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Mysteries at Sea #3
Mysteries at Sea: The Hollywood Kidnap Case
Alice and Sonny investigate the kidnapping of a Hollywood star, in this installment of the bestselling Mysteries at Sea series, from award-winning author A.M. Howell.
Alice and Sonny's family yacht is in Egypt, ready to pick up famous actress Estelle Fortune, and take her to London to film her next blockbuster movie.
But just before the boat leaves, Alice discovers that Estelle has vanished! In her room is a note, threatening that unless a large amount of money is paid in Malta in a few days' time, Estelle will be thrown overboard.
As the Lady Rose sets sail, Alice, Sonny and their new friend Winnie must work out who is threatening Estelle, but can they save her, before time runs out?
Praise for the Mysteries at Sea series:
"A thoroughly modern thriller." Daily Telegraph
"A true ocean delight packed with peril, adventure & secrets galore." Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
"An exquisitely plotted nautical adventure, packed with mystery and derring-do." Judith Eagle, author of The Accidental Stowaway
"A high-octane nautical adventure, brimming over with secrets and sabotage." Nicola Penfold, author of Where the World Turns Wild
""Will appeal to fans of the Adventures on Train series." The Bookseller
"Absolutely unputdownable." Zillah Bethell, author of The Shark Caller
"Brilliant story which kept me gripped until the very end!" Ewa Jozefkowicz, author of The Dragon in the Bookshop
Alice and Sonny's family yacht is in Egypt, ready to pick up famous actress Estelle Fortune, and take her to London to film her next blockbuster movie.
But just before the boat leaves, Alice discovers that Estelle has vanished! In her room is a note, threatening that unless a large amount of money is paid in Malta in a few days' time, Estelle will be thrown overboard.
As the Lady Rose sets sail, Alice, Sonny and their new friend Winnie must work out who is threatening Estelle, but can they save her, before time runs out?
Praise for the Mysteries at Sea series:
"A thoroughly modern thriller." Daily Telegraph
"A true ocean delight packed with peril, adventure & secrets galore." Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
"An exquisitely plotted nautical adventure, packed with mystery and derring-do." Judith Eagle, author of The Accidental Stowaway
"A high-octane nautical adventure, brimming over with secrets and sabotage." Nicola Penfold, author of Where the World Turns Wild
""Will appeal to fans of the Adventures on Train series." The Bookseller
"Absolutely unputdownable." Zillah Bethell, author of The Shark Caller
"Brilliant story which kept me gripped until the very end!" Ewa Jozefkowicz, author of The Dragon in the Bookshop
- GenresMysteryMiddle Grade
337 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2024
8 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 3, 2024
I'm as big fan of these mysteries from AM Howell and couldn't wait to read the final book in the trio. Brilliant characters with wonderful historical snippets and a good old mystery. Elements of Famous Five without all the sexism!
Absolutely gutted that this is the last adventure, but I hope the door is a tiny bit open for more in future. 😍
Absolutely gutted that this is the last adventure, but I hope the door is a tiny bit open for more in future. 😍
July 31, 2024
Hmmm...I don't want this to be the last of Alice and Sonny's adventures!
The whole series of these books has been superb. I liked the Robin Stevens murder books, Fleur Hitchcock's mystery stories (esp Murder at Snowfall) and The Adventures on Trains series (Sedgeman/Leonard) and Alice Eclair books so you can see the type this book is. I have read several of AM Howell's other books too and they are equally good (helps that many are set in and around the area I live)
I have been watching AM Howell's Insta account in the run up to the release of this book and she clearly has a love of cruises and the sea which was inherited from her Dad as they regularly went on these holidays when she was a child. Also the attention to detail with regard the places in Malta is just lovely.
The date is September 1936, it's just 3 months since Alice and Sonny met on the Queen Mary when Alice's father was staff captain. Then they became friends investigating a mystery until the truth came out - they are actually brother and sister separated many years before by their grandfather who kept Sonny with him after their mothers death and Alice was with her father. But their grandfather has died and left them as his only family The Lady Rose, a beautiful yacht which they charter to rich guests! We first met the Lady Rose in The Royal Jewel Plot when their guests on board were the King Edward and his friend Mrs Simpson.
