All is not well in Venice. Threatened daily by Papal assassins, William Shakespeare and his close friends Oldcastle and Hemminges are increasingly isolated--the lies that have protected them so far are beginning to wear thin. His companions want desperately to leave, but Will is tied to the city--his lover, the beautiful Isabella, is growing ever more sick. As tensions reach breaking point, their company is forced to split . . . Once more full of swaggering charm, breathless action, and rapier-sharp dialogue, this is the second novel in Benet Brandreths highly acclaimed series reimagining the lost years of William Shakespeare.