What if the greatest writer of all time isn’t who we think he is?

In 1581, Emilia Bassano is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress she has access to the theatre and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. But creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at a cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. His name?William Shakespeare.

In present day Manhattan, playwright Melina Green has written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theatre. Is Melinalike Emiliawilling to forfeit her credit as author, to see her work performed?

No.1New York Timesbestselling author Jodi Picoult has written a sweeping tale of ambition, courage and desire that explores the ways in which two women, centuries apart, are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.