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Adventures on Trains #1
The Highland Falcon Thief
Adventures on Trains is a major mystery series from the prize-winning M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. First stop, The Highland Falcon Thief, a breat hless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve.
Harrison Beck is reluctantly joining his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal train, The Highland Falcon. But as the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things are suddenly a lot more interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison begins to investigate and uncovers a few surprises along the way. Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?
Hear whispers in the dining car, find notes in the library, and unknown passengers among the luggage as you help Harrison to solve the mystery aboard one of the world's grandest trains. Fast-paced and packed with illustrations and clues, Adventures on Trains is a stop you won't want to miss!
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2020
152 people are currently reading
2583 people want to read
About the author
M.G. Leonard
57 books315 followersM. G. Leonard is a writer of books, poems and screenplays. She has a first-class honours degree in English literature and an MA in Shakespeare Studies from Kings College London. She works as a freelance Digital Media Producer for clients such as the National Theatre, and Harry Potter West End, and previously worked as a Senior Digital Producer at the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe. She spent her early career in the music industry running Setanta Records, an independent record label, and managing bands, most notably The Divine Comedy. After leaving the music industry, she trained as an actor, dabbling in directing and producing as well as performing, before deciding to write her stories down. Maya lives in Brighton with her husband and two sons.
You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MGLnrd.
You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MGLnrd.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 415 reviews
January 30, 2021
Check out my spoiler-free interview with authors M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman: https://youtu.be/UM60KFWBqfo
I did not see that coming!
The Highland Falcon Thief is the first book in a brand new series - Adventures on Trains. I do like trains, and I like mysteries, and I like mysteries set on trains, so already I knew I was going to have fun with this one. And reader, I had so much fun!
We follow Hal who joins his uncle on the last journey the Highland Falcon is ever going to make. Not only that, but he is the only child allowed on board due to the journey also being part of the royal tour. Jewellery begins to go missing and Hal is the prime suspect due to him being the only child on board - but Hal swears he has seen a young girl on the train! Thus begins an adventure and a rather exciting mystery.
M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman wrote this novel together, and they write so seamlessly I can't tell who wrote what! They're literally writing partners (in crime) made for one another. I loved the way they wove the characters into the mystery. It's a tricky thing to surprise me when it comes to mysteries - but wow, this was such a clever mystery that I could not predict for one second. I had theories - but I'm so glad I was wrong by the end, and it all made sense! How could I not see it before? Gah, I'm kicking myself now. But it was actually well thought-out and unpredictable and it really did keep me on the edge of my (train) seat. Okay, I'll stop with the bracket puns.
I'm looking forward to more books in the Adventures on Trains series and seeing what Leonard and Sedgman cook up next. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters again and if they can surprise me with the mystery the second time around. All in all, one of the best middle grade mysteries I have read yet!
I did not see that coming!
The Highland Falcon Thief is the first book in a brand new series - Adventures on Trains. I do like trains, and I like mysteries, and I like mysteries set on trains, so already I knew I was going to have fun with this one. And reader, I had so much fun!
We follow Hal who joins his uncle on the last journey the Highland Falcon is ever going to make. Not only that, but he is the only child allowed on board due to the journey also being part of the royal tour. Jewellery begins to go missing and Hal is the prime suspect due to him being the only child on board - but Hal swears he has seen a young girl on the train! Thus begins an adventure and a rather exciting mystery.
M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman wrote this novel together, and they write so seamlessly I can't tell who wrote what! They're literally writing partners (in crime) made for one another. I loved the way they wove the characters into the mystery. It's a tricky thing to surprise me when it comes to mysteries - but wow, this was such a clever mystery that I could not predict for one second. I had theories - but I'm so glad I was wrong by the end, and it all made sense! How could I not see it before? Gah, I'm kicking myself now. But it was actually well thought-out and unpredictable and it really did keep me on the edge of my (train) seat. Okay, I'll stop with the bracket puns.
I'm looking forward to more books in the Adventures on Trains series and seeing what Leonard and Sedgman cook up next. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters again and if they can surprise me with the mystery the second time around. All in all, one of the best middle grade mysteries I have read yet!
March 21, 2021
7.57 on CAWPILE
December 29, 2024
🚂💛🚂💛🚂💛🚂💛🚂💛🚂💛🚂
The Highland Falcon Thief is the first book in the Middle Grade Mystery series, Adventures on Trains, by writing duo, M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman.
I first heard of this series when Gavin, from Gavin Reads It All, mentioned it in a Book Haul video. I was instantly intrigued, because TRAINS.
I've never traveled via Sleeper Train, but I've always wanted to do so. A bucket list item for me, for sure. Imagine how fun it would be traveling that way and having an actual mystery to solve while aboard!?
With these books, you get to experience that.
