Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Queen’s Head | 1988 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 2 | The Merry Devils | 1989 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 3 | The Trip to Jerusalem | 1990 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 4 | The Nine Giants | 1991 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 5 | The Mad Courtesan | 1992 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 6 | The Silent Woman | 1992 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 7 | The Roaring Boy | 1995 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 8 | The Laughing Hangman | 1996 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 9 | The Fair Maid of Bohemia | 1997 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 10 | The Wanton Angel | 1999 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 11 | The Devil’s Apprentice | 2001 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 12 | The Bawdy Basket | 2002 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 13 | The Vagabond Clown | 2003 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 14 | The Counterfeit Crank | 2004 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 15 | The Malevolent Comedy | 2005 | Edward Marston | Buy |
| 16 | The Princess of Denmark | 2006 | Edward Marston | Buy |
The Elizabethan Theater series, also known as the Nicholas Bracewell series, ran for sixteen books between 1988 and 2006. Set in the 1590s, the novels follow Nicholas Bracewell, the capable and steady book holder (stage manager) of Lord Westfield’s Men, a theater company operating in the same London as Shakespeare’s own troupe.
Each book brings a new threat to the company, whether it’s murder, theft, sabotage, or political intrigue. Marston draws heavily on his knowledge of Elizabethan theater history, filling the books with period detail about playhouses, actors, audiences, and the rough streets of London. The series starts with The Queen’s Head and ends with The Princess of Denmark.