Simon & Schuster takes me back to 17th century London this week with The Blackthorn Key written by Kevin Sands. The first book in a young adult collection that spans six novels, the first book is a fast-paced tale filled with mystery and puzzles that delivers an engaging read.

Christopher Rowe is the apprentice of apothecary Benedict. He’s learned codes, recipes, and his master has treated him kindly and taught him much. But when news reaches their ears of an increasing number of brutal murders involving apothecaries and apprentices, Christopher and his friend Tom are worried.

And it proves out that they have every right to be when Master Benedict is killed! With his wits and his training, Christopher has to figure out what his master was killed for, and who killed him.

Immersed in the politics and ideological conflicts of the time, Sands evokes a fascinating look at London as Christopher pieces clues and codes together to lead him to the reason why his master was murdered.

It’s a lightning-fast tale that swept me along to its conclusion, wrapping up one adventure while laying the seeds for what would come next. Sands has filled his book with likeable characters, and dastardly villains, and isn’t afraid of throwing a few twists and turns the reader’s way to puzzle out just like Christopher.

I was delightfully surprised at how swept up I was in the world Sands put me into. The friendship Christopher shares with Thomas is recognizable and familiar and filled with laughs and genuine affection for one another. And the way they puzzle out the clues together feels authentic, and not like they are being led there by the author.

Sands is also good at planting things that will pay off later, setting up apothecary vials and knowledge so we can anticipate their use in moments to come.

And for all the chases, and exploration of catacombs, Sands grounds his tale in a believable reality. There is nothing here that strains credulity, no deus ex machina to save the day, it all comes down to Christopher and his friend Tom.

I like the way Sands fits his characters into the real world which was 17th century London, bringing it to life in the mind’s eye. We journey through the narrative with Christopher’s eyes, so everything he needs to see to resolve things, we see as well, so I was delighted when I put something together moments before he did.

The Blackthorn Key is a fun and exciting read, don’t be put off by the ‘young adult’ tag fixed to its genre, and you can pick it up on its own, or in a hardcover six-book collection from Simon & Schuster Canada.

I had a lot of fun with this one, and cannot wait to dive into the next book in the series, Mark of the Plague!