Survival of the Fittest

The tale of two extraordinary romantic relationships, one modern, one historical - which become inextricably linked and together affect man’s vision of the world. Charles Darwin formed his revolutionary Theory of Evolution during decades of research and sickness. Throughout it all his devoted wife Emma nursed him and edited his work, even though, devout Christian that she was, she feared for his soul as she realised where it was leading him. The publication of Charles’s seminal work ‘Origin Of Species’ shook philosophy to its foundations and brought the perennial debate about the existence of God to the forefront of man’s consciousness. Yet in the book - partly because of Emma’s admonitions - he refrained from interpreting the religious implications for fear of adding to the public furore. But suppose that he did in fact write down his conclusions as a secret Addendum. And suppose that Emma kept her own secret journal in which, not only does she describe the hectic day-to-day doings of the enormous Darwin household, but also comments on this hidden postscript. The modern-day story involves the detective search for these two hugely significant works. Maurice, an eccentric London antiquarian book dealer, his own life in turmoil over the loss of his beloved wife, is hired by an equally eccentric American billionaire to track down the documents for his world famous collection of original manuscripts. The complex investigation ranges across England, from historic towns and stately homes, to prisons and Darwin houses. Along the way it reveals the spiritual struggle within the extraordinary Darwin family, and produces an epiphany in Maurice’s own turbulent existence. It culminates in a revelation that threatens to affect man’s thinking for ever. Robin Hawdon is one of Britain's most prolific playwrights. His plays have been seen in over forty countries. At any one moment there may be over twenty productions running across the USA, Europe, and elsewhere. This is his third novel.