How many lives they have lived, if only for a night! Puppets and peril, lonely streets and glittering salons—Rupert and Istvan have played through it all, and sought to make the road their lasting home. But that road winds through the past—including the brothel called the Rose and Poppy—while threats and invitations abound: a scheming social climber, a lovesick exile, the Mercury Theatre closed . . . or is it? Old friends from afar join comrades in the here-and-now, as power, love, and fate combine to play out the final chapter of the story of a lifetime. The curtains rose with UNDER THE POPPY, the passionate play continued in THE MERCURY WALTZ. Now Kathe Koja brings the POPPY trilogy to a stunning and masterful conclusion in THE BASTARDS’ PARADISE. “The final act in a grand epic: I loved this book. It broke my heart and made me cry, but it also made me grin, and shake my head, and turn the pages faster . . . Koja is a phenomenal writer.” - Cat Hellisen, author of BEASTKEEPER Kathe Koja’s books include Under the Poppy, The Cipher and Skin; her young adult novels include Buddha Boy, Talk and Kissing the Bee. Her work has been honored by the ALA, the ASPCA and with the Bram Stoker Award. Her books have been published in seven languages and optioned for film. She’s a Detroit native and lives in the area with her husband, artist Rick Lieder. She also runs Loudermilk Productions, creating site-specific immersive events including performances of Faustus and her own adaptation of Under the Poppy.