Shadow Thieves

"13-year-old Tom scrapes a living on the streets of London by picking pockets -- until the day his friends are caught and sent to a brutal workhouse. Frantic to save them, Tom takes up an offer from the enigmatic Corsair to train at an elite boarding school for thieves. Tom is swept into the world of the Shadow League where his street smarts give him an edge... and make him dangerous enemies. But the more he learns about this top-secret organisation, the harder it becomes for him to leave and rescue his friends. Dark forces are at work, and Tom is the only one that knows it."--Back cover.