Part fun, part dramatic, this is a fantastic debut novel and such a great story, offering marvellous insight into the world of theatre with huge highs and very low lows. It has a bit of everything, and it's a really enjoyable read especially for a more grown up audience but one that theatre lovers (and performers) will definitely appreciate.

The Empire Theatre is owned by the recently widowed Lady Lassiter. Leaving for America to mourn, the running of the theatre is left to the staff, some of whom do not wish to see the theatre do well. There are even people in the town that plot to take the Empire for themselves.
When Jack Treadwell turns up at the Empire following the suggestion of his deceased mother, he finds himself flung into a new and exciting life working at the theatre.
At the Empire, Jack makes friendships and works to save the theatre. All the while, secrets and plotting threaten to ruin everything the staff are working for.

As a fan of the author, I was intrigued to see what their debut novel would be like and it did end up surprising me.
There were a lot of characters introduced at once, which I did find a little confusing. Jack Treadwell was possibly the character that had the most runtime so to speak. He was a war veteran who had recently returned back to the UK after being in France. I liked his relationships with the other characters.
Whilst I didn't particularly have a favourite character, I did like that there was a variety of different characters with different backgrounds and motives. However, some of them did seem a bit two dimensional.
One of my favourite dynamics in the book ended up being between Joe and Agnes, which I hadn't expected at the beginning.
The setting of the 1920s was interesting, and the time period affected the story line.
The plot was enjoyable and held my attention throughout. There were several events that surprised me, and more layers to the novel than I expected. However, I was never gripped or sucked into the plot.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Well written and easy to read. Set in the 1920’s the story has great characters and a well developed plot. Recommended.

So this is a bit of a weird one for me. It's taken me ages to read, very stop-start and I think that's because I couldn't quite what it wanted to be. It's tagged with romance and mystery - but I don't think either of those is really the focus. It's got a huge cast of characters to get your head around and it's quite slow paced for most of it. I liked the theatre detail and the time setting - but I just wanted more focus on a smaller group of people and more to happen. It's like it wanted to be a saga but didn't have enough drama! And that's not what I was expecting to say about a book about life in the theatre written by an actor. I know it's done really well though - and there's a sequel coming - so maybe I'm just not the audience for it!

I love musicals and going to the theatre. It’s a lovely read with characters who you get to go on a journey with. Set in the 1920s. Sit back and enjoy your trip to the empire,.

The Empire is written by a true theatre legend, Michael Ball. And it shows. The pages ooze with love and respect for the theatre. It's a true homage to theatre and an absolute delight to read. A must read for anyone who loves or has ever been moved by a piece of theatre they have seen.

Posted as part of the blog tour, sorry I forgot to update NetGalley,

I can honestly say I was drawn to this book..the cover! Amazing, The synopsis! Intriguing… and it’s written by Michael Ball! You’ll probably be thinking the same as me… he’s a singer… clearly a man of many talents.

We follow Jack Treadwell as he arrives at The Empire. Jack’s a former solider and after his return has struggled to find a place to really call home. His mam and dad have both died but a last note from his mother sends him on a journey of discovery.

Jacks’ quick and smart and soon has a job at The Empire but suddenly no acts want to play The Empire any longer.. but why? It soon becomes clear.. a rival theatre owner has them blacklisted!

Jack along with Grace Hawkins come up with a few ideas to save the struggling Empire and you can see the bond between them grow.

Things start to look a bit better for the theatre but how long can they go on.. they are still blacklisted… BOOM.. it’s time to write a new play and to find the stars themselves! They can do this!

Everyone pulls out all the stops to create a wonderful play.. but will it save the theatre?

There’s so much more to this tale then that though..and it’s not all romance either. There’s lies, deception, love, tears, joy, friendships…

The mix of characters, pace, plot and connections were superb. Nothing overshadows anything, each character supports the story perfectly and leave an impression on you, it’s more than just glitz and glamour.. the author did a fantastic job of developing the characters, it’s a big cast so I’m impressed just how detailed the characters and sub plots were.

I know the book has been labelled as a historical romance novel but that barely scratched the surface.. it’s a wonderous 5* adventure of friendship and hope!

Set in the 1920s at the Empire Theatre. A great debut novel by Michael Ball about musical theatre. Interesting story and starts with Jack Treadwell calling at the theatre after his Mother died. Well written book. Thank you to Netgalley for an A.R.C.

