Tom Pryne appears to be an average 12-year-old boy apprenticed to his uncle's troupe of traveling players, wandering the countryside of Elizabethan England in search of audiences for their shows. But all is not as it seems, and Tom's true identity is a secret that could endanger his very life if revealed. In the town of Stratford, Tom is befriended by an imaginative young chatterbox named Will Shakespeare. Tom isn't looking for friends, but when his uncle is arrested on suspicion of murdering a wealthy townsman, he needs all the help he can get. Chock-full of period details and vocabulary, plus familiar names and situations for those familiar with Shakespeare's work, this quick-paced mystery is a winning adventure. The young Shakespeare is charming and believable, and the rest of the characters are lively, engaging folks. If the ending is a bit over-dramatic, that only seems fitting. A fantastic tale!