Could possibly be The Devil and His Boy by Anthony Horowitz, an author famed for writing a long-running series of spy novels for Tween/YA readers, the first handful of which were published in the early 2000s.
Queen Elizabeth apparently plays a key role. However, the protagonist's name is Tom.

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Toni Lea Isom (they/them/theirs)
Youth Services Librarian Assistant
Adrian District Library
143 East Maumee Street
Adrian MI 49221


On Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 11:24 AM Colleen Kingsbury via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:
Hello all, 

I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was not from Gary Blackwood's Shakespeare Stealer series. 

Some other details she believes she remembers: 
  • The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. 
  • She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name may have started with an N.
  • The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow.
I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time!
--

Colleen Kingsbury

Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library

223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170

734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org

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