The Blackthorn Key

The Blackthorn Key

The book series starts on Ascension Day, May 28th, 1665. Christopher and his friend Tom are building a cannon while master Benedict Blackthorn comes and tells them not to. Benedict Blackthorn is Christopher's master, and he is an apothecary and codebreaker. Christopher learns all sorts of skills such as remedy-making, codebreaking, and even speaking Latin.

However, one day, Christopher was ordered by his master to run an errand. When he came back, he found his master murdered, along with one message. In the rest of The Blackthorn Key, Christopher and his best friend Tom decode master's message to find the most powerful incendiary ever - The Archangel's Fire.

Mark of the Plague

Mark of the Plague begins in late August of 1665. People are starting to catch the Black Death (plague) and are dying. Everybody starts becoming violent and starts stealing food due to a shortage. Sally gets beat up, and Christopher and Tom save her and take her to Blackthorn. She heals, and eventually they help track down the plague, except, they figure out Melchior (the "prophet") starts poisoning people with fake plague. Later, they find other people involved in the plot, and eventually the antagonists flee.

The Assassin's Curse

The Assassin's Curse begins in November 1665, when they receive a letter from Lord Richard Ashcombe. They find out that the king is in danger because assassins are attacking him and the French family. Christopher, Tom, and Sally are ordered to go to Paris by Lord Ashcombe and the King, and Christopher has to pretend like a fake baron. He and his friends find Molay's Curse stating that an ancient treasure is promised to anyone who kills the French royal line. To stop the assassins, Christopher and his friends find the treasure first before the assassins can, and save the French royal family. At the end, Marin Chastellain dies, and the mysterious character named the Raven sends Christopher a letter.

Call of the Wraith

Call of the Wraith begins when Christopher wakes up in a mysterious room and remembers nothing, including who he his himself. He is confused, and a farmer's family saved him from the shore on Devonshire. He later finds out stories about the White Lady taking children, and after solving each clue, he earns a piece of his memory back, until he finally has all of his memory back. He eventually finds out that the Darcys are selling the children to pirates, and Christopher, Tom, and Sally stop them. At the end, Lord Ashcombe comes and saves the three.

The Traitor's Blade

The book starts as Christopher, Tom, and Sally come back to London. They find their friend, Simon Chastellain, as he enters the house injured. Christopher brings a doctor to treat him, while he starts hunting down mysterious letters. He determines that they are from traitors who are trying to get rid of England's King. So, Christopher follows the messages and barely stopped the king from getting poisoned on time. At the end, he receives a letter from the Raven.

The Raven's Revenge

Christopher is in his shop, when he suddenly gets arrested. He is brought to Newgate prison for being accused of murder. Lord Ashcombe comes and saves him from prison. With Lord Walsingham, Christopher's spymaster, they help find who the Raven is. As the story progresses more and more, they narrow down possible candidates for the Raven.

The Raven gets Christopher and his friends into a game. Eventually, the friends find Issac, the bookseller, and they determine that the Raven is Peter Hyde, Benedict Blackthorn's apprentice before Christopher.

When the first meet the Raven, the see Simon. Soon, the realize the actual Simon was taken over by the Raven, who has plotted this out. In the end, Tom appears to be dead from Arsenic poisoning, but he later gets up and kills the Raven.