YA National Treasure meets DaVinci Code - and it’s a winner! I predict this debut mystery will be a big hit! Mia comes home one night to find something off with her parents (a history professor and journalist). Later that night, their home is invaded by government types: her mom is killed and dad disappears. Except no one believes her bc all evidence outside her mom’s body is gone by the time police arrive. The family is big into codes and puzzles, and three weeks later, on her 17th birthday, Mia gets a mysterious voicemail from her dad that starts her on the most epic scavenger hunt ever. Who was her dad, really? And can she solve the puzzles and break the code before it’s too late? She teams up with Logan, a teen hacker and they take on the puzzles and the bad guys all over Washington DC.

I absolutely loved this and loved how interactive it is - I had an eARC and I can’t wait to see this in print - you can try to solve all the codes yourself as you read.

The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Codebreaker" is great for fans of "The Conspiracy of Us" series by Maggie Hall, since it was a thrilling, fast-paced read that combined mystery and history to create quite the page-turner. I enjoyed being able to decode ciphers alongside Mia to uncover the bigger picture; these puzzles had me immersed until the final chapter. It was cute that Mia had a memory for each puzzle, especially since they ended up contributing to a larger purpose. I also loved how she gained a code-breaking buddy - someone who understood her passion for decoding and history. This book was really up my alley, so I'm glad that I was given the opportunity to go on this exciting adventure.

4.25

The puzzles, fun!
The characters, real!
The plot, twisted in each turn!

This was so adventurous and fun despite the tragedies the occur. Mia is brilliant and Logan is her faithful assistant, I loved this dynamic so much.

Although the plot twists weren’t something on a grande scale, I just think it’s because the book did its foreshadowing very well. Also, this is a YA book, and it’s about two teens literally trying to save the world, so they’re bound to have some plot armour lolol. But fr though, this would make a great movie!

I’m pretty sure YA thriller/mystery might be one of my secret fav genres, and this book affirms that idea!

Highly recommend, it’s a great story with a crazy adventure and fun interactive puzzles to solve with the characters!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the arc!

Title: Codebreaker
Author: Jay Martel (Debut)
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: July 22, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 384


Story features Mia Hayes as she races across D.C. to decode the clues her father left behind, which may just be the key to saving the country.
The Da Vinci Code for Gen Z.

Mia Hayes has a nice summer planned— first needs to find a part-time job in the DC area perhaps at a coffee shop and finalize college applications decided on BU – as it has the major she want or Harvard the dream of her dad! However her plans are shattered when her home is invaded by what might be government agents. Her mother was shot and killed- her dad escapes. …..She doesn’t know what is happening.
Then, three weeks later, on her 17th birthday, she receives a cryptic message from her father pointing toward a puzzle box; giving her clues to her annual birthday scavenger hunt, only, this scavenger hunt hides secrets about her family, as well as about our federal government.


Mia meets Logan, a hacker, and he is a big help.
Mia and Logan now begin to test their codebreaking skills at American history’s iconic sites and uncover secrets to reveal truth s involving her family.

I was excited about this story. I loved the Da Vinci Code!
I enjoy solving mysteries – thus my love of mysteries and psychological thrillers as well as puzzles. I was told that folks who love math are good at solving and enjoy mysteries as we strive and believe there is a correct answer.

So I put down my evening glass of wine and put on my thinking cap. I began to try to decipher the clues along with Mia and Logan as there are codes throughout the book for readers who wish to make the story more than just a story and become arm chair codebreakers.

Story indeed was very clever!

Jay Martel is the pen name of husband and wife writing team Andy Bennett and Helbacka.
They’ve spent the past twenty years collaborating on everything from theatrical escape rooms to their son, Theo. They live in northern
Minnesota where the cold, long, and the perfect excuse to stay inside and write novels together.

Want to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 22, 2025.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Cool concept & liked the characters. Also enjoyed the setting. Will read more from this author.

Jay Martel's debut is whipsmart and delightful. Chock-full with cryptography that readers can solve alongside Mia, a 17yo whose life turns completely topsyturvy after a tragedy involving her parents.

This is a YA version of National Treasure or the DaVinci Code, equally gripping and cinematic.

Will recommend for high school library acquisition!

This is such a good YA novel, reminiscent of National Treasure. The story follows Mia while she goes on a scavenger hunt her dad set up before he died. She’s also on the run from a covert section of the CIA, she doesn’t know who to trust.
I loved the dual timelines the author used to show Mia’s flashbacks of her life before the current events. I’m not sure if it’s because this is YA but I quickly caught on to a couple of twists that happened. I think anyone with a love of codes and/or history will enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for this eARC.

I really enjoyed this book!
I thought the plot was wonderful, and I really enjoyed the historical aspects. I also enjoyed the ability to let the readers try to crack the code themselves. I would love to see more of these characters !

Thank you to the publishers for access to an e-ARC via NetGalley!!

If you were to have handed me this book and said "hey you're gonna get really invested in the story of John Wilkes Booth", I would've laughed in your face. But dang I was riveted!! Fast paced, fun puzzles that were just the right difficulty for the reader to play along, and a plot that was just insane enough to be entertaining but still (terrifyingly) possible. I also think people that live in / have been to DC will find this extra fun, as we follow the characters around a bunch of the monuments. I read this entire book in two sittings, the writing style is easy to get absorbed in and I had to know where the scavenger hunt took us next. Very pleasantly surprised!

