The Tyger Striped Boy

One boy’s truth could bring the house down in this vivid historical tale of wonder, love, and the fine line between performance and exploitation.

London, 1789. After a fire consumes the Theatre Royal, master showman Joseph Eliot is desperate to rebuild. His answer comes in the form of a strange, silent boy—his skin marked with tiger-like stripes—and a plan to turn curiosity into spectacle.

As the boy is thrust into the limelight alongside a live tiger, audiences are captivated. But behind the applause, dark questions stir. Where did the boy come from? Why does he never speak? And what secret binds him to a powerful man with influence—and a motive to see him disappear?

As the city whispers and danger mounts, someone is arrested for a crime they may not have committed. Joe’s right-hand woman, Rebecca, must uncover the truth before the curtain falls—for the boy, for Joseph, and for herself . . . 

Praise for Elizabeth Cooke

“Highly readable . . . gripping stuff.” —Daily Express

“Her research is excellent . . . riveting, heart-rending.” —Historical Novel Society