The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood

This is the first book in a series, and I gave it a rating of five out of five. Widge is an orphan who has been purchased by Simon Bass for his ability to write in charactery, a form of short-hand. Widge is sent to London to copy the script of one of Shakespeare's plays. Bass sends Falconer, a threatening, hooded man, to make sure Widge completes his mission. However, Widge fails twice for different reasons and decides to join Shakespeare's group. He is now stuck with the problem or whether to steal from his new friends or face the wrath of Falconer. A couple of surprises pop up along the way, but you may not be as surprised if you're able to notice the foreshadowing.

This is a historical fiction, and I enjoyed the information about life in Shakespeare's time, the theater, and the conflicts created by the author. Falconer is always in the back of your mind, and you keep wondering when he'll pop up again. He seems to know his way around London, but he's not comfortable around Shakespeare's Globe Theater. The book is not full of constant action, but it has its moments as Widge tries to adapt to the actors, to find his way through the unsavory parts of London, and to avoid confrontations with Falconer. You kind of expect that Falconer is not going to go away without a fight. The sequels to this novel are very good too.

Lexile level from lexile.com 840