First published 2020
Clark transplants the Bard's mischievous tale to modern-day Windsor, Ontario. Alice Ford and Margaret Page, two married friends, receive identical love letters from the boastful Sir John Falstaff, now a failing used car salesman convinced of his own irresistible charm. The women decide to teach him a lesson he won't forget. Meanwhile, Anne Page finds herself caught between three suitors her parents have chosen and the young man she actually loves. As Falstaff stumbles from one humiliating trap to another, the wives orchestrate increasingly elaborate schemes to expose his foolishness. Their husbands grow suspicious, jealousy clouds their judgment, and the small border town becomes a stage for romantic confusion and comic revenge. Clark preserves the spirit of Shakespeare's farce while updating the setting and social dynamics for contemporary readers. The result explores how desire, deception, and community gossip create chaos in ordinary lives.
Genres: fiction, drama, contemporary, comedy
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Ontario, Windsor
Period: modern-day
136 pages · Paperback · Independently published