• Age: 10 to 15
• Grade: 5 to 10

Starting sixth grade at a new school is never easy, especially when your name is Hero. Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, Hero isn't at all interested in this literary connection. But when she's told by an eccentric neighbor that there might be a million dollar diamond hidden in her new house and that it could reveal something about Shakespeare's true identity, Hero is determined to live up to her name and uncover the mystery.

Elise Broach's profile page

• Nominated, Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee
• Edgar Allen Poe Award Nominee
• Long-listed, Florida Sunshine State YR Award ML
• North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Award Master List
• Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Master List

Elise Broach is theNew York Times bestselling author of books for children and young adults, includingDesert Crossing andMasterpiece, as well as several picture books. She lived in England from the ages of twelve to fourteen and vividly remembers her first visit to William Shakespeare's house in Stratford-upon-Avon. At a rare-book store there, she purchased a volume of Shakespeare's plays that she still keeps on her nightstand. Ms. Broach holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Yale University. She was born in Georgia and lives in the woods of rural Connecticut, walking distance from three farms, a library, a post office and two country stores.

“I like this book because it involves a girl trying to solve an unfinished case. Even my friends say it's a good read!” —Discovery Girls tween reviewer
“(More) evidence-driven than Blue Balliett'sChasing Vermeer, this agreeable history-mystery may have even more appeal to budding sleuths.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Elise Broach's debut mystery is a gem. An engrossing mystery that touches several historical elements.” —School Library Journal
“Middle school girls will love the suspense and identify with the characters' personal decisions, reflecting Shakespeare's universal themes such as loyalty, the public versus the private self, integrity, true love, and humor's dark side.” —Voices of Youth Advocates
“Sophisticated readers, particularly fans of Blue Balliett'sChasing Vermeer, will appreciate the true emotions, the rich language, and the revelations of many-layered mysteries that tie the past to the present.” —Booklist
“Terrific hero, terrific book. I loved it.” —Patricia Reilly Giff, Newbery Honor-winning author of Picture of Hollis Woods
“The historical references, the highly developed characters, and the intriguing plot make this a page-turning satisfying read.” —Armchair Interviews