A Stage Set for Villains is a darkly seductive spectacle of ambition, deception, and deadly charm¿perfect for fans of The Night Circus and One Dark Window.
Eighteen-year-old Riven Hesper is running out of time. Cursed by a Player¿a godlike performer whose unnatural allure is as lethal as it is irresistible¿she has one shot to survive: infiltrate the Playhouse, the traveling theatre where Players reign supreme, and find a way to break the curse before it kills her.
But inside the Playhouse, survival comes at a steep price. Every season, mortals compete for a single, blood-soaked prize: the chance to kill a Player and steal their power. Riven wants nothing to do with the game…until Jude¿charismatic, cruel, and captivating¿makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Win the competition. Spare his life in the finale. And he’ll set her free.
Navigating the Playhouse means mastering illusions, surviving betrayals, and keeping pace with performers who shift identities as easily as costumes. But the deeper Riven digs, the more she realizes: this isn’t just a game. The Players are hiding something. And the Playhouse doesn’t want her cursed¿it wants her dead.
As the final act approaches, Riven faces a devastating truth. She might not be the hero of this story. She might be the villain.