Gary Blackwood’s sequel to The Shakespeare Stealer (Dutton, 1998) continues the story of young Widge, now an apprentice actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Will Shakespeare’s acting company. Set in 1602, when the Black Plague closed the London theaters, Widge and the company are on the road, hoping to play smaller towns in the north until it’s safe and profitable to return to London. But the entire company’s future is put in jeopardy by the nefarious actions of a rogue troupe of actors, the reckless behavior of Shakespeare’s younger brother, Edmund, and a man who claims to be the father Widge has never known. In the meantime, Widge is called upon to act as scribe for Shakespeare, who is working on a new play ( All’s Well That Ends Well) but has broken his arm in a fight on stage and cannot write. A historical setting that incorporates details about life in Elizabethan England and characters who are true to the times stands out in this novel that packs action, drama, humor, and mystery into its pages. (Ages 10-14)