In By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter, Will Hughes is a struggling player in London’s playhouses, but that’s not the only place he’s acting. His family was part of an uprising against the queen a few years ago, and he knows that if he draws too much attention to himself in the capital, he could be in danger. So when his friend, the playwright Christopher Marlowe, is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Will finds himself swept up in the very thing he was trying to avoid. Soon, he’s grappling with nobles and spies while trying to seek the truth about Marlowe’s death. And the young man he teams up with, James Bloomsbury, is entitled but clever, and he might just be the one to help Will get to the bottom of all this.

This was a fun historical romp! While Will is kind of a typical protagonist, a young man caught up in a situation he’s not at all prepared for, he’s also easy enough to like. Seeing him navigate Elizabethan era England, from the poorest areas to the most affluent, was interesting. The contrast between his situation and Bloomsbury’s was also cool to explore. The themes of class differences and how upbringing can affect a person into adulthood was well done. And their romance was rather sweet, too.

I wish there had been a bit more story taking place in the London playhouses, though. I had an idea in my head that this was where most of the action would occur, since there was such a focus on Marlowe—but maybe this is a result of me not reading the book description well enough? Either way, I was surprised at how little acting and plays and theaters had to do with the story overall. Even the handful of appearances of William Shakespeare had no bearing on the plot, which was kind of a shame.

However, I did enjoy the political intrigue and more action-focused sequences. There are lots of cool characters, like a pirate queen, a street thief, pompous nobles, and Queen Elizabeth herself. The latter is particularly unlikeable, which based on what I know about her, is pretty accurate. And the ways these characters interact was pretty interesting and complex. Everyone has their own motivation for their actions, and unraveling their interactions kept me engaged the entire time.

I don’t think this is the neatest narrative, though. The spy network felt a little lackluster in terms of its backstory, and I hadn’t quite bonded with the character who was most involved in it. So when the climactic confrontation between that person and Will arrived, I didn’t feel as invested as I should have. I also think that Will in general wasn’t the most proactive character, more being led by forces and people more powerful than him to do things he wouldn’t have normally done.

All that said, though, By Any Other Name was still decent, and quite fun! There are some solid themes, action-packed moments, and historical elements that make this a very entertaining read. The love story between Will and Bloomsbury is pretty good, and helped carry the sometimes messy espionage elements through to the end. The audiobook version, read by James Meunier, was excellent. This would definitely be good for fans of In Deeper Waters or The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.

By Any Other Name is available now!