“Thoughtful and entertaining with a fantastic mix of fact and fiction”

Arden might not be the first name you would think of when speaking about William Shakespeare, but after reading this part fact, part fiction by GD Harper, you will not forget their story.

Thomas Arden was the former mayor of Faversham in Kent but was brutally murdered by his wife, Alice Arden, who was burned at the stake for this scandalous crime.

Shakespeare, who is born 13 years after the death of Arden, uses the nasty outcome to his life as the basis of the Bard’s first ever play. Despite being the inspiration for his work, Shakespeare omits any mention of Arden and GD Harper has taken it upon himself to investigate why.

With the use of recently published academic research and digging deep into historical documents, Harper has produced a thoughtful and entertaining story which will have the avid reader wanting to delve into history themselves to discern fact from fiction.

Harper has unearthed new evidence about the murderous end to Thomas Arden’s life and how this is linked to Shakespeare’s play. If you are a fan of the Bard or love some historical intrigue, then reading Arden would be a great way to spend a chilly Winter’s night.