The book involves events around a musical theatre just after world war 1. A power struggle with the owner and a rival theatre impresario who wants to take the theatre over leaves them having to create their own acts. I feel since this was Michael’s first book he did keep my interest and the story was compelling if you enjoy upstairs downstairs dramas. It could be easily transferred into a Sunday night tv drama.
I would recommend if you like books that feature historical events and the stiff upper lip of the show must go on.

A fun read for anyone that loves theatre. Michael Ball’s love of that world and his experience in the industry really comes through. A really quick and enjoyable read.

The empire is a theatrical novel about theatre people, obviously written and read by someone who has never lost his love of the lights, the curtain calls, and treading the boards.

I really enjoyed reading this, as well as listening to the audiobook read by Michael Ball, who knows and loves all of his characters, he narrates his story with enthusiasm, which really helps because a large number of cast members are introduced in a pretty short space of time.

There are crooks, villains, a sweet love story, old flames, old grduges, drama, but overall an undercurrent of warmth, friendship, and loyalty that just makes this a really cosy read/listen.

The setting in the 1920s is inspired, as the theatre is still in it's heyday with movies not yet having taken hold, the theatre still ruled in terms of the colour, the celebrity, and the glamour, but there is also the backdrop of the recent world war, losses, and class prejudices which make for characters with some real depth, not just shadow puppets for the plot.

I took the audiobook version with me on some winter walks and I would recommend anyone who likes a cosy historical novel that doesn't take itself too seriously to do the same. A great read/listen for a road trip or holiday.

Michael Ball is one of my favourite tv personalities and his charisma came through in his writing for sure. A great trip back to the theatrical past.

Michael Ball has used his huge knowledge and experience of theatre to bring us this fantastically entertaining story.
Set in the 1920s, after the Great War, things are changing fast, and the larger than life characters in The Empire have a lot to deal with!
Our author describes this as a “love letter to the years I’ve had the privilege of spending on the stage..” and it is a love letter - I loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for review.

What a great debut novel! I love Michael Ball already so couldn't wait to read this and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint! When I read the cast list at the front of the book, I must admit I was a bit confused - there seemed to be an awful lot of people! However, once I started reading, they all fell into place. You can tell that the author had a great knowledge (and love) of the theatre - that shone through the pages. The characters were wonderful - you were just rooting for everything to turn out right for them. And The Empire was a such an amazing sounding place - how great to go and see a show there.

A fantastic read and I can't wait to see if he writes another.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

This is Michael Ball’s debut novel and I really enjoyed it. A lovely lighthearted romantic story set in the 1920’s. Michael’s love of theatre and all his experience shone through in the writing

The Empire by Michael ball

1922. Jack Treadwell arrives at The Empire in the middle of a rehearsal and he is instantly mesmerised. Once you look past the glitz and glamour, the true magic of the theatre lies in its cast of characters - both on stage and behind the scenes. There's stunning starlet Stella Stanmore and Hollywood heartthrob Lancelot Drake; and Ruby Rowntree, who keeps the music playing, while Lady Lillian Lassiter, theatre owner and former showgirl, is determined to take on a bigger role. And then there's cool, competent Grace Hawkins, without whom the show would never go on . . . could she be the leading lady Jack is looking for? When long-held rivalries threaten The Empire's future, tensions rise along with the curtain. There is treachery at the heart of the company and a shocking secret waiting in the wings. Can Jack discover the truth before it's too late, and the theatre he loves goes dark?

Jack is our eyes in this unfamiliar world, explaining the theatre whilst also representing the issues a man of his age would face post WW1. He outlines everything about the theatre as a physical space, both backstage, front of house and as a performer. There are three distinct aspects to the magic we see created on the stage. There’s the physical building and it’s structure housing the magic, the artists and stagehands who build the magic and then the money behind the magic. Without any of these aspects it’s impossible to create the business we call show. As Jack learns so do we and it brings a brilliant sense of wonder to the reading experience. The author also uses him to make the language of the theatre accessible to us, so we can understand everything that’s going on. Finally, Jack brings to life an aspect of life that affects all men of his age in the early twenties; learning to cope in the post war world. The trauma of war is explored through Jack and Danny Moon, with both young men very reluctant to discuss their experiences. However, as the story progresses it’s clear there are physical and emotional scars that can’t be seen.

