'The Tutor,' by Andrea Chapin

When young Will Shakespeare (an actor and aspiring poet) begins work as a tutor for a wealthy Catholic family, a well-read widow becomes his muse—and his editor, too. As Will’s editrix falls under the spell of his pretty words, a question lingers: Is he sincere, or just a gifted player? Chapin’s debut captivates, and it’s her subplots of screaming witches and unsolved priest murders—not the Bard’s fledgling verse—that keep the novel afloat. B