This story follows 11-year old, Hal Beck, whose Mom is getting ready to enter hospital to have a baby. His parents decide it would be best for Hal to have a getaway, while they are otherwise engaged with the birth of his little sister.
As luck would have it, Hal's Uncle Nat, a travel writer specializing in trains, is about to board a four-day journey on the Highland Falcon, a royal train taking her last journey through the U.K. It's perfect timing and the perfect opportunity for Hal to join him.
Hal begins the journey with some trepidation. He hasn't spent a lot of time with his Uncle and is nervous about traveling just the two of them.
Also, he's a little concerned about leaving his Mom as she enters the hospital. What if she needs him? He's honestly the sweetest boy. In spite of his fears, he holds his head high and joins his Uncle for the memorable final journey of the Highland Falcon.
On board, it quickly becomes apparent that Hal is the youngest passenger. No other kids, no video games, no distractions. He'll have plenty of time to focus on his art.
Then Hal spots her. A girl that shouldn't be there; a stowaway. Who is she and what is she doing here?
The two become secret friends and when jewelry begins being stolen from passengers on the train, they make an adorable detective duo, as they investigate the crimes.
However, after the Prince and Princesses board the train and her famous necklace is stolen, around the same time the stowaway, Lenny's, presence is discovered, all suspicion falls on the little girl.
Will they be able to find the real thief in time to save Lenny from serious repercussions?
Y'all, I loved this so much. We're talking, all new favorite Middle Grade series for me.
Hal is a fantastic character. He has all of the characteristics one would look for in a young hero. He's smart, loyal, kind, inquisitive, honest and super smart.
Hal is an artist. He does amazing drawings of his surroundings and his drawings actually help him to notice clues pertaining to the mystery. The book contains his drawings and I found the illustrations added a lot to the overall presentation of the story.
I looked forward to getting to the illustrations, so I could see exactly what Hal was seeing. It was especially fun when he was drawing the other passengers. I felt like you could glean a better impression of their character through that.
Additionally, I loved how Hal and his Uncle Nat's relationship grew over the course of the story. While Hal was always respectful and a bit in awe of his Uncle, you could see as the story progressed how they learned to really trust and love one another.
I liked how his Uncle gave Hal the freedom to explore and enjoy the train on his own without hovering over him. That freedom gave Hal the confidence to interact with a lot of different people.
I also loved the mystery itself. Once the thefts began, I really started to notice how many suspicious characters were on this train. There were a lot of possibilities for whodunit.
Overall, this book was an absolute joy to read. The setting of the train was perfection and I loved the varied cast of interesting characters.
I definitely recommend this one to fans of Middle Grade stories, and Middle Grade Mysteries in particular. 10-out-of-10 recommend!!
The Highland Falcon Thief is the first book in the Middle Grade Mystery series, Adventures on Trains, by writing duo, M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman.
I first heard of this series when Gavin, from Gavin Reads It All, mentioned it in a Book Haul video. I was instantly intrigued, because TRAINS.
I've never traveled via Sleeper Train, but I've always wanted to do so. A bucket list item for me, for sure. Imagine how fun it would be traveling that way and having an actual mystery to solve while aboard!?
With these books, you get to experience that.
This story follows 11-year old, Hal Beck, whose Mom is getting ready to enter hospital to have a baby. His parents decide it would be best for Hal to have a getaway, while they are otherwise engaged with the birth of his little sister.
As luck would have it, Hal's Uncle Nat, a travel writer specializing in trains, is about to board a four-day journey on the Highland Falcon, a royal train taking her last journey through the U.K. It's perfect timing and the perfect opportunity for Hal to join him.
Hal begins the journey with some trepidation. He hasn't spent a lot of time with his Uncle and is nervous about traveling just the two of them.
Also, he's a little concerned about leaving his Mom as she enters the hospital. What if she needs him? He's honestly the sweetest boy. In spite of his fears, he holds his head high and joins his Uncle for the memorable final journey of the Highland Falcon.
On board, it quickly becomes apparent that Hal is the youngest passenger. No other kids, no video games, no distractions. He'll have plenty of time to focus on his art.
Then Hal spots her. A girl that shouldn't be there; a stowaway. Who is she and what is she doing here?
The two become secret friends and when jewelry begins being stolen from passengers on the train, they make an adorable detective duo, as they investigate the crimes.
However, after the Prince and Princesses board the train and her famous necklace is stolen, around the same time the stowaway, Lenny's, presence is discovered, all suspicion falls on the little girl.
Will they be able to find the real thief in time to save Lenny from serious repercussions?
Y'all, I loved this so much. We're talking, all new favorite Middle Grade series for me.
Hal is a fantastic character. He has all of the characteristics one would look for in a young hero. He's smart, loyal, kind, inquisitive, honest and super smart.
