A Crown of StarsA Crown of Stars

This historical novel portrays the final voyage and sinking of the RMS Lusitania through the perspective of a young actress whose life intersects with prominent figures of the early twentieth-century theater world. Set in England, continental Europe, and the United States in the years leading up to World War I, the narrative follows Marguerite Jolivet, who adopts the stage name Rita and pursues a theatrical career in London, New York, and the emerging film industry. Her professional path brings her into contact with theatrical producer Charles Frohman. As war intensifies in Europe, she travels aboard the Lusitania, whose 1915 torpedoing by a German submarine became a significant event in the history of World War I. Blending fictionalized biography with historical events and real-life figures, the novel explores themes of family, ambition, performance culture, and the impact of war on transatlantic society.