The Blackthorn Key

Follow the clues. Crack the code. Stay alive. 
 
Potions, puzzles and the occasional explosion are all in a day's work for young apothecary Christopher Rowe. Murder is another matter. 
 
It's a dangerous time to be the apprentice of Benedict Blackthorn. A wave of mysterious murders has sent shockwaves through London, and soon Christopher finds himself on the run. His only allies are his best friend, Tom, courageous Molly, and a loyal feathered friend, Bridget. His only clues are a coded message about his master's most dangerous project, and a cryptic warning - 'Tell no one!' 
 
The race is on for Christopher: crack the code and uncover its secret, or become the next victim . . . 
 
A brilliant, fast-paced adventure perfect for fans of Percy Jackson.

Since escaping from university with a pair of degrees in theoretical physics, Kevin Sands has worked as a researcher, a business consultant and a teacher. He lives in Toronto, Canada.

London, 1665. Fourteen-year-old Christopher Rowe is apprenticed to master apothecary Benedict Blackthorn. In Blackthorn's shop, Christopher learns the delicate secrets of transforming simple ingredients into powerful medicines, potions and weapons. His beloved master guides him with a firm, steady hand - instilling him with confidence and independence that prove increasingly vital as Christopher learns of a mysterious cult preying on the most learned men in London. The murders are growing closer and closer to home and soon Christopher is torn from the shop with only a page of cryptic clues from his master and the unambiguous warning: 'Tell no one'. 
 
Helped by his best friend, Tom, Christopher must decipher his master's clues, following a trail of deceit towards an unearthly secret with the power to tear the world apart.

Kevin Sands

BOILS, BLOOD AND A BURNING FEVER - THE BLACK DEATH HAS RETURNED TO LONDON . . . 
 
As the dreaded sickness spreads through the city, striking down rich and poor alike, an unknown man arrives with a miracle cure. But when an assassin threatens the life of the city's new saviour, young apothecary Christopher Rowe and his faithful friend Tom must risk their lives to untangle another dark conspiracy. 
 
And when the plague strikes close to home, the stakes are raised higher than ever before . . . 
 
The breathtaking sequel to The Blackthorn Key - shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

Kevin Sands

Books by Kevin Sands

Series by Kevin Sands

The Blackthorn series

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