Books with author Gary Blackwood

The Black Death rampages through England and the players are forced to travel continuously in an effort to make money. Widge is enjoying his time with the troupe, but he is obsessed about finding his real father. When father and son are unexpectedly united, Widge cannot believe his luck. But all is not what it seems, and his father's behaviour begins to cause trouble for the players. Disaster strikes, Shakespeare breaks his arm and cannot finish his new hit comedy. Widge is forced to step in and save the day.

Noted author Gary L. Blackwood grew up intrigued by crime fighters. In Bad Guys, the two-time Smithsonian Notable Book Award winner takes a look at the other side. A motley crew of villians, their chronicles are, indeed, fascinating. Yet, Blackwood goes far beyond storytelling. Placing the shenanigans of highwaymen, outlaws, swindlers, gangsters, and pirates against the backdrop of history, he considers them each in terms of the places and times in which the culprits operated. Were they evil cutthroats? Or, were they driven to their deeds out of desperation? In general, readers will find very few Robin Hoods. They will also discover that the reality of many of these men and women lies somewhere between utter scoundrel and social casualty.

Things are disappearing mysteriously from Will Shakespeare's acting company, and it looks like an inside job. Everyone's eyes are on Widge, the orphan boy turned actor, and former thief. Widge knows better than anyone that Shakespeare's plays must be protected at all costs. In order to prove his innocence and clear his name, Widge must learn a new role: spy. But can he dig through the suspects and skulduggery and catch the true culprit?

Widge is an orphan with a rare talent for shorthand. His fearsome master has just one demand: steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"--or else. Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's players perform. As full of twists and turns as a London alleyway, this entertaining novel is rich in period details, colorful characters, villainy, and drama. "A fast-moving historical novel that introduces an important era with casual familiarity." --School Library Journal, starred review