Winter Guests is the second in a series of stories about a Tudor street urchin called Brat. After a chance meeting with the famous playwright, William Shakespeare on London Bridge, who is in the depths of despair at the loss of his son, Hamnet, the two embark on a path together. Brat finds himself becoming a cross between a servant, an apprentice and a replacement for the son William has so recently and tragically lost.

Tudor London life is seen through the eyes of Brat, who, having lived most of his life on the streets of the city, has no expectations but a constant fascination for everything going on around him.

Winter Guests, the second in the Shakespeare's Brat series, tells of a surprise visit to London from William Shakespeare's wife and daughters and sees them explore the capital together, even walking on the frozen waters of the Thames during a winter fair. Brat starts to learn to read and write - the first word he is introduced to is of course "Cobweb", his dog! - and then through his quick thinking averts a disastrous fire at Shakespeare's lodgings. During the visit, Judith and Brat become friends and help to catch a gang of pickpockets. While walking in the country outside the city, William Shakespeare and his family come across a hunting party containing none other than Queen Elizabeth I herself. Shakespeare's daughter, Judith, realizes her dream of meeting her monarch! On a rainy afternoon Judith then, without realizing it, helps her father with a speech from his new play, The Merchant of Venice, in which Portia is holding forth in court. Shakespeare can't find the words, but Judith does, simply by looking out of the window and describing what she sees!

In the stories I have highlighted all quotes occurring in the dialogue between characters that appear in Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, and have created a glossary at the end of each story, indicating which Shakespearean character spoke the words and in which play, act and scene they can be found.

Brat is an engaging personality with a social conscience - he thinks women should act their own parts on stage and that animal rights should be taken far more seriously!