Shadow Thieves
🌃🗻🗝️⛓️💥
by Peter Burns
★★★★★
At a glance
Things I loved:
✍🏼 Author: Peter Burns
🎨 Cover artist: Vivienne To
📅 Release Date: 5th June 2025
📚 Book type: Chapter, 384 pages
🌟 Reader level: Confident, 9+
🗝️ Street kid turned master thief
🌍 Rich world across three empire
🧩 Complex characters and secrets
🎭 Twists, missions, constant tension
⚔️ High stakes, danger throughout
💭 Themes of loyalty and identity
Dive Deeper
My Thoughts...
I picked up “Shadow Thieves” by Peter Burns after being drawn in by the blurb. The idea of a street kid being recruited into a secret organization of thieves and spies reminded me of some thrilling films I’ve enjoyed, and I was excited to see a version aimed at younger readers.
The story follows Tom, a boy who escaped a workhouse and lives on the streets. After a close call, Tom is recruited into a secret school for thieves, con artists, and assassins. He must prove himself among legacy pupils while uncovering dark secrets about his past. Corsair, his mentor, believes he can be one of the best, but there are dangerous enemies within the organization who will do anything to stop Tom succeeding.
One thing I loved was how Tom’s resilience shines through. He doesn’t back down, even when others try to push him out. His street smarts and strong personality are really compelling and a quite charming too!
I also love the setting of this book and appreciate how Burns has created an alternate world run by criminal con artists. The setting, with the three empires- The Republic of France, Prussia, and Japan - adds a super unique feel and makes the missions and politics even more exciting.
🌟I would recommend this to confident UKS2 readers or early teens who love complex worlds, intrigue, and high-stakes adventures. It’s got lots of depth, so it’s perfect for readers who are ready to dive into a rich, dramatic world.🌟
Blurb
13-year-old Tom Morgan and his friends live on the streets of an alternate London, shining shoes and picking pockets – until one day Tom’s friends are caught and sent to a brutal workhouse.
Frantic and without a way to save them, Tom bumps into the mysterious Corsair, who offers him an opportunity to train at an elite international boarding school for thieves. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Tom lets himself be whisked away to the snowy Alps in a zeppelin. Swept into a thrilling world of danger and intrigue, the more secrets he learns about the Shadow League, the harder it becomes for Tom to leave. But there are dark forces at work and real danger is coming…
Can Tom save his fellow pupils from disaster – and ever be able to get home again to rescue his friends?
Should I read this book?
You should read this book if you...
🤫love spies, missions and top-secret societies🤫
⚔️like the idea of attending a school of thieves⚔️
👮🏻love books about crime👮🏻
Reader level: Confident
Content: 9+
The Map
Help me to read
- Orphan: A child whose parents have died.
- Workhouse: A place where poor people lived and worked for food and shelter.
- Directorates: Groups or departments that help run an organisation.
- Zeppelin: A large airship (like a giant balloon) that flies in the sky.
- Heist: A planned robbery, usually of something valuable.
- Assassin: A person hired to secretly kill someone important.
- Pick-pocket: Someone who steals from people’s pockets without them noticing.
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