This is the second book in my collection of historical novels for children set during the English Middle Ages.
This time the setting is Kent in the year 1349, when England lies under the cloud of the Black Death.
The main character is a twelve-year-old boy named Will Hunter. Will is a member of a company of travelling players run by his uncle, Tobias. The players travel between towns and villages with their cart, giving performances of their plays. One day as the players trundle across countryside laid waste by the plague they come across a young boy, barely alive. Thomas Rose has a mysterious past, an uncanny ability for magic tricks – and claims he can help put an end to the disease and misery that has gripped the land. But is Thomas an angel or a fraud? And as his influence grows, can Will protect him from the anger of the church either way?
Will also manages to make enemies of some boy players who are members of a rival performing troupe – a rivalry that ends with a thrilling chase up to the roof of Canterbury Cathedral, and the leap from it that can be seen on the book’s cover!
The book is aimed at readers aged 9-12 and will make for an absorbing read for those who are interested in the Black Death, the history of acting and drama and the Middle Ages in England.
Extracts from reviews on the website of the Historical Association (UK), written by UK school children in association with the Young Quills Awards, 2025:
Review by a pupil aged 12 at a school in Wales
”I thought this book was going to be very dark at first, but it was super good. Each character was so interesting because they all had different personalities…my favourite character was definitely Tobias because he was so cool and I couldn’t stop reading the parts he was in! At some point I remember reading in the voice I think he’d have. At first, I thought I would never like him as a character but after seeing all the other ones he was by far the best out of them all. I learned more about the Black Death. We were taught about it in school, but this book taught me even more about it! I would recommend this book to lots of students who want to learn about the Black Death!”
Review by a pupil aged 11 at a school near Oxford
”I would recommend this book because it has a very interesting storyline, like nothing I have ever read before. Will Hunter was my favourite character because he came from a sad background but [he] didn’t give up and was a determined character. The time period it was set in was interesting and I learnt a lot especially about how the plague started…The book was kind of serious because of the death theme from the plague, however, it was sometimes happy and light-hearted as Thomas would always try to cheer up Will.”
The reviews can be read in full on the Historical Association’s Website
From Always in the Middle (Middle Grade Book Reviews Blog)
”An engaging second story in [the] Tales From the Middle Ages series…Will’s first person narration through 25 chapters and an epilogue shows emotion in every heartfelt scene….This unique tale flows with page turning skill by the author. Both Will and Thomas are memorable characters….Those who love performing will be fascinated how it was done during this Middle Ages time period. The Angel Player is perfect for fans of Historical Fiction or anyone who enjoys a great story.”
This is an extract. The full review is available on the Always in the Middle blog.
The Angel Player is published by Sweet Cherry Publishing and can be ordered from amazon.co.uk here and amazon.com here.
Click here for more books in the collection Tales from the Middle Ages