Wicked Company

All of life's a wicked stage and love a dangerous drama ... A fascinating portrayal of London's theatrical milieu ... Ware again proves she can intertwine fact and fiction to create an entertaining and harmonious whole.-Publishers Weekly If Shakespeare had a sister ... In 18th century London the glamorous Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres were all the rage, beckoning every young actor, actress, playwright, and performer with the lure of the stage lights. But competition and back-biting between theatre owners, patrons, actors, and writers left aspiring playwrights with their work stolen, profits withheld, and reputations on the line. For a female, things were harder still, as the chances of a petticoat playwright getting past the government censor was slim. In this exciting and cutthroat world, a young woman with a skill for writing and an ambition to see her work performed could rise to glory, or could lose all in the blink of an eye ... In Ciji Ware's signature style, real-life characters of the day create a backdrop for a portrait of a glittering era, a love story, and a compelling glimpse into what life was like for a strong and independent-minded woman in an emphatically man's world. A historical novel so lively and intriguing, you don't realize you've learnt anything till after you close the book. Exciting, entertaining, and enlightening.-Literary Times.