Hal is an artist. He does amazing drawings of his surroundings and his drawings actually help him to notice clues pertaining to the mystery. The book contains his drawings and I found the illustrations added a lot to the overall presentation of the story.
I looked forward to getting to the illustrations, so I could see exactly what Hal was seeing. It was especially fun when he was drawing the other passengers. I felt like you could glean a better impression of their character through that.
Additionally, I loved how Hal and his Uncle Nat's relationship grew over the course of the story. While Hal was always respectful and a bit in awe of his Uncle, you could see as the story progressed how they learned to really trust and love one another.
I liked how his Uncle gave Hal the freedom to explore and enjoy the train on his own without hovering over him. That freedom gave Hal the confidence to interact with a lot of different people.
I also loved the mystery itself. Once the thefts began, I really started to notice how many suspicious characters were on this train. There were a lot of possibilities for whodunit.
Overall, this book was an absolute joy to read. The setting of the train was perfection and I loved the varied cast of interesting characters.
I definitely recommend this one to fans of Middle Grade stories, and Middle Grade Mysteries in particular. 10-out-of-10 recommend!!
February 14, 2020
All aboard!
🚂 Harrison (Hal) Beck - 11, enjoys drawing
🚂 Nathaniel (Nat) Bradshaw - Hal’s mother’s older brother, a travel writer
🚂 Sierra Knight - a film star who is friends with the princess
🚂 Lucy Meadows - Sierra’s personal assistant
🚂 Countess of Arundel, Lady Elizabeth Lansbury - onboard with her dogs (Trafalgar, Viking, Shannon, Fitzroy and Bailey), her husband recently died
🚂 Rowan Buck - the Countess’ gentleman-in-waiting/dog handler
🚂 Ernest White - was the head steward on the royal train for 47 years, allergic to dogs
🚂 Baron Wolfgang Essenbach - friend of the prince
🚂 Milo Essenbach - the Baron’s youngest son
🚂 Steven Pickle - reality TV star, entrepreneur, runs a train company called Grailax
🚂 Lydia Pickle - Steven’s wife
🚂 Isaac Adebayo - the royal photographer
🚂 The prince and princess
🚂 Marlene (Lenny) Singh - 11, the train driver’s daughter
🚂 Mohanjit Singh - train driver, Lenny’s father
🚂 Gordon Goulde - head steward on the royal train
🚂 Graham - train guard
🚂 Amy - waitress
🚂 Joel Bray - fireman
🚂 Daniel and Kerry - the night shift.
I was personally upset by how the .
I’ll definitely be on board for Hal and Uncle Nat’s next adventure.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books, an imprint of Pan Macmillan UK, for the opportunity to read this book.
Uncle Nat is a travel writer who loves trains and is thrilled to be a passenger on the Highland Falcon’s final journey. It’s the summer holiday and Hal is not looking forward to spending four whole days on board a train with his weird uncle.
‘I don’t like trains. They’re boring.’Hal isn’t bored for long as it turns out there’s a jewel thief on board and he’s quickly caught up in the action.
‘Often the best place to hide something is in full view.’On board the Highland Falcon and potential suspects are:
🚂 Harrison (Hal) Beck - 11, enjoys drawing
🚂 Nathaniel (Nat) Bradshaw - Hal’s mother’s older brother, a travel writer
🚂 Sierra Knight - a film star who is friends with the princess
🚂 Lucy Meadows - Sierra’s personal assistant
🚂 Countess of Arundel, Lady Elizabeth Lansbury - onboard with her dogs (Trafalgar, Viking, Shannon, Fitzroy and Bailey), her husband recently died
🚂 Rowan Buck - the Countess’ gentleman-in-waiting/dog handler
🚂 Ernest White - was the head steward on the royal train for 47 years, allergic to dogs
🚂 Baron Wolfgang Essenbach - friend of the prince
🚂 Milo Essenbach - the Baron’s youngest son
🚂 Steven Pickle - reality TV star, entrepreneur, runs a train company called Grailax
🚂 Lydia Pickle - Steven’s wife
🚂 Isaac Adebayo - the royal photographer
🚂 The prince and princess
🚂 Marlene (Lenny) Singh - 11, the train driver’s daughter
🚂 Mohanjit Singh - train driver, Lenny’s father
🚂 Gordon Goulde - head steward on the royal train
🚂 Graham - train guard
🚂 Amy - waitress
🚂 Joel Bray - fireman
🚂 Daniel and Kerry - the night shift.
Lenny, with her enthusiasm and tool belt, was always going to be my favourite character, especially when she was described (with a smile) as “the most disobedient girl ever to be born”. The surprise stand out for me was Uncle Nat, who turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected him to be. From his six watches, because “It’s good to remember that there are other places on the planet, filled with wonderful people”, to his love for trains, Nat is the person I’m most looking forward to spending more time with as the series progresses.
