From the Back Cover
An exquisite portrait of a Renaissance woman pursuing her artistic destiny in England and Italy, who may or may not be Shakespeare s Dark Lady. MARGARET GEORGE, internationally best-selling author of Elizabeth I
The Dark Lady s Mask is a richly imagined, intensely romantic, and meticulously researched homage to lauded poet, Aemilia Bassano Lanyer . . . Sharratt unfolds a captivating tale, a compelling what if scenario, of a secret union that fed the creative fires of England s greatest poet and playwright. KATHLEEN KENT, best-selling author of The Heretic s Daughter
Perfectly chosen details and masterful characterization bring to life this swiftly moving, elegant story. As atmospheric and compelling as it is wise, The Dark Lady s Mask is a gem not to be missed. LYNN CULLEN, best-selling author of Mrs. Poe and Twain s End
Mary Sharratt is a magician. This novel transports the reader to Elizabethan England with a tale of the bard and his love that is nothing short of amazing. Absorbing, emotional, historically fascinating. A work of marvelous ingenuity! M.J. ROSE, New York Times best-selling author of The Witch of Painted Sorrows
I enjoyed this exciting fantasy of Shakespeare s dark lady. There was adventure, betrayal, resilience, and above all, the fun notion that Shakespeare might have had far more than a muse to help him create his wonderful plays. KARLEEN KOEN, best-selling author of Dark Angels and Before Versailles
The Dark Lady s Mask beautifully depicts the exhilaration and pitfalls of subterfuge, a gifted woman s precarious reliance on the desires of powerful men, and the toll paid by unrecognized artistic collaborators. Resonant and moving. MITCHELL JAMES KAPLAN, author of By Fire, By Water
Romantic, heartbreaking, and rich in vivid historical detail and teeming Elizabethan life, the novel forms an elegant tapestry of the complexities, joys, and sorrows of being both a female and an artist. KAREN ESSEX, author of Leonardo s Swans and Dracula in Love
About the Author
MARY SHARRATT, the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, is on a mission to write strong women back into history. Her novels include Daughters of the Witching Hill, the Nautilus Award–winning Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen,The Dark Lady’s Mask: A Novel of Shakespeare’s Muse, and Ecstasy, about the life, loves, and music of Alma Mahler. She is an American who lives in Lancashire, England.
