Francois Villon, thief, killer, blackguard, fornicator, pimp, incorrigible rogue and France's foremost poet, walked through the gates of Paris and disappeared from history on January 5th., 1463, aged 32. Where did he go? What did he do?

Terence Morgan (author of 'The Master of Bruges', 'The Shadow Prince' and 'The Book of David' trilogy -- 'Goliath', 'Saul' and 'Joab')) answers these questions in his own inimitable way, with Villon cutting a rambunctious, scurrilous swathe through the western Europe of his time, spending time in France, Spain, Germany and Norway.

In turn hilarious, touching and tragic, his story moves from the stews of Paris to the high life of French nobility and back again, as Francois takes pilgrimage, prison cells and prostitutes in his stride, while always producing peerless poetry.