‘This will be a journey you’ll remember for the rest of your life.’With a mystery unfolding and a group of mostly rich people with various agendas on board, this was a fun adventure. Train enthusiasts will enjoy the information about how steam trains operate and detectives in training will have their work cut out for them separating the red herrings from the clues, which are found in the text and in Elisa Paganelli’s illustrations. The details in the illustrations matched the text most of the time.
I was personally upset by how the .
I’ll definitely be on board for Hal and Uncle Nat’s next adventure.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books, an imprint of Pan Macmillan UK, for the opportunity to read this book.
November 15, 2021
Trains and mysteries really do make a great combination.
Hal has been sent to stay with his uncle Nat while his mum has a baby. Uncle Nat is a travel journalist who specialises in train journeys, and he's taking Hal on an extra special trip - the final royal tour of the beautiful Highland Falcon steam train. Onboard are all of high society, and a jewelry thief. Can Hal and his new stowaway friend catch the thief?
This had distinct Orient Express vibes, which made me love it all the more. It feels very different for a children's book in that we get a lot of details about the working of steam trains and the journey itself, mixed in with this really interesting mystery. It all unfolds in a really satisfying way. I also really enjoyed exploring the Scottish countryside and getting a glimpse of Balmoral - even if it's very fleeting.
I also found the characters really interesting. Hal starts the journey as quite an anxious, timid boy. He's worried about his mum having a baby, and he's shy around this group of eccentric adults. However, through the course of the story and with his determination to solve the mystery he overcomes this shyness to climb moving trains, speak to a room full of adults, and hopefully solve a crime. His uncle Nat is the strong guiding hand that Hal needs, ever present yet always calm and collected. And Lenny is the daredevil, the companion to bring out the brave in Hal. They all work so well together.
I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this, and sped through the story in a day. It's fast paced, tightly plotted and ultimately a really rewarding read. I'm really excited to see where the series goes.
Hal has been sent to stay with his uncle Nat while his mum has a baby. Uncle Nat is a travel journalist who specialises in train journeys, and he's taking Hal on an extra special trip - the final royal tour of the beautiful Highland Falcon steam train. Onboard are all of high society, and a jewelry thief. Can Hal and his new stowaway friend catch the thief?
This had distinct Orient Express vibes, which made me love it all the more. It feels very different for a children's book in that we get a lot of details about the working of steam trains and the journey itself, mixed in with this really interesting mystery. It all unfolds in a really satisfying way. I also really enjoyed exploring the Scottish countryside and getting a glimpse of Balmoral - even if it's very fleeting.
I also found the characters really interesting. Hal starts the journey as quite an anxious, timid boy. He's worried about his mum having a baby, and he's shy around this group of eccentric adults. However, through the course of the story and with his determination to solve the mystery he overcomes this shyness to climb moving trains, speak to a room full of adults, and hopefully solve a crime. His uncle Nat is the strong guiding hand that Hal needs, ever present yet always calm and collected. And Lenny is the daredevil, the companion to bring out the brave in Hal. They all work so well together.
I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this, and sped through the story in a day. It's fast paced, tightly plotted and ultimately a really rewarding read. I'm really excited to see where the series goes.
August 2, 2020
I absolutely adored this one. It's one of those middle grade books that will stick with you and you probably will always keep in your heart. It's a tale of friendship, mystery, bravery and loyalty.
I absolutely adored the mystery part, it reminded me a lot of murder on the orient express without the murder and with smart 12 year olds that will make you question your intellect as leads.
I can't wait to keep reading their adventures on their beloved trains, and I'm really happy I finally read this.
read for grade E of comc.
I absolutely adored the mystery part, it reminded me a lot of murder on the orient express without the murder and with smart 12 year olds that will make you question your intellect as leads.
I can't wait to keep reading their adventures on their beloved trains, and I'm really happy I finally read this.
read for grade E of comc.
December 2, 2020
Wow! I really loved this book! What a great story full of mystery, adventure, & an amazing train! It’s The Highland Falcon Thief’s last journey before becoming a museum. Hal’s mom is sending him to take its last journey w/his Uncle Nat who is a journalist, while she prepares to have his baby sister. Hal thought he was going to be bored to tears-boy was he wrong lol He makes friends w/a girl named Lenny who is a stowaway lol People are complaining about their jewelry going missing, so he & Lenny decide to investigate. Hal can draw amazingly, & his drawings help them along the way. He realizes how amazing trains are, & how amazing his uncle is. He becomes close to an uncle he barley knew before this, makes a lifelong friend, has a new world opened up to him, & finds his inner courage when it matters most. Such great story telling, amazing characters, a great mystery, & a grand adventure. I highly recommend this, & can’t wait to start the 2nd book. An absolutely beautiful cover w/beautiful illustrations all throughout the book as well!💜
September 13, 2020
Such an amazing mystery! Fans of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express will love this fun middle grade adventure.
