Book Review: A Backstage Betrayal by Michael Ball

THE THEATRE MAY SEEM GLAMOROUS, BUT SECRETS WAIT BEHIND THE CURTAIN

1926. Running a theatre may appear to be all about the showbiz, but times are hard at The Empire. Following a turbulent period Jack Treadwell, erstwhile proprietor, his mother Lillian, and his playwright wife Grace, know they need to get things back on track - and how better than with the annual pantomime, a new venture, and an all-singing all-dancing talent contest, showcasing the best performers around.

But could Lillian's new admirer, Grand Duke Nikolai Kuznetsov, be bringing disaster in his wake? Will The Empire be caught up in the scandal surrounding West End star, Stella Stanmore? And what are their enemies in Highbridge planning?

While Jack and Grace fight to ensure the show does go on, a royal visitor raises the stakes and a young widow, Sally Blow, dares to dream that the talent contest might be her big break.

As the talent contest draws closer, tragedy strikes. Amid the glitz and glamour there are strange goings on and a plot afoot. Is everything Jack and Grace have worked so hard for about to come crashing down? And could this be curtains for The Empire?

GENRE: Historical Thriller/Drama

PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michael Ball OBE is a singer, actor, presenter and now author. He's been a star of musical theatre for over three decades, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical twice, he's also won two BRIT awards and been nominated for a Grammy. Michael regularly sells out both his solo tours and his Ball & Boe shows with Alfie Boe and has multiple platinum albums. The Empire was his first novel published in 2022.

Review

I couldn't resist picking this book up for two reasons: 1) I'm a theatre actress myself (though currently inactive), and 2) one of my early theatre experiences was listening to the Les Miz 10th Anniversary Concert tapes, in which Michael Ball played Marius. And I wasn't disappointed! The theatre landscape might be different in the 1920s, but the story didn't fail to showcase the elements I've come to know and love in my years on the stage. Now I want to experience the backstage magic again!

I didn't realize until several chapters in that this is actually the second book in a series, but I also had no problem grasping the story without having read the first. Though it seems like Jack is the main character, much like a theatre production, there are plenty others with equally important roles regardless of their exposure. I enjoyed the cast variety and rooted for quite a lot of them!

Having only moved to England a few years ago, it was also really nice to see the workings of the English theatre scene. And while the novel doesn't take place in the West End, it has characters that help give a glimpse of that world, too. Plus the pantomime! I'm one of those who delighted in discovering panto, so I loved how it was featured.

The story might move a little slowly for some readers, but I for one enjoyed the details provided through the many different characters. (Don't be intimidated by the massive cast list! It's just a resource to go back to when you forget who's who, and also is a homage to having a show programme, I think?) And while I felt the plot wrapped up a little too neatly, at the same time, it was fitting because it was, well, theatrical? Like I left the theatre having watched a good show. But the twist was good and unexpected, and I loved the sheer chaos of the last act as it was very reminiscent of how chaotic a production could be backstage! (Though these days the chaos is less... life-threatening, haha.)

If you're a theatre fan, you just might really enjoy this! And while we're on the topic of theatre-themed novels, I also recommend The Showstopper by Kyle Robertson, which is set in Broadway in 1922 with a Phantom of the Opera-esque mystery, and The Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett, which is set in an alternate London in the mid-20th century and features an immersive theatrical world inspired by Punchdrunk.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Hi! I'm Marie, a Filipino SFFH author and book reviewer currently based in the UK. I’m the co-author of The Prophecies of Ragnarok, a Norse myth new adult urban fantasy trilogy, and I also have several short stories published in anthologies and literary journals.

You can find more info about me and my books, and also subscribe to my newsletter for more content, here. And if you like what I do, please also consider supporting me on Ko-fi! 🩷 https://ko-fi.com/mariesinadjan

If you fancy a short read, I have a cozy reimagining of the Norse myths about Hel, but it's just under 70 pages and can be read in one sitting. ✨ Plus there's a swag kit coming soon! Includes a "membership card," a bookmark, a sticker, an origami dog, and an exclusive 500-word story 🫶🏼

All things end, and all must die.

But death is not always the end.

When Geiravor Lokisdottir was stripped of her name and cast out of Asgard, torn from her family and the life she had known, she thought she’d lost it all. But in the shadows of Niflheim she discovers the path to her destiny, and what it truly means to be queen.

This is a prequel short story to THE PROPHECIES OF RAGNAROK trilogy by Meri Benson and Marie Sinadjan, and a retelling of the myths involving Hel, the Norse goddess of death and the queen of the underworld.