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 <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/>