England, 1685. Decades after the end of the English Civil War, the country is once again divided when Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle. Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth's army is quickly defeated by King James II's superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn, and quartered. As Dorset braces for carnage, the formidable Lady Jayne Harrier and her enigmatic son, assisted by the reclusive daughter of a local magistrate, contrive ways to save men from the gallows. Compelling and powerful, The Players is a story of guile, deceit, and compassion. Secrets are kept and surprising friendships formed in a dangerous gamble to thwart a brutal king's thirst for vengeance ...