A Stage Set for Villains
Shannon J. Spann(Author)
Mayhem Books (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 25. February 2027
Book
Paperback/Softback
560 pages
978-1-911753-14-8 (ISBN)
Description
Pre-order this stunning paperback edition of the instant Sunday Times bestselling book, A Stage Set For Villains.
CUE THE CHAOS. CUT THE LIGHTS. IT'S TIME TO TAKE TO THE STAGE. ??
Caraval meets One Dark Window in the spellbinding new enemies-to-lovers fantasy set in a mysterious theatre where godlike creatures run the show and mortals compete for immortality. ??
?? 'DARK FANTASY AT ITS MOST INTOXICATING' #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout ??
--
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.
Vibes of A Stage Set for Villains:
?? Theatre setting
?? Who's the villain?
?? Enemies-to-lovers
?? Dark atmospheric fantasy
?? Mind blowing twists
--
Critics are raving about A Stage Set for Villains:
'As enthralling as it is unique, A Stage Set for Villains will have you spellbound!' New York Times 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. . .that will have you riveted from the first casting call!' USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard
'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 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout
'Absolutely thrilling. Be ready to be hooked from the first page to the shocking end' New York Times bestselling author Elise Kova
'A dark and dizzying fantasy that will keep readers enthralled to the end' Kirkus Reviews
'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' Publisher's Weekly
CUE THE CHAOS. CUT THE LIGHTS. IT'S TIME TO TAKE TO THE STAGE. ??
Caraval meets One Dark Window in the spellbinding new enemies-to-lovers fantasy set in a mysterious theatre where godlike creatures run the show and mortals compete for immortality. ??
?? 'DARK FANTASY AT ITS MOST INTOXICATING' #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout ??
--
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.
Vibes of A Stage Set for Villains:
?? Theatre setting
?? Who's the villain?
?? Enemies-to-lovers
?? Dark atmospheric fantasy
?? Mind blowing twists
--
Critics are raving about A Stage Set for Villains:
'As enthralling as it is unique, A Stage Set for Villains will have you spellbound!' New York Times 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. . .that will have you riveted from the first casting call!' USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard
'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 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout
'Absolutely thrilling. Be ready to be hooked from the first page to the shocking end' New York Times bestselling author Elise Kova
'A dark and dizzying fantasy that will keep readers enthralled to the end' Kirkus Reviews
'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' Publisher's Weekly
Reviews / Votes
As enthralling as it is unique, A Stage Set for Villains will have you spellbound! -- New York Times 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 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 dark and dizzying fantasy that will keep readers enthralled to the end * Kirkus Reviews * 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 * Publisher's Weekly *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
544 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-911753-14-8 (9781911753148)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions




Shannon J. Spann
A Stage Set for Villains
Enter the magical world of The Playhouse in the new dark fantasy romance
E-Book
02/2026
Mayhem Books
€14.99
Available for download
Person
Shannon J. Spann is an NYC-based author from Virginia, where she grew up as one of six sisters and spent most days crafting stories in the woods (and subsequently performing them for anyone who would listen). A lifelong fan of ghost stories, old movies, and all things theatrical, she can most often be found wandering Central Park, exploring her local bookstore, or hunting down a sunbeam to read in. You can find her on Instagram @ShannonJSpann