Craig Janacek

The Oxford Deception Craig Janacek

Who was William Shakespeare?An enigmatic monument points to a lost poem by a great conspirator. An ancient mystery explodes across modern London. A desperate race to prevent the Truth from being buried forever."Pilgrim, stand you on king's mound for a sign..."April, 2004. Alaric "Rick" Campbell, an American Rhodes Scholar in World History at Oxford University is handed an invitation to the Shakespeare Birthday Festival at Stratford-Upon-Avon. He imagines spending a boring weekend glorifying the one-time actor and merchant. But when Rick stumbles across the murdered body of one of the world's experts on the life and works of William Shakespeare, he discovers that the murdered man left behind a clue that calls into question the very identity of the Author of the plays. Aided by the upcoming playwright Elizabeth McAleth, a former pupil of the murdered man, Rick finds himself wanted by the police for the very murder he is trying to solve. The pair flee to London, where they receive further assistance from a dissident scholar trumpeting the candidacy of Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. Following the murdered man's last clue leads them first to the Shakespeare Monument in Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. From there the trio delves into the vast holdings of the British Library, where the forgotten voice of a long-dead poet sends them racing across London on a trail that has remained hidden for 250 years. They will visit great castles, churches, and playhouses, where the clues have lain in plain sight, for those prepared to see the Truth. Along the way, their steps will be hounded by a strange medley of antagonists. If they succeed in following the signs laid down centuries ago, an explosive truth may come to light. A Truth that could shake England to its very core... and finally expose the reason for The Oxford Deception. A taut thriller in the mold of Angels & Demons, THE OXFORD DECEPTION is a tapestry of veiled histories and enigmatic codes that will forever change how you think about the plays of William Shakespeare and their True Author.