In 1665 London, fourteen-year-old Christopher Rowe, apprentice to an apothecary, and his best friend, Tom, try to uncover the truth behind a mysterious cult, following a trail of puzzles, codes, pranks, and danger toward an unearthly secret with the power to tear the world apart.

Four thrilling books in the award-winning Blackthorn Key series are now available together in one action-packed boxed set—perfect for fans of Dan Brown! Christopher Rowe was happy learning how to solve complex codes and puzzles and creating powerful medicines, potions, and weapons as an apprentice to Master Benedict Blackthorn—with maybe an explosion or two along the way. But when danger threatens London, Christopher must use every skill he’s learned to discover the key to a terrible secret with the power to tear the world apart. Packed with heart-stopping action, mysterious conspiracies, and secret codes, this award-winning series is an adventure you’ll never forget. This paperback boxed set includes: The Blackthorn Key Mark of the Plague The Assassin’s Curse The Call of the Wraith

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.

The first three books in the award-winning Blackthorn Key series are now available together in one thrilling boxed set—perfect for fans of Dan Brown! Kevin Sands brings readers on a heart-stopping adventure rich with suspense, mystery, and unforgettable characters in The Blackthorn Key. This paperback boxed set includes: The Blackthorn Key Mark of the Plague The Assassin’s Curse

Christopher’s homecoming takes a sinister turn when a murderous conspiracy is uncovered in this fifth novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series. Christopher, Tom, and Sally are back in London at last. Everyone is relieved at their return—the plague has ended, and the king, pleased with their service, offers a surprising reward. But trouble has followed them home... First, an old friend is ambushed and left for dead. Then an anonymous letter arrives at Blackthorn—a mysterious warning hidden inside a riddle and secret code. As Christopher and his friends begin to investigate, they soon discover they’ve stumbled upon a plot to kill the king...and anyone else who dares stand in the traitors’ way.

When Christopher Rowe's code-breaking uncovers the true target of an assassination attempt, he and his friends are odered to Paris to investigate a centuries-old curse on the French throne.

Christopher Rowe is back and there are more puzzles, riddles, and secrets to uncover in this fourth novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series. Christopher Rowe has no idea who he is. After being shipwrecked in Devonshire, he wakes up alone, his memories gone. Villagers tell him he was possessed by an unseen evil, and only became conscious after being visited by the local witch. As Christopher tries to get his bearings, he realizes his current state may be far from coincidence. Dark events have been happening in this corner of Britain—village children are disappearing without a trace. There are whispers that the malevolent ghost of the White Lady has returned to steal the children away, one by one, and consume their souls. Thankfully, friends Tom and Sally find Christopher and help him reconnect with his unique skills and talents, even as his memories elude him. But as motives and secrets are revealed, Christopher finds himself in a desperate race to reclaim his memories and discover the missing children before it’s too late.

Covering over 500 titles, both classics and newer publications, this book describes what titles are about and why teens would want to read them. Nonfiction has been the workhorse of many young adult library collections—filling information and curricular needs—and it is also the preferred genre for many teen readers. But not all nonfiction is created equal. This guide identifies some of the best, most engaging, and authoritative nonfiction reads for teens and organizes them according to popular reading interests. With genres ranging from adventure and sports to memoirs, how-to guides and social justice, there is something for every reader here. Similar fiction titles are noted to help you make connections for readers, and "best bets" for each chapter are noted. Notations in annotations indicate award-winning titles, graphic nonfiction, and reading level. Keywords that appear in the annotations and in detailed indexes enhance access. Librarians who work with and purchase materials for teens, including YA librarians at public libraries, acquisitions and book/materials selectors at public libraries, and middle and high school librarians will find this book invaluable. Identifies the best and most popular new nonfiction reads for teens, along with perennial classics, helping librarians with acquisitions and weeding Allows YA librarians to more easily find books their readers will enjoy through genre organization Helps school librarians find books that fill curricular needs through learning connections Enables readers to transition from beloved fiction "read-alikes" to nonfiction titles with similar appeals Introduces librarians who are new to nonfiction genres and readers' advisory to important features of each genre in "consider starting with" sections in each chapter

