The Grand Scheme of Things

A Novel

By: Warona Jay

Narrated by: Ony Uhiara, Sam Stafford

Two unlikely friends hatch an extraordinary scheme to expose the theater world in this “layered, hyperaware, and as entertaining as it is incendiary” (Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author) debut novel exploring perception, redemption, and how success shapes us all.

“American Fiction meets Queenie: The Grand Scheme of Things skewers racism in the arts, while humorously and honestly exploring the importance of community, and what we’ll do for love and success” (Jenna Clake, author of Disturbance).

Meet Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo. Or, for short, Eddie: an aspiring playwright who dreams of making it big in London’s theater world. But after repeated rejections, Eddie suspects her non-white sounding name might be the problem.

Enter Hugo Lawrence Smith: good looking, well-connected, charismatic, and…very white. Stifled by his law degree and looking for a way out of the corporate world, he finds a kindred spirit in Eddie after a chance encounter at a cafe.

Together they devise a plan, one which will see Eddie’s play on stage and Hugo’s name in lights. They send out her script under his name and vow to keep the play’s origins a secret until it reaches critical levels of success. Then they can expose the theater world for its racism and hollow clout-chasing. But as their plan spins wildly out of control, Eddie and Hugo find themselves wondering if their reputations, and their friendship, can survive.

©2025 Warona Jay (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio