Shakespeare's Secret

Hero Hollis moves to a new town and learns about a diamond that went missing from her neighbor's house decades ago. The diamond has connections to both Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I, sparking Hero's interest in investigating its disappearance. With help from her new friend Danny and her neighbor Mrs. Roth, Hero follows clues about the diamond while navigating life at her new school. The mystery leads her through historical research about Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth's court, and the previous owners of her neighbor's house. The search for answers brings multiple storylines together - a present-day mystery, Tudor-era English history, and Shakespeare scholarship. The book explores themes of friendship, family relationships, and finding one's place, all while examining how the past connects to the present.

Readers describe this as an engaging mystery that successfully blends historical details about Shakespeare with a modern middle-grade story. Young readers connect with Hero's challenges as the new kid at school while appreciating the historical puzzle elements. What readers liked: - Educational value around Shakespeare history - Balance of school social dynamics with mystery plot - Age-appropriate complexity - Strong female protagonist - Family relationships feel authentic What readers disliked: - Some found the Shakespeare connections forced - Mystery resolution seen as predictable by adult readers - Side characters could be more developed - Historical details slow the pacing in places Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (90+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 Sample review: "My 11-year-old daughter couldn't put it down. The mystery kept her guessing while teaching her Shakespeare history without feeling like a textbook." - Amazon reviewer "A bit slow to start but the historical elements make it stand out from typical middle grade mysteries." - Goodreads reviewer

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🎭 The book draws inspiration from a real historical mystery surrounding Shakespeare's identity and a valuable diamond necklace once owned by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. 👑 The Hero diamond mentioned in the book is based on the real-life Hope Diamond, which has a fascinating history of supposedly bringing misfortune to its owners. ✍️ Author Elise Broach was inspired to write the novel after reading a scholarly article about the Shakespeare authorship question in The New York Times. 🏰 The house featured in the story is modeled after a real house in Broach's hometown of Windsor, Connecticut, where local legend claimed there was hidden treasure. 📚 Though written for middle-grade readers, the book incorporates complex historical elements including the Tudor dynasty, Elizabethan politics, and authentic details about life in Shakespeare's time.