers in Leicestershire - where he is to tutor the young heir - than a friend arrives unannounced. It is Shakespeare, on urgent business, fresh from huge London success. Covertly he and Miguel work on Measure for Measure, while sharing the attentions of Sir George's wife, Mary. From here the reader is sucked into the vortex of European dynastic politics, adventuring with the two fascinating heroes through a dark, uncertain world.'William Shakespeare: renowned playwright; confidante to Queen Elizabeth; corrupter of 14-year-old virgins; dealer in the occult. Which one of these descriptions best fits the Bard? Pownall's tenth novel sees Shakespeare fulfilling each role in an early seventeenth-century world where only the unexpected can be expected . . . Pownall surfs the Elizabethan underworld with devilish skill, stripping away the facades to expose the real power at the heart of Europe. What begins as an action-packed historical novel tinged with romance quickly turns into a genre-bender before unleashing an unforgettable ending. Truly fantastic'Time Out