A Stage Set for Villains - Shannon J. Spann

"Spann’s debut novel is a dark and dizzying fantasy that will keep readers enthralled to the end."―STARRED Kirkus Reviews

Don’t miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run in the US and Canada only, a must-have for any book lover.

The gods are dead. All that’s left are the Players…

The performers of the Playhouse are as worshipped as they are feared, their enchanting shows bending hearts, minds, and even reality itself. Vicious, godlike, lethal. Eighteen-year-old Riven Hesper knows the dangers better than anyone, after her own encounter with a Player resulted in a curse that is slowly killing her.

When the Playhouse announces the spectacle of a lifetime—a chance for one mortal to steal a Player’s immortality—Riven sees her last chance to live. Desperate for answers, she infiltrates the competition. There, she finds Jude, the Playhouse’s brilliant, merciless Lead Player, whose charm is as dangerous as his Craft, and strikes a deadly bargain to save her life.

But with time running out and the Playhouse’s secrets unraveling into a disturbing picture, Riven faces a grim possibility: she might not be the hero of her story after all. In fact, she may be the villain.

Because the Playhouse doesn’t just tell stories. It rewrites them.

And Riven’s might end in blood.

Caraval meets One Dark Window in this lush and dark fantasy.

“Debut author Spann skillfully leverages scriptlike dialogue and punctuated drama structures to flesh out the Playhouse’s vivid world, which is rife with political intrigue and power imbalances. Riven and Jude’s sharp banter and slow-burning enemies-to-lovers romance dials up the novel’s showmanship."―STARRED Publishers Weekly review

"Spann’s debut novel is a dark and dizzying fantasy that will keep readers enthralled to the end."―STARRED Kirkus Reviews

“Readers who enjoy fantasy, mystery, theatre, and a little bit of romance will love this twisty story.” ―STARRED School Library Journal review

“Dark fantasy at its most intoxicating. Shannon Spann delivers a world where gods crave applause, mortals bleed for love, and every truth feels like a curse. I was completely enthralled.”—#1 NYT bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

“Absolutely thrilling. Be ready to be hooked from the first page to the shocking end.”—NYT bestselling author Elise Kova

“A Stage Set for Villains is a love story drenched in beauty, blood, and betrayal—a performance so mesmerizing you forget where the fiction ends. I couldn’t put it down.“—J. Elle, NYT bestselling author of the House of Marionne series

“As enthralling as it is unique, A Stage Set for Villains will have you spellbound!“—#1 NYT bestselling author Mai Corland

“Part novel, part script, A Stage Set For Villains is a fascinatingly unique world like nothing you’ve ever read before, where mirrors are to be feared, life-eating curses abound, and vicious humans-turned-gods called Players perform on a voracious playhouse stage, that will have you riveted from the first casting call!” —USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard