Welcome to Shakespeare’s London, a world where the stage captures the hearts of every citizen, and where darkness hides dangerous and vengeful creatures. It is in this darkness that Shakespeare finds himself the victim of treachery most foul.
When Shakespeare is contacted by his dark mistress, the former love of his life, he is excited to see her again after the long separation. But to his horror, he finds that the years have not been kind; she is now disease-ridden and near death, and intends to blackmail him, threatening to expose their affair unless he pays her considerable doctors’ bills.
When a sudden fire takes her life the only witness is brutally murdered, making Shakespeare the primary suspect. With his reputation and his life itself on the line, Shakespeare must put down his quill and brace himself for a mystery like none other.
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“Mr. Tourney seems to have a good understanding of his scenery, and his dialogue has a nice unmannered period feel. He gives us just enough of a sixteenth-century culture to establish the appropriate tone.”
— New Yorker
“Vividly evocative of the era and marvelously readable.”
— People“Tourney writes so well that we are drawn into another world.”
— Pittsburgh Press“Adroitly blends British history with a wonderful cast of actual and fictional characters.”
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch“Tourney is a superb writer, skilled in the richness of the Elizabethan use of language.”
— Tulsa World“Literate and entertaining…Will becomes an appealingly human figure, anxious about the future yet filled with a refreshing optimism. Shakespeare fans will delight in this witty caper.”
— Publishers Weekly“Jay’s animated, personable, fully differentiated reading is a treat.”
— Kliatt" I found this book a little difficult to get into, but once I managed to get through the first 30 pages, I found it to be a rather interesting story of Shakespeare's supposed love for his dark mistress. "
— Natasha, 3/17/2009Leonard Tourney came to BYU in 2006 after teaching at Western Illinois University, the University of Tulsa, and the University of California at Santa Barbara. A specialist in composition pedagogy and creative writing, Professor Tourney has authored scholarly articles in seventeenth century British literature, a critical biography of Joseph Hall, short fiction, and nine historical novels, the most recent a fictional memoir of William Shakespeare. He lives in Goleta, California.
Tony Jay was born in London. A former Royal Shakespeare Company actor, he is a veteran of stage, television, film, and radio. His voice is recognized internationally for his work as Judge Frollo in Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame and in innumerable narrations for the History Channel and A&E.