Shakespeare's Secret

By: Elise Broach

Narrated by: Jenny Ikeda

This Junior Library Guild selection by Elise Broach is sure to become a favorite of all young sleuths. Sixth-grader Hero is captivated by the stories about her new home, especially the mystery of the missing million-dollar diamond and a 500-year-old necklace. As she searches for clues to their whereabouts she stumbles upon another perplexing question: Who was the real William Shakespeare?©2005 Elise Broach (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"The mystery alone will engage readers, but Broach adds a number of other interesting details to entice her audience. Readers will also find numerous facts about Elizabethan history, theories about Shakespeare's writings, and, perhaps most importantly, a moral but not preachy tale. The main characters are all well developed, and the dialogue is both realistic and well planned." (School Library Journal)
"[Listeners] will appreciate the true emotions, the rich language, and the revelations of many-layered mysteries that tie the past to the present." (Booklist)

Incredible Storyline

Where does Shakespeare's Secret rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks in the top 10.

What other book might you compare Shakespeare's Secret to and why?

The Masterpiece.

Which scene was your favorite?

When they discovered the secret in an unsuspecting place. Also the incorporation of the History regarding Henry 8th and Anne Boleyn.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The mysteries among all of the characters.

Mystery Within A Mystery

Elise Broach wove historical events without dragging the contemporary tale down. She never said more about Shakespeare than what was relevant to the current story. I only say this because I had worried I'd get bored. But Hero's emotion of starting a new school, lack of acceptance, befriending the hottest guy in 8th grade, and the mystery behind the missing diamond kept me intrigued until the end. Even more fascinating, a surprise about Danny unraveled that I hadn't expected and left me in tears. (Happy tears.) This is a must read!

Shakespeare or de Vere

Quick moving and enjoyed by the entire family. Introduces literary motifs in a interesting way, along with Shakepeare (or Edward de Vere, whichever you believe).

Keeps your interest.

Would you consider the audio edition of Shakespeare's Secret to be better than the print version?

That depends on if your more the reading type or the listening type. I'm the more listening type so I liked the audio version.

What did you like best about this story?

Anne Bolen's Jewelry Mystery.

What does Jenny Ikeda bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The relationships.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laughed, but I liked it very much. I wanted to listen to it more than once.

Any additional comments?

I first heard this audio book when I checked it out at the library. I liked it so much that when I saw it a year later in Audio Books I had to buy it.

The main plot

The information that we don't need to know for this book so it was pretty odd