For hundreds of years historians have argued not only the truth of the Gunpowder Plot, but whether an obscure resident of Stratford-upon-Avon could have written the plays accredited to William Shakespeare. In these two highly acclaimed historical crime thrillers, Martin Stephen combines a top academic's grasp of history with a storyteller's ability to create huge suspense - all this set against a vividly realised background of an England poised between the medieval and modern age. Stephen's books are not just top-class crime adventures, but provide an enthralling vision of history. Nominated for a Golden Dagger award, this is thriller writing at its best.