Shelly's Book Blog

The Playmaker, by J. B. Cheaney, is a YA novel set in London during Shakespeare's time. Richard Malory, the main character, finds a position with Shakespeare's company after the death of his mother forces him to make his own way in the world. He is a reluctant actor at first but soon finds that he has talent. A mystery involving his missing father distracts him, though, and he soon finds himself playing detective.

This time period has always fascinated me, so I enjoyed reading this story, but I found that many of the characters are thinly drawn and it was difficult to follow the twists and turns of the plot. Still, a good one to recommend to students who want an historical fiction novel set in the Elizabethan era.