The criminal's divided character is reflected in the unconventional structure of the book.

ECONOMIST: Literary history: Murderous man | The

That week, Mr. Morse was in rehearsals exploring key moments in "Tom Durnin, " in which he plays the title character, a white-collar criminal returning to his family after time in the clink.

WSJ: Poignant Scene in 'Pippin' Turns Actor David Morse's Head

But it does not tell us anything to justify changing the current historical view of Richard: that the Tudor historians and propagandists, culminating with Shakespeare, may have exaggerated his physical deformities and the horrors of Richard's character, but he remains a criminal king whose actions wrought havoc on his realm.

CNN: Richard still the criminal king

As a character, he's a career criminal, hired gun and professional thief, a pulp-fiction prince of America's seedy underworld.

CNN: Crime classic Parker is back in black