4.25 ⭐️ A good mix of Da Vinci Code and National Treasure for YA readers! There were codes all throughout the book that readers could solve themselves and it was such a cool and fun feature that made the read that much more enjoyable! Mia is solving a scavenger hunt with coded and encrypted messages from her father to uncover secrets that had been kept from her! We go along with Mia for the high speed chase and race for answers! This was such a fun one and I recommend this wholeheartedly!

Publishing 7/22/25

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Jay Martel and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

From a very young age Mia learned to crack codes with her college professor father. Over the years he gave her difficult and ancient codes to break, but she solved everything he gave her. Three weeks before her seventeenth birthday three men broke into their house. They said her father had stolen something. Mia was terrified, especially when her mother was killed and her father ran away. When the police arrived, the men who had broken in were gone. Everything had been cleaned up, so no one believed Mia’s version. They believed her father was the murderer.

Mia hated her father, blaming him for leaving while grieving for her mother. On her birthday she received a call from him but refused to listen to it. When she was kidnapped by the same people who killed her mother, grief turned to anger. Her father had always created a scavenger hunt for her to solve on her birthday so, after she was released, she was determined to figure out why the CIA was looking for him and find what he’d stolen. However, there are others who are even more determined to get back what was stolen. They have killed to get what they want and won’t let a seventeen-year-old stand in their way.

This thriller had me on the edge of my seat, as I rapidly read to find out what would happen next to Mia. This book is a cross-over from young adult to adult combining history, action, adventure, mystery, and suspense. It will keep readers on their toes trying to solve the mystery and all the codes. I failed at both completely.

Highly recommended for ages 16 and older.

Codebreaker is a fast-paced, high-stakes YA thriller that combines cryptic puzzles, government conspiracies, and a dash of romance into an action-packed adventure. From the very first chapter, Jay Martel plunges readers into Mia Hayes’s world just as it unravels—one shocking night that leaves her mother dead, her father on the run, and her life forever changed.

What makes Codebreaker stand out is its clever use of codes and puzzles that readers can try to solve right alongside Mia. The interactive element adds an immersive twist, making the reading experience feel more hands-on and urgent as Mia and her hacker ally, Logan, race through Washington, D.C.’s most iconic landmarks in search of answers.

Mia is a strong, relatable protagonist whose grief, confusion, and growing determination make her easy to root for. Logan adds charm and a touch of rebellion, and their chemistry feels natural without overtaking the plot. Their partnership—full of witty banter and shared purpose—helps balance the darker themes of betrayal, loss, and political manipulation.

The pacing is tight, with each clue leading smoothly into the next adrenaline-fueled discovery. While some twists are more predictable than others, and a few plot moments stretch believability, the sheer energy and cleverness of the narrative keep it moving.

Codebreaker is a fun, compelling read for fans of contemporary thrillers with a historical edge. It's ideal for readers who enjoy decoding clues, outsmarting shadowy organizations, and rooting for characters who are just as smart as they are brave.

Fans of books like Mysterious Benedict Society will definitely love this one. I have always loved puzzle-style books, but always struggled with how almost all of them seemed to be written for middle grades. This had the same feel as those types of books, but the characters are older (and authentically speak/act like 17 and 18 year olds). The book has high stakes and the problems feel geared more toward YA readers as opposed to middle grade readers. There is a lot of action and kids who are interested in history will especially love this. This is the perfect book for my 8th grade classroom library and I am really looking forward to getting a physical copy to recommend to my students.

Good characters and story. I enjoyed the puzzle solving aspect of yhe book.. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Codebreaker throws readers right into the action from the first page. Mia is about to turn 17. Each year her father gives her a puzzle to solve sending her on a chase for her gift. This year, her excitement is interrupted by an invasion of her home by men in suits. Things quickly go awry and her mother ends up dead and her father on the run. She quickly learns that something isn't quite right and it has to do primarily with her father.

The book is fast paced and interactive. Mia is provided with clues and codes to break while readers are given a symbol and the opportunity to solve them along side her. This is a really fun adventure read. I think fans of movies like National Treasure would like a lot of the elements.

LOVED this book! So fast-paced and catchy. I learned so much about cryptography, the world-building was excellent and the relationships and dialogue felt realistic and drew me into the story and the characters. I also loved the interactive element. I finished the whole book in less than 24 hours. Bravo!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Wednesday Books for the pre-release copy of Codebreaker by Jay Martel. Below is my honest review.

If you loved National Treasure (I did), this book is for you. If you love secret codes and treasure hunts (I do), this book is for you. If you're a fan of YA (I am), this book is for you.

What's the fuss? This one is an absolute thrill ride of fun. Secret codes galore, danger around every corner, twists and turns and plot twists, a road trip of museums and libraries and monuments, and so much more are mixed into the pot for Codebreaker and I loved it!

Highly recommended (with the caveat that it does include parents dying, so trigger warning!).

This YA book follows Mia who is on a scavenger hunt from her father, a famous codebreaker. It had a lot of action and twists making it enjoyable to read. The formatting was really unique and fun. I loved stopping and decoding while reading. I thought the information weaved into the story about codebreaking was really well-placed and made reading the book more fun. I did guess a lot of the twists though.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for a copy of this book. If you're looking for a grabbing thriller this book is perfect for you! It kept me hooked the whole time. I'm hoping to read more from this author.

This was very interesting! I’ve never read a book quite like it. And I plan on buying a physical copy. I didn’t expect to like this so much!