Kit Marlowe (1564-1593), is a fascinating historical character. Was he a spy for the Crown, and who was he dispatched to spy upon, and why? Where did Marlowe's sympathies lie? Why was he arrested, and what happened between his arrest and his death by stabbing?

Epstein bets the whole novel "A Tip for the Hangman" on Marlowe being a fully realized character, because the reader never leaves Marlowe's perspective throughout. I found him to be endlessly fascinating and sympathetic. Even knowing that Marlowe died very young, I was hoping he would be spared somehow, to write more plays and possibly be with his lover. I enjoyed the complex, fraught romance that is never far from Marlowe's thoughts even as he juggles the worlds of spycraft and theater (with not much difference between the two except that he is clearly made to write and act, and not to be a political puppet for people obsessed with religion and power.

So much mystery surrounds the life, death, religious beliefs, contemporaries, sexuality, and even works of Marlowe that Epstein has many blanks to fill in. She does an admirable job, and I was left feeling bereft and robbed of Marlowe's company when the novel ended.

Oh, what a treat this book is! I loved the intrigue, the theater, the romance, and above all the hero -- Epstein's Marlowe is a wonderful creation, and I found myself wishing that Epstein would rewrite history and make this the beginning of a very long series. I am so looking forward to recommending this to friends and patrons!

I'm not typically a historical fiction reader, but the description to this novel really grabbed my attention, so I decided to give it a try. I am SO glad I did! I absolutely adored every moment of this book. Kit is such a loveably arrogant character. His flaws, doubts, and moral crises definitely take the stage (pun definitely intended) throughout the whole novel. And though rocky at times, the love between Tom and Kit is so pure and sweet.

While I wouldn't call it a fast paced novel, it did move at a speed that kept my typically wandering attention throughout. It strikes a comfortable balance between action, intrigue, and character development, while staying fairly historically accurate.

A Tip for the Hangman is a bittersweet tale about the power, privilege, and love. The writing is so witty, the main characters are wonderfully human, and the plot will interest lovers of all genres, not just historical fiction readers. I will definitely be revisiting this story again.

Similar in setting and genre to The King at the Edge of the World, but a much different book. The guilt and potential attachment to the other side of spies is well represented. Marlow makes for a great central character. An enjoyable read.

I was not sure what to expect from this book but I loved it. It’s harrowing and exciting and romantic all at once. Even reading the note at the beginning I was still saddened and horrified by Kit’s murder.
I couldn’t help but root for Kit and Tom and wish for a world where they could be together safe and happy

I've always been fascinated by Christopher Marlowe, and this novel was an intriguing take on what secrets might have laid behind what we know about him. Plus, the queer romance was so wonderful to read. I wish there were more like that in historical fiction.

Christopher (Kit) Marlowe lived in a time of great intrigue and strife. The throne of England was contested by Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth the First. These cousins both had genealogical claims to the throne. A cobblers’ son attending Cambridge irritated those of means.

Kit had another problem, a lack of total subservience to the aristocracy. His humble beginnings were always a thorn of contention and a spear of disdain. As Kit is finishing his Masters’ he is approached by one of the heads of Queen Elizabeth’s spy service. His task was to unravel an intricate series of messages between Mary Queen of Scots and her supporters. Kit had shown himself very adept at breaking foreign syphers.

Kit is also a very prolific playwright. He is thrust into the under-belly of London society to uncover plots against the Queen. Tangled webs of deceit and subterfuge complicate his life and endanger him wherever he goes. Forces beyond his control continue to press him to decipher and expose the potential usurper to the throne. Getting into the good graces and trust of Queen Mary is one of his assignments. He succeeds and Mary is exposed and beheaded.

This author has pulled together a very believable narrative with predictable ends. Once one begins to read the book you must see it through to its’ conclusion.