I love stories set on trains. There is something about the mode of transportation that fascinates me, and I think it's the perfect setting for a great mystery. The limited range of suspects, the fact that everyone is stuck together and cannot escape... I live for these adventures. So it is no surprise that I absolutely loved this one. The atmosphere was perfect. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, trying to figure out who could have committed the crimes.
The story was perfectly crafted. I doubted every person on the train at least once, including characters that I thought could not have done it. The big reveal at the end took me completely by surprise, and I gasped on several occasions because of the information we found out. I loved the final scene, where Hal, our main character, reveals how he figured everything out. It felt very Hercule Poirot-esque, and I loved every second of it.
I had such a great time reading this book and I cannot wait to pick up the sequel!
I love stories set on trains. There is something about the mode of transportation that fascinates me, and I think it's the perfect setting for a great mystery. The limited range of suspects, the fact that everyone is stuck together and cannot escape... I live for these adventures. So it is no surprise that I absolutely loved this one. The atmosphere was perfect. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, trying to figure out who could have committed the crimes.
The story was perfectly crafted. I doubted every person on the train at least once, including characters that I thought could not have done it. The big reveal at the end took me completely by surprise, and I gasped on several occasions because of the information we found out. I loved the final scene, where Hal, our main character, reveals how he figured everything out. It felt very Hercule Poirot-esque, and I loved every second of it.
I had such a great time reading this book and I cannot wait to pick up the sequel!
August 24, 2021
The Highland Falcom Thief has all the components of a classic children's adventure story.
It's got trains, mystery, stowaways, friendships, a quirky cast of characters and kids outsmarting adults. It's cosy, action packed and such a lot of fun.
My only qualm with this book was the fatphobia aimed towards one character that I was incredibly disappointed by. It was (as all fatphobia is) utterly unnecessary, dated and frustrating.
That being said, over all I had a huge amount of fun with this book. It was a delight to read can't wait to continue with the series.
TW: fatphobia (unchallenged)
It's got trains, mystery, stowaways, friendships, a quirky cast of characters and kids outsmarting adults. It's cosy, action packed and such a lot of fun.
My only qualm with this book was the fatphobia aimed towards one character that I was incredibly disappointed by. It was (as all fatphobia is) utterly unnecessary, dated and frustrating.
That being said, over all I had a huge amount of fun with this book. It was a delight to read can't wait to continue with the series.
TW: fatphobia (unchallenged)
December 28, 2021
This book about Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat who are on a the Highland Falcon, which is Britain's most famous steam train.
There are many high profile and super wealthy persons in this train and the women wears expensive jwellery. And one by one the jwellery starts disappearing.
It can mean only one thing: there is a thief in the Highland Falcon.
It is upto Harrison and his friend, Lenny to find out who is the thief.
✨✨
I absolutely loved this book okay. I loved it so much.
Firstly, this book feels like a love song to all the train lovers. I do not like trains but you can tell from reading this book that the author truly loves trains, passionately. By the end of this book, even I fell in love with trains just by reading this book. 😂
What makes reading this book even better are the illustrations. There are beautiful illustrations throughout the book.
All the characters were interesting and the plot was very intriguing. I was so hooked by the story and wanted to know who stole the jwellery.
Even though the mystery was predictable, I absolutely enjoyed how the two kids solved the robbery. The two kids are so pure and precious, and also incredibly smart and brave. The friendship between Harrison and Lenny was so genuine and real, I felt such warmth in my heart by seeing how much the two would do for one another.
I got teary eyed twice towards the end with happiness. This book made me so freaking happy okay. I love middle grade books for this reason. 😭 They are so pure and fills my heart with joy.
I need to read the second book ASAP.
Overall, this was a fantastic middle grade mystery book. Everyone but especially children will have a blast reading this! I'll highly recommend this book!
There are many high profile and super wealthy persons in this train and the women wears expensive jwellery. And one by one the jwellery starts disappearing.
It can mean only one thing: there is a thief in the Highland Falcon.
It is upto Harrison and his friend, Lenny to find out who is the thief.
✨✨
I absolutely loved this book okay. I loved it so much.
Firstly, this book feels like a love song to all the train lovers. I do not like trains but you can tell from reading this book that the author truly loves trains, passionately. By the end of this book, even I fell in love with trains just by reading this book. 😂
What makes reading this book even better are the illustrations. There are beautiful illustrations throughout the book.
All the characters were interesting and the plot was very intriguing. I was so hooked by the story and wanted to know who stole the jwellery.
Even though the mystery was predictable, I absolutely enjoyed how the two kids solved the robbery. The two kids are so pure and precious, and also incredibly smart and brave. The friendship between Harrison and Lenny was so genuine and real, I felt such warmth in my heart by seeing how much the two would do for one another.
