[close] is beautiful muse, his passionate mistress, and his dearest friend, the Dark Lady of his sonnets is the great love of Will Shakespeare's life-until she perishes horribly in a fire. Then Will alone witnesses a stranger stabbing a young player on a deserted stage . . . and all the Bard's eloquence cannot absolve him of the charge of murder. Released on bail, Shakespeare broadcasts the fiction that he is bound for Italy, but in reality travels England in disguise, seeking solace for his grief-and his player's killer. But in a masterful twist worthy of Will's own dramas he is pursued by a sadistic, vengeful stalker-also traveling incognito-sworn to restore his family's honor. Rich in suspense, period detail and intrigue, Time's Fool is a compelling, unforgettable journey through Shakespeare's world. [close]