The smells, sights, sounds, and the religious turmoil caused by a king who wanted to divorce his wife are sad. Beheadings are a common occurrence and hanging is rampant I recommend this book to any history buff. 5 stars - C.E. Williams

Christopher Marlowe is a man of our history. He existed, even if you've never heard of him, and is one of the most influential playwrights to ever live. A man of mystery, historians have speculated his life for 500 or so years, but even our author could not change his destiny.

Known to his friends as Kit, he's approached at Cambridge by Frances Walsingham and offered a job as a spy for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I. His first job is in the house of Mary, Queen of Scots where he proves to be good at his job. But being good at his job has some unintended consequences.

I think the first thing I can say is I'd give Kit 12 stars as a character. I liked pretty much everything about him. His moral flexibility, loyalty to his friends, and his work ethic give his character a lot of depth. Likable. Relatable. Not another character in this book is written with quite as much care. The entire book I hoped it wouldn't end the way I knew it would.

Likewise, I found some of the more villainous characters such as Poley, Baines, Cecil, and even Nick to be very one dimensional. Just a hint on why they had such a strong desire to be shitty humans would have been great. What was driving them? Character development, 3 stars.

As for plot development, I think the pacing is good, with just enough tension to keep me reading. A solid 4 stars. And again, because I liked Kit. And the chapters with he and Tom were my favorites. I loved the love they had for each other, their complete lack of shame. It would have been beautiful if we had gotten a lot more open communication, between the two. That would have made my heart happy.

Over all I liked the book. Mostly for Kit. I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a historical fiction and I'm looking forward to seeing how this author develops as a writer.

I've been putting off writing this review because no words can possibly express how much I loved this book. It's the kind of novel that transports you so fully into the narrator's head that you forget it was written by a modern-day author rather than the character himself - in this case, Kit Marlowe. Kit seems so real, with his irreverent wit and alluringly unbridled spirit, that I can't be blamed if I started talking to him when I'm sitting on the sofa! Epstein also manages to do a beautiful job with each of the other characters who get a turn from their point of view - Kit's love interest, Mary Stuart, various side characters. Each one has a unique, easily identifiable voice.
I think the characters are what most drew me into the story, as well as the relationships between them. I don't want to spoil anything, but I am in LOVE with Kit and Tom (I won't tell you how it ends for them!). Beyond that, though, were the incredibly evocative settings and the fast-paced plot. I could hardly put this book down, and had to fight to keep from opening it up on my Kindle when I was driving/at work/in the middle of conversations with people.
I adored A TIP FOR THE HANGMAN and cannot wait to purchase a copy when it comes out next year. Thanks to NetGalley, Knopf Doubleday, and Allison Epstein for the advance copy!

A Tip for the Hangman is brilliantly written, rife with tension and wit and characters that explode from the page. Kit is a flawlessly delivered protagonist, real and nuanced, admirable and tragic and complex. Epstein also painted the historical setting exceptionally well. I came into this read knowing very little about the history surrounding Kit Marlowe, but I never once felt stranded or left behind. It's detailed and immersive without being overwhelming, and left me with a hunger to know more - after I recover from those last few chapters. Highly recommeded!

What a dramatic introduction to Christopher Marlowe ! Allison Epstein has written a spell-binding, page-turning, dramatic historical novel centered around efforts to bring a Catholic monarch to the crown of Great Britain during Elizabethan times.

I didn't realize how little I knew about Christopher Marlowe until introduced to him through this novel. He is presented as a compelling personality, larger than life, full of ego, talent and equal amounts of complexity and duplicity. I was drawn to the story, but also hesitant to embrace it. There was little foreshadowing of a happy ending, but the character's maturation as a playwright and as a man was an interesting study.

I was more drawn to literature than history as a University student and in the many succeeding years I have made up for the shortcomings in my historical knowledge by reading novels such as this. The temptation is to read fiction as fact when the story is told in a compelling fashion such as this.

I understand that historians and scholars are still speculating on the tavern scene that ends this book---and, whether this fiction is factual, we can agree that it was dramatic and tragic.

Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review