The Apothecary

Description

It's 1952 and the Scott family has moved unexpectedly from Los Angeles to London. Janie feels uncomfortable in her strange new school, until the local apothecary promises her a remedy for homesickness. But the real cure is meeting the apothecary's son Benjamin, a curiously defiant boy who dreams of becoming a spy. Benjamin's father is no ordinary apothecary, and when he's kidnapped, Benjamin and Janie find themselves entrusted with his sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia. And it seems that Russian spies are intent on getting their hands on it. What secrets does the book contain? Who is the Chinese chemist Jin Lo? And can they trust a skinny pickpocket called Pip to help them? Discovering transformative elixirs they never imagined could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous quest to save the apothecary and prevent an impending nuclear disaster. The Apothecary sparkles with life and possibility.

Maile Meloy is the award-winning author of the short story collections Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It and Half in Love, and the novels Liars and Saints and A Family Daughter.

'A rollicking read...it's a marvellous book.' Speaking Volumes, Radio NZ 'In The Apothecary, Maile Meloy keeps raising the stakes for her main characters until it seems that victory is impossible...But it's hard to keep these characters down, and their ingenuity and determination bring them out of the pages and make them real for the reader. This book is full of magic and sparkle, spies, evil and global intrigue...The Apothecary is an exciting, well-researched adventure that readers will find hard to put down, no matter what genre they favour.' -- Kid Book Capers blog 'Fighting science with magic, it is as if James Bond meets Harry Potter in this fast- paced thriller/fantasy where all is not what it seems...A fascinating glimpse into the history of the Cold War.' Augusta Margaret River Mail 'A fantasy adventure firmly rooted in the real world, it's set in 1950s Cold War London, and will hugely appeal to readers aged 12 and up.' Readings Monthly 'This cleverly plotted "le Carre for kids" adventure is driven by a memorable, quick-witted protagonist.' -- Fran Atkinson Saturday Age