Winkler explores arguments for alternate authorship candidates, including Edward de Vere, Mary Sidney, Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, and Emilia Bassano.

She also describes in detail the correspondence about the authorship question between Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro.

In The Guardian, Stephanie Merritt compared the book to a detective story and praised Winkler's journalistic approach to the subject matter.

[13] Winkler's book has also received support from anti-Stratfordian organizations such as the De Vere Society,[14] the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship,[15] and the Shakespearean Authorship Trust.

[8] Slate published a review by Isaac Butler in which he compliments Winkler's writing style and humor but says her arguments quickly fall apart under careful examination.