The new Hamlet thriller comes out in a year that marks the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, yet may be a surprising birthday present since it strips away his language entirely. (For purists, of course, Audible offers several versions of the classic Hamlet narrated by such theater gods as John Gielgud, Simon Russell Beale and Laurence Olivier.)

Hartley says he and Hewson were inspired by the shorter version of Hamlet found in the playwright's first quarto.

The earlier play is more action-driven and less heavy with existential angst than the one school children annually struggle over.

"I think this material is engaging and exciting, but the language can be so off-putting for people that they go, 'I can't do this' , " he says." Or, worse, they think,' This no longer speaks to us' . "