It's 1848. Drover's boy, fourteen-year-old William Evans, is thrilled to be on his first long-distance cattle-drove, walking Welsh Black cattle for two hundred and fifty miles, from North Wales to London. He's desperate to impress his dad with his droving skills, but the journey turns out to be far more dangerous and difficult than he'd expected.

Soon, William discovers railways and tries to persuade Dad to transport the cattle by train. But Dad is stubborn and refuses to adapt to the rapidly changing times. His attitude involves him in a serious accident and leaves him unable to continue. William and the other drovers carry on, but William's enemies, Cade and Mostyn Jones, catch up with them and cause havoc. William's close friend, Lizzie, is there to help... but can they reach Smithfield Market in time to sell the cattle and will their friendship survive the journey?

The Speed of Lightning, Jennie Richmond's first novel for young adults, is a captivating page-turner. You will find yourself rooting for William to succeed. You will be drawn into William's love-hate relationship with Lizzie and share their fun. You may find that the challenges facing young people in the Mid-Victorian age are not so different to the challenges of today.