Danny Moon in particular embodies a sad truth about war, men go into battle as one person and come out of as someone completely different, someone we may not recognise. All of the characters in the book have their own quirks and personality traits, making them feel real and individual in a large cast of characters. Often in casts like this people get lost but not here, where even if they are slightly stereotypical they’re still memorable. There’s a nice class distinction between upper and lower class characters and how they interact with each other too. The author even touched on the changes in women’s lives in the early Twentieth Century in a subtle but effective way. The issue of women’s legal and political equality was only one aspect of the volatile social change women faced at this time. In fact their social mobility had changed during the war and there were elements in society who wanted their roles to revert to pre-war tradition. Women were not so easily persuaded and the author represents this with headstrong female characters who struggle against the belief that women should return to the home. The role of actress had traditionally been synonymous with women of east virtue and those attitudes still exist, as well as mistaken beliefs that women can’t think and therefore act as well as men. The women here definitely prove those theories wrong! Finally, there were returning soldiers struggling with their mental health and Billy Barlow represents this wave of men with depression, anxiety and P.T.S.D. His struggles, enacted on the stage, are
The character of Billy Barlow brings the increasing mental health dilemma to the surface and he uses being on the stage to express and process those feeling. Of course the author isn’t aiming to make these the focus of the novel, but by adding the background he has grounded the story in it’s place and time.

Whilst I’m not specifically a Michael Ball fan, I am a huge fan of musical theatre and I know what an incredible talent he is in that world. I figured if anyone knows how to put the magic of the theatre into words then it’s him. I had a certain amount of scepticism though -as a lover of books I’ve looked on with dismay at brilliant writers struggling to get publishing deals, when celebrities seem to find it easy. Just because someone is a celebrity doesn’t make them a great writer. However, here Michael Ball’s warmth and love of his subject comes across beautifully and I really enjoyed the book. For a first novel, the story is long with many different avenues to explore, but I found that despite the complexity it wasn’t hard to follow and I didn’t have to go back over earlier sections to keep track. The structure helped, because in addition to chapter breaks there were clever changes in tone, setting and description. His story immerses the reader in the world of theatre, but the author has also created sympathetic characters and opened a window on the social issues of the 1920s. I look forward to more adventures at The Empire.

This was a treat to listen to on audio. It sounded as though Michael poured all his emotion and personality into this narration - his character voices were fantastic and some really made me smile - especially his female ones.
He is writing about what he knows - the stage and performing - and this really shows. Plenty of detail in the workings of the theatre and in the characters of the lovies.
I missed out on being on the blog tour for this one so really pleased I got the chance to listen top this one on Netgalley.
Really hope that he writes another book.

Returning home after years away, Jack finds himself without family or a home. Armed with a strange message left by his mother, he finds himself employed as doorman at the Empire Theatre. But all is not as it should be. Can Jack, aided by assistant manager Grace, save the theatre from closure?

I loved The Empire. I will admit to starting reading it only because it is written by Michael Ball, but I was soon hooked. He has created a huge cast of characters, some more shady than others, and I found myself completely engrossed in their story. Full of details about the workings of a theatre, as well as lost love, blackmail, intrigue and scandal, The Empire has something for everyone.

Absolutely loved it

I love absolutely anything set in the 1920s and this one did not disappoint.
You can tell that Michael Ball has been treading the boards for 30+ years as it know it all so well.

Lovely read.

Rating; 4.5 Stars

Musical theatre legend Michael Ball dazzles with his debut historical novel, The Empire.

It’s 1922 and when Jack Treadwell arrives at The Empire in the middle of a rehearsal, he is immediately enchanted. The glitz and glamour of this beautiful theatre takes Jack’s breath away, however, he soon realises that what occurs backstage is even more magical – and dramatic. From Stella Stanmore, the stunning starlet who has men falling at her feet to Hollywood heartthrob Lancelot Drake, The Empire is home to some of the world’s most revered stars – however, they would be lost without the likes of Ruby Rowntree who keeps the music playing, owner Lady Lillian Lassiter who is looking to take on an even bigger role and Grace Hawkins, whom Jack has taken quite a liking to…

However, Jack needs to be careful and not be so easily taken in by all that glitters as there are plenty of tensions and secrets waiting in the wings that could end up putting The Empire’s future in doubt. Can Jack discover the truth before it’s too late? Or is the curtain going to go down on The Empire forever?

Michael Ball’s The Empire is so beautifully atmospheric and wonderfully evocative, readers can almost smell the greasepaint and feel the excitement and adrenaline of a live performance pumping in their veins while reading this book. Michael Ball is an icon of musical theatre and his love of the craft and experience working on stage comes through so eloquently in his debut novel.

An enjoyable page-turner that would make an excellent Sunday night drama, Michael Ball’s The Empire is not to be missed.