The Wanton Angel
St. Martin's Press, July 1999
In The Wanton Angel, the tenth in Edward Marston’s critically acclaimed series featuring Nicholas Bracewell, court politics threaten to lower the curtain on Lord Westfield’s Men.
When the Privy Council decrees that all innyard theaters must close their doors, and only two playhouses may continue to give performances, Nicholas Bracewell and the theater company he manages face certain unemployment. Soon, however, an anonymous, powerful benefactress emerges to protect the vulnerable company. Revealing herself only to Bracewell, she promises to finance a new theater for his group. Invigorated with a fresh sense of hope, Lord Westfield’s Men determine to build an impressive performance arena and beat out their rivals, Banbury’s Men and Havelock’s Men, to capture one of the two coveted theater permits.
But soon after the foundations for the theater are laid, the enthusiasm of Lord Westfield’s Men is destroyed when one of the troupe’s rising stars is found murdered at the building site. Bracewell must find the killer and uncover the secrets of their mysterious patron before his company gets disbanded permanently.
Rich with vibrant characters and historical detail, The Wanton Angel is a remarkable addition to this popular series.