I got teary eyed twice towards the end with happiness. This book made me so freaking happy okay. I love middle grade books for this reason. 😭 They are so pure and fills my heart with joy.
I need to read the second book ASAP.
Overall, this was a fantastic middle grade mystery book. Everyone but especially children will have a blast reading this! I'll highly recommend this book!
Want to read
March 17, 2023(Recommended by Gitika Agrawal Goila)
June 8, 2020
This is a fun little mystery novel for middle grade readers. Hal is invited to join his uncle, a travel writer, on the last voyage of a historic steam train. He's apprehensive at first since there are not supposed to be any other kids and he can't use his electronics. Then he makes a friend who's not supposed to be there and gets caught up in a mystery when a jewel necklace goes missing. This will be a great read for kids who love trains or mysteries.
I read a digital ARC of this via Net Galley.
I read a digital ARC of this via Net Galley.
June 28, 2021
"De juwelendief" ben ik al een aantal keren tegengekomen op Instagram met daarbij positieve reacties. Ik besloot daarom mij ook mee op reis te laten nemen door dit spannende kinderboek. Hieronder lees je mijn ervaring,
--
De Juwelendief is het eerste deel in de nieuwe spannende kinderboeken serie "Dader op het spoor" geschreven door M.G. Leonard en Sam Sedgman. De illustraties in het boek zijn ontworpen door Elisa Paganelli. De Juwelendief is een whodunit kinderboek die je letterlijk mee op reis neemt.
Alex wordt ondergebracht bij zijn oom, hij heeft hier helemaal geen zin in, maar hij moet. Zijn moeder gaat namelijk naar het ziekenhuis om daar te bevallen van zijn zusje. Maar hij wilt helemaal geen zusje. Al heel lang vraagt Alex om een hond, maar volgens zijn ouders is dat een te grote verantwoordelijkheid. Maar een baby is dat niet? Hij snapt er niks van.
Met veel tegenzin gaat hij dan maar met zijn oom mee op reis in de trein, de Hooglanden-expres. Dit zal de laatste rit zijn voor deze trein en zijn oom is dol enthousiast. Zelfs het Britse koningspaar zal erbij aanwezig zijn. Kinderen, behalve Alex, zijn verboden!
Terwijl Alex op onderzoek uitgaat in de trein ontmoet hij een verstekeling. Een meisje van rond zijn leeftijd. Tegelijkertijd komt er schokkend nieuws naar boven. Mensen in de trein raken hun kostbare bezittingen kwijt. Heeft dit mysterieuze meisje hier mee te maken?
--
Alex heeft een hele uitgesproken mening over het feit dat hij met zijn oom mee moet. Dit wekte direct mijn interesse en doordat er enorm wordt gekeken naar zijn emoties maakte dit het verhaal direct interessant.
Door de beschrijving en de illustraties door het verhaal heen krijg je een heel goed beeld van de trein en de reis. Hierdoor wordt je meegenomen op reis. In combinatie met dat de spanning steeds iets meer omhoog gaat, maakt dat het verhaal reuze leuk!
Al vrij snel leer je "het mysterieuze meisje" kennen. Je gaat zelf verdenkingen krijgen en probeert mee te denken over wie de eventuele Juwelendief is. Ik denk dat dit vooral voor kinderen heel spannend en leuk is! De Juwelendief was voor mij een verassing, waaraan je kunt merken dat het verhaal de gehele tijd een mysterie blijft. Erg leuk gedaan!
Ik heb enorm genoten van dit verhaal. De hele opbouw, de sfeer, de personages, eigenlijk alles vond ik goed uitgewerkt en dit boek raad ik dan ook zekers aan. De kleine detectives onder ons kunnen dit boek zeker waarderen!
--
De Juwelendief is het eerste deel in de nieuwe spannende kinderboeken serie "Dader op het spoor" geschreven door M.G. Leonard en Sam Sedgman. De illustraties in het boek zijn ontworpen door Elisa Paganelli. De Juwelendief is een whodunit kinderboek die je letterlijk mee op reis neemt.
Alex wordt ondergebracht bij zijn oom, hij heeft hier helemaal geen zin in, maar hij moet. Zijn moeder gaat namelijk naar het ziekenhuis om daar te bevallen van zijn zusje. Maar hij wilt helemaal geen zusje. Al heel lang vraagt Alex om een hond, maar volgens zijn ouders is dat een te grote verantwoordelijkheid. Maar een baby is dat niet? Hij snapt er niks van.
Met veel tegenzin gaat hij dan maar met zijn oom mee op reis in de trein, de Hooglanden-expres. Dit zal de laatste rit zijn voor deze trein en zijn oom is dol enthousiast. Zelfs het Britse koningspaar zal erbij aanwezig zijn. Kinderen, behalve Alex, zijn verboden!
