Meet the author

Kevin Sands.

Writer · Canada

Kevin Sands: the physicist-turned-storyteller behind the Blackthorn Key series, code-cracking historical mysteries set in plague-era London that mix real chemistry, swashbuckling peril and a properly dark edge — for confident 10–13s who like history dangerous.

Kevin Sands is a Canadian author, based in Ontario, who came to writing by an unusual route: two degrees in theoretical physics, followed by stints as a researcher, business consultant, teacher and professional poker player. His award-winning debut, The Blackthorn Key, launched a six-book historical mystery series set in plague-era London, in which apothecary's apprentice Christopher Rowe cracks ciphers, mixes chemistry and dodges killers alongside his loyal friends Tom and Sally. Across Mark of the Plague, The Assassin's Curse, Call of the Wraith, The Traitor's Blade and The Raven's Revenge, Sands blends real seventeenth-century history and science with brain-teasing puzzles, swashbuckling peril and a genuinely dark edge — the danger, death and period horror are never softened. A gripping choice for confident older readers aged 10–13 who like their history dangerous and their heroes clever.