Shakespeare's Spy (by Gary Blackwood)

The first two books in this series were Elizabethan larks, full of action, swordplay, and theatrical business. But the first half of this one drags as Widge moons interminably over Judith, a shallow, spoiled, and annoying girl whose appeal to the otherwise sensible Widge is mystifying. Once Judith finally departs, and Widge gets involved in plots to help the company, Julia, her father, and others, the story picks up, and those young readers who have made it this far will finally find the enjoyable story they were expecting. A wealth of period detail, political machinations, back alleys of London, and information about playwriting add to the interest and educational value.