Terwijl Alex op onderzoek uitgaat in de trein ontmoet hij een verstekeling. Een meisje van rond zijn leeftijd. Tegelijkertijd komt er schokkend nieuws naar boven. Mensen in de trein raken hun kostbare bezittingen kwijt. Heeft dit mysterieuze meisje hier mee te maken?
--
Alex heeft een hele uitgesproken mening over het feit dat hij met zijn oom mee moet. Dit wekte direct mijn interesse en doordat er enorm wordt gekeken naar zijn emoties maakte dit het verhaal direct interessant.
Door de beschrijving en de illustraties door het verhaal heen krijg je een heel goed beeld van de trein en de reis. Hierdoor wordt je meegenomen op reis. In combinatie met dat de spanning steeds iets meer omhoog gaat, maakt dat het verhaal reuze leuk!
Al vrij snel leer je "het mysterieuze meisje" kennen. Je gaat zelf verdenkingen krijgen en probeert mee te denken over wie de eventuele Juwelendief is. Ik denk dat dit vooral voor kinderen heel spannend en leuk is! De Juwelendief was voor mij een verassing, waaraan je kunt merken dat het verhaal de gehele tijd een mysterie blijft. Erg leuk gedaan!
Ik heb enorm genoten van dit verhaal. De hele opbouw, de sfeer, de personages, eigenlijk alles vond ik goed uitgewerkt en dit boek raad ik dan ook zekers aan. De kleine detectives onder ons kunnen dit boek zeker waarderen!
September 21, 2020
Een superspannend en leest echt heel lekker weg boek over een jongen die op een treinreis gaat, een verstekeling ontdekt, en een juwelendief ontmaskert.
Ik ben blij dat ik dit boek heb gevonden bij de bibliotheek want mijn hemel wat was dit een heerlijk snel boek zeg. Spannend maar ook bergen treinen (ik hou van treinen, ik weet niet alle details van treinen zoals Oom Ben of Lenny, maar ik hou van naar treinen kijken, de details zien, de verschillende manieren hoe het werkt, en meer). Ik zou echt wel mee willen gaan in de trein, want wat een droom was dat zeg, een panoramawagen, een bibliotheek (met een geheimpje), en nog veel meer. Heerlijk hoe de schrijfster, of eigenlijk Alex, ons door de trein leidt en ons steeds weer iets nieuws laat ontdekken.
Alex kan ook geweldig tekenen. Zo te zien loopt er dus genoeg creatief bloed door de familie. Want zijn oom is een beroemde schrijver.
Lenny was een leuk personage. Ik vond het stoer van haar dat ze als verstekeling mee is gekomen en dat haar vader dat, ondanks alles, toch toe laat. Hij had ook makkelijk haar kunnen laten ophalen door haar moeder bij een station maar hij laat haar lekker rondlopen. Ik vond de vriendschap tussen Alex en Lenny erg leuk geschreven en ik was blij dat ze elkaar vonden.
Een dingetje minder was dat Lenny zo aan het oordelen was toen ze erachter kwam dat Alex niet zo’n interesse had in treinen. Later heeft hij wel wat meer interesse, maar kom op laat die jongen gewoon met rust.
Er waren zoveel verdachten, al kon ik er al een paar van mijn lijstje halen. Ik vond het leuk om met Alex en Lenny door de trein te lopen op zoek naar hints en mijn lijstje zo aan te passen. Uiteindelijk moet ik zeggen dat ik dader niet had geraden, of in ieder geval… nee dat zou een spoiler zijn en dat wil ik niet. 😛
En dan zijn er nog andere geheimen die langzaam aan het licht komen en ik was enorm aan het genieten.
Ik vond de reis ook heel mooi en fijn dat er zoveel illustraties waren. Nu wil ik trouwens ook langs al deze mooie plekken.
Mr. Pickle was echt walgelijk. Constant vingers wijzen en enorm grove opmerkingen maken jegens Alex waardoor ik echt zin had om die man bij het eerste beste station van de trein te gooien.
Huggenden… nee gewoon nee. Zeg dan knuffelen/omhelzen/omarmen of andere woorden, dit klonk zo belachelijk. Helaas is het blijkbaar, voor wat dan ook achterlijke reden, ook nog eens een woord in het Nederlands? OH GOD NEE. Yuck. Nee dank je.
Ook waren er wat foutjes in de illustraties. We zien bijvoorbeeld de zogezegde sketch van Alex, maar daar zie ik echt geen extra leunstoel in, dus is het niet Alex’ zijn sketch? En dan is er nog twee keer hoe de compartimenten worden beschreven. Maar ze zijn verkeerd om. Dus of de illustrator heeft een foutje gemaakt… of de illustraties zijn gespiegeld. Want bij een hoort het bed links.. maar staat ie rechts.. en bij de ander is rechts het bed en staat ie links. Beetje apart.
