A Stage Set for Villains: A High Stakes Slow-Burn Fantasy Romance

By Shannon J. Spann

INSTANT #1 NYT BESTSELLER
STARRED Publishers Weekly Review
STARRED Kirkus Reviews
STARRED School Library Journal Review
OPTIONED FOR FILM by Amazon MGM Studios

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 romantasy.

***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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 164937951X
• ISBN13: 9781649379511
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 5.8" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 16 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 11 and higher