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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
A severed head discovered; some disturbing imagery in a theatrical context
Language
Barely any
Period language; some Shakespearean intensity
Sexual Content
Barely any
No significant sexual content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
The staging of Macbeth and the production's mounting dread give the novel sustained psychological atmosphere
What this book is about
A new production of Macbeth at the Dolphin Theatre is haunted by superstition and ill omen. Alleyn, married to actress Troy, watches rehearsals with growing unease. When a real severed head replaces the prop during a performance, the production becomes a crime scene. Marsh's last novel is a love letter to Shakespeare, theatre, and her long-running detective, suffused with atmosphere and the uncanny.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Severed head imagery
Macbeth curse atmosphere
Reader Verification
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