Day’s YA: CODEBREAKER

CODEBREAKER by Jay Martel
9781250355546 (trade paperback)
9781250355560 (library hardcover)
7/22/25
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Mia Hayes has spent most of her life moving from place to place with her history professor father and journalist mother. Now that they’ve settled in DC for a while, she plans on having a very normal teenage summer. But her life is turned upside down one fateful night. At the end of that night, her mother is dead and her father is on the run from government officials who claim he stole something of theirs. Three weeks later, in the midst of her grief, Mia spends her birthday at a protest in the heart of DC, where she meets Logan, a cute boy with a knack for hacking. Later that night, Mia receives a strange voicemail from her father, which sets off a series of clues and codes that Mia (with the help of Logan) will have to solve in order to learn the truth about what really happened to her parents. As they run around DC solving the codes her father left behind, Mia and Logan must evade the government officials who are on their trail, while also navigating their growing feelings for each other.

I absolutely devoured CODEBREAKER. It’s a fast-paced, inventive, and genre-bending debut that reads like all of my favorite heist movies. I loved solving the codes along with Mia, and the twisty plot had me turning pages as fast as I could. The final twist is shocking and satisfying, and the romance between Mia and Logan adds an extra layer of complexity to the story. The husband and wife author team bring their combined experience in cybersecurity, creative writing, and theater to craft a compelling narrative reminiscent of National Treasure and THE DA VINCI CODE, but with the dynamic mystery of a Holly Jackson novel. It’s a brilliant blend of suspense and romance, and is so much fun to read. Fans of history, mystery, and action-packed thrillers will be captivated by Martel’s sharp and engaging writing. Highly recommended for readers who love to be kept guessing until the very end.

Happy reading!
<3 Emily

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