Mrs Fisher stands at the information desk of Guy's Hospital.

Besides her stands a smallish woman, Jennifer Field, who has flown from Greenville, North Carolina, to London, alarmed by the astounding news that her nephew Nat is in hospital suffering from bubonic plague.

In this astonishing novel, Susan Cooper charts the journey of boy actor Nat Field, who travels from the States to rehearse and perform as Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theatre. And as Susan Cooper's magical storytelling takes hold in this powerful novel, Nat comes face to face with the King of Shadows himself, William Shakespeare - who passes a helping hand through time to help a young actor to face his real-life troubles.