In this they are in Egypt to pick up a Hollywood actress, Estelle Fortune, she has just finished one movie and is headed to England for the next. She also has with her, her brother and his wife and daughter Winnie (the Troutman's) and her manager Howard Quill. They are followed to the dock by Bertha Godfrey another actress who is supposed to be jealous as Estelle got the part in a film that she wanted. But something worse happens before they even leave the dock in Alexandria. Estelle is kidnapped and a ransom note tells them to go to Malta to pay they have to set sail. But Estelle seemingly got on the steamship to Malta willingly, she must have been very scared of her captors.
But how there were crew stationed at the gangplank nobody could get on or off, unless they did it in the few minutes it took to put out a fire on deck, a fire in a waste paper basket full of paper that seemingly wasn't there when the night crew had walked to their post. Alice and Sonny start looking into the mysteries, and include Winnie who becomes a firm friend. But has Winnie told them everything?
Alice doesn't think all is as it seems, and the mystery changes in her mind. Can they find out what has happened and why?
I would have loved these to continue, but would still like to read more of Alice and Sonny in the future despite the ending of this series.
Thanks to Fritha at Usborne for the copy of this book which is launching on 1st August.
The whole series of these books has been superb. I liked the Robin Stevens murder books, Fleur Hitchcock's mystery stories (esp Murder at Snowfall) and The Adventures on Trains series (Sedgeman/Leonard) and Alice Eclair books so you can see the type this book is. I have read several of AM Howell's other books too and they are equally good (helps that many are set in and around the area I live)
I have been watching AM Howell's Insta account in the run up to the release of this book and she clearly has a love of cruises and the sea which was inherited from her Dad as they regularly went on these holidays when she was a child. Also the attention to detail with regard the places in Malta is just lovely.
The date is September 1936, it's just 3 months since Alice and Sonny met on the Queen Mary when Alice's father was staff captain. Then they became friends investigating a mystery until the truth came out - they are actually brother and sister separated many years before by their grandfather who kept Sonny with him after their mothers death and Alice was with her father. But their grandfather has died and left them as his only family The Lady Rose, a beautiful yacht which they charter to rich guests! We first met the Lady Rose in The Royal Jewel Plot when their guests on board were the King Edward and his friend Mrs Simpson.
In this they are in Egypt to pick up a Hollywood actress, Estelle Fortune, she has just finished one movie and is headed to England for the next. She also has with her, her brother and his wife and daughter Winnie (the Troutman's) and her manager Howard Quill. They are followed to the dock by Bertha Godfrey another actress who is supposed to be jealous as Estelle got the part in a film that she wanted. But something worse happens before they even leave the dock in Alexandria. Estelle is kidnapped and a ransom note tells them to go to Malta to pay they have to set sail. But Estelle seemingly got on the steamship to Malta willingly, she must have been very scared of her captors.
But how there were crew stationed at the gangplank nobody could get on or off, unless they did it in the few minutes it took to put out a fire on deck, a fire in a waste paper basket full of paper that seemingly wasn't there when the night crew had walked to their post. Alice and Sonny start looking into the mysteries, and include Winnie who becomes a firm friend. But has Winnie told them everything?
Alice doesn't think all is as it seems, and the mystery changes in her mind. Can they find out what has happened and why?
I would have loved these to continue, but would still like to read more of Alice and Sonny in the future despite the ending of this series.
Thanks to Fritha at Usborne for the copy of this book which is launching on 1st August.
November 16, 2024
There’s nothing to not like in this book, the two main characters are just ordinary brother and sister and both are extremely likeable. Sometimes I find that I don’t really like the main characters but in this case they are perfect.
The plot has everything you need in a MG book, adventure, and a really good mystery.And also with this series we are able to travel the world without leaving our home, the research that has been done was amazing. I really hope that the author will revisit these characters in the future.
The plot has everything you need in a MG book, adventure, and a really good mystery.And also with this series we are able to travel the world without leaving our home, the research that has been done was amazing. I really hope that the author will revisit these characters in the future.
October 14, 2024
Can't believe how long it took me to read this book, with how busy life has been lately. Anyway, like the others, I really enjoyed this one, and think it ended on a lovely family note, with a hint of an open future. If this indeed really is the end of the series, then it's been great, and know I'll reread these in the future.
August 6, 2024
4.5 stars
August 8, 2024
Yet another amazing book in the series. Pulled in straight from the beginning. Lots of adventure with twists along the way.
August 23, 2024
another great book in the Mysteries At Sea series! love going on adventures with Alice & Sonny and working out the mystery as i read the book, i really hope there will be a 4th book
January 13, 2026
love this series so much
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews