If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.

As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.

"Do you blame Shakespeare for any of it?" the retired detective asks the released convict. "I blame him for all of it," the narrator replies.

My Verdict: The strength of this novel is in the character development. The seven main characters are just as unique as they are similar. They are compelling, if a bit pretentious. Their complete infatuation with William Shakespeare, poetry, and words creates a whole new world that only they are living and we get to witness it.

As a witness to the exploits of these young actors, I was fascinated with figuring out where each actor ends and their character begins. How much of Richard is an abusive bully, and how much of it originates from the innumerable tyrants he plays onstage? Is Meredith really the sexy seducer, or do people only see her that way because it’s how she is typecast? And what of those, like James, who are too talented to get stuck in the same blandly heroic role over and over again? Or Oliver and Filippa, who are constantly overlooked and ignored, considered bit players at best?

I also liked that, like one of the Bard's plays, If We Were Villains is structured in Five Acts. Each begins with a Prologue in the modern day with Colborne and Oliver's final interview, and then returns to the scenes where Oliver tells the events of ten years ago.

I did wonder if this novel might be difficult for those with no Shakespearean background. I have bachelors degree in English and I am a retired English teacher, so I enjoyed the use of material from various Shakespearean tragedies. It added to the story for me, but for those who have difficulty understanding Shakespeare, you may also have some difficulty with this novel. I did think the ending was a bit predictable and for that reason I give this book 4 stars.