In this thrilling Ocean's Eleven-like heist story for young readers, five kids with unusual talents are brought together to commit an impossible crime. Failure is unacceptable ... but success could be deadly. From the bestselling author of the Blackthorn Key series, this magic-infused fantasy brings together a ragtag group of kids to pull off a crime so difficult, countless adults have already tried and failed. Lured by the promise of more money than they've ever dreamed of, five young criminals are hired to steal a heavily guarded treasure from the most powerful sorcerer in the city. There's Callan the con artist, Meribel the expert at acrobatics (and knives!), Gareth the researcher, Lachlan who can obtain anything, and Foxtail, whose mysterious eyeless mask doesn't hinder her ability to climb walls like a spider. Though their shadowy backgrounds mean that they've never trusted anyone but themselves, the five must learn to rely on each other in order to get the job done. But as Callan has been warned most of his life, it's best to stay away from magic. It can turn on you at any moment, and make you think you're the one running the con game, when in reality you're the one being fooled. Faced with these unsurmountable odds, can the friends pull off this legendary heist, or has their luck finally run out?

“Magic and mystery draw you [in]…Can I make a reservation yet?” —James Riley, New York Times bestselling author of the Story Thieves series “A wild ride across the globe, full of fun, adventure, and genuine heart.” —Kevin Sands, New York Times bestselling author of the Blackthorn Key series “Danger, fun, and heartbreak abound in this rollicking magical adventure.” —Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of The Unwanteds series “A fantasy adventure…will draw fans of A Wrinkle in Time.” —Booklist A magical hotel, a mysterious tree, and a cryptic story about their missing father leads twins Cam and Cass on a worldly adventure in this enchanting debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Wildwood. Twins Cam and Cass have never known their parents. They’ve been told their mother died, and Cass is certain their father abandoned them. Cam isn’t so sure. He wants to prove her wrong; he must. Cam’s wish is soon granted in the form of a glistening, golden sign with elaborate flourishes that reads: The Hotel Between. With doors that open to countries all over the world, magical trollies, charmed corridors that can be altered on a whim, stone elephants that come to life, sweets made from rocks; everything is possible in the Hotel. Cam has a hunch his father is somehow connected to this magical place, and may even be lost within its hidden halls. Every journey has its risks, and The Hotel Between is full of dangerous secrets. If Cam’s not careful, his stay may be over before his vacation has even started.

Paula Fisher is a strikingly beautiful dark haired woman with a deep hatred of all men. Alone in the jungle of darkest Africa she is attacked by a rich Baron. Killing her attacker, Paula suddenly finds herself rich beyond her wildest dreams. She discovers that her hatred of men has changed when she falls in love. Paula assumes a new persona to match her new hatred. As Mamba she sets out on a quest to kill all the rich rapist she can. With the help of her new found love and a killer for hire she begins her quest only to find confusion and despair as she fights for her life and fortune.

With six exciting reads to choose from, young readers can seek action and adventure alongside the hero of their choice. Featuring excerpts from: -The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands -Story Thieves by James Riley -Crown of Three by J.D. Rinehart -The Nightsiders: The Orphan Army by Jonathan Maberry -Miles Taylor and the Golden Cape: Attack of the Alien Horde by Robert Venditti & illustrated by Dusty Higgins -MINRS by Kevin Sylvester

For fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Blackthorn Key series comes an award-winning boarding school mystery about twelve year old Emmy, who's shipped off to a prestigious British school. But her new home is hiding a secret society ... and it may be the answer to Emmy's questions about her missing father. With a dad who disappeared years ago and a mother who's a bit too busy to parent, Emmy is shipped off to Wellsworth, a prestigious boarding school in England, where she's sure she won't fit in. But then she finds a box of mysterious medallions in the attic of her home with a note reading: These belonged to your father. When she arrives at school, she finds the strange symbols from the medallions etched into walls and books, which leads Emmy and her new friends, Jack and Lola, to Wellsworth's secret society: The Order of Black Hollow Lane. Emmy can't help but think that the society had something to do with her dad's disappearance, and that there may be more than just dark secrets in the halls of Wellsworth... Pick up the Black Hollow Lane series for your 5th grade and middle school students, kids 9-12, and young readers who love twisty mysteries with: Boarding schools Secret societies Cryptic letters Secret relics A fantastic group of friends