Ik vond het einde ook erg leuk en ik kijk nu al uit naar de volgende avonturen van Alex (en ik ga er maar even vanuit dat Lenny ook van de partij is).
Ik zou het boek zeker aanraden! Heerlijk om te lezen.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Ik ben blij dat ik dit boek heb gevonden bij de bibliotheek want mijn hemel wat was dit een heerlijk snel boek zeg. Spannend maar ook bergen treinen (ik hou van treinen, ik weet niet alle details van treinen zoals Oom Ben of Lenny, maar ik hou van naar treinen kijken, de details zien, de verschillende manieren hoe het werkt, en meer). Ik zou echt wel mee willen gaan in de trein, want wat een droom was dat zeg, een panoramawagen, een bibliotheek (met een geheimpje), en nog veel meer. Heerlijk hoe de schrijfster, of eigenlijk Alex, ons door de trein leidt en ons steeds weer iets nieuws laat ontdekken.
Alex kan ook geweldig tekenen. Zo te zien loopt er dus genoeg creatief bloed door de familie. Want zijn oom is een beroemde schrijver.
Lenny was een leuk personage. Ik vond het stoer van haar dat ze als verstekeling mee is gekomen en dat haar vader dat, ondanks alles, toch toe laat. Hij had ook makkelijk haar kunnen laten ophalen door haar moeder bij een station maar hij laat haar lekker rondlopen. Ik vond de vriendschap tussen Alex en Lenny erg leuk geschreven en ik was blij dat ze elkaar vonden.
Een dingetje minder was dat Lenny zo aan het oordelen was toen ze erachter kwam dat Alex niet zo’n interesse had in treinen. Later heeft hij wel wat meer interesse, maar kom op laat die jongen gewoon met rust.
Er waren zoveel verdachten, al kon ik er al een paar van mijn lijstje halen. Ik vond het leuk om met Alex en Lenny door de trein te lopen op zoek naar hints en mijn lijstje zo aan te passen. Uiteindelijk moet ik zeggen dat ik dader niet had geraden, of in ieder geval… nee dat zou een spoiler zijn en dat wil ik niet. 😛
En dan zijn er nog andere geheimen die langzaam aan het licht komen en ik was enorm aan het genieten.
Ik vond de reis ook heel mooi en fijn dat er zoveel illustraties waren. Nu wil ik trouwens ook langs al deze mooie plekken.
Mr. Pickle was echt walgelijk. Constant vingers wijzen en enorm grove opmerkingen maken jegens Alex waardoor ik echt zin had om die man bij het eerste beste station van de trein te gooien.
Huggenden… nee gewoon nee. Zeg dan knuffelen/omhelzen/omarmen of andere woorden, dit klonk zo belachelijk. Helaas is het blijkbaar, voor wat dan ook achterlijke reden, ook nog eens een woord in het Nederlands? OH GOD NEE. Yuck. Nee dank je.
Ook waren er wat foutjes in de illustraties. We zien bijvoorbeeld de zogezegde sketch van Alex, maar daar zie ik echt geen extra leunstoel in, dus is het niet Alex’ zijn sketch? En dan is er nog twee keer hoe de compartimenten worden beschreven. Maar ze zijn verkeerd om. Dus of de illustrator heeft een foutje gemaakt… of de illustraties zijn gespiegeld. Want bij een hoort het bed links.. maar staat ie rechts.. en bij de ander is rechts het bed en staat ie links. Beetje apart.
Ik vond het einde ook erg leuk en ik kijk nu al uit naar de volgende avonturen van Alex (en ik ga er maar even vanuit dat Lenny ook van de partij is).
Ik zou het boek zeker aanraden! Heerlijk om te lezen.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 17, 2020
A brilliant read from start to finish with fab illustrations!
June 4, 2020
Eleven year old Harrison Beck is spending four days with his eccentric uncle and author Nathaniel Bradshaw, journeying across the British countryside upon The Highland Falcon, his mother heavily pregnant with her second child. bringing a new sibling for Harrison into the world. Harrison reluctantly boards The Highland Falcon, a steam powered locomotive on her final journey before decommissioned into retirement. Harrison isn't a train enthusiast like his uncle, documenting her final journey but adventure awaits onboard the locomotive for the wealthy and infamous passengers, a stowaway and the British Prince and Princess as a jewel thief journeys among them.
Harrison is a lovely young man, courteous and reluctantly boards The Highland Falcon, the only child on the journey from Crewe to Scotland until Harrison discovers a young stowaway. Marlene Singh is a railroad enthusiast and befriends Harrison as they begin their adventure across Britain.
The jewel heist has begun. Someone had been thieving from wealthy socialites and society members and when a brooch, earrings and and absurdly, the Atlas Diamond necklace as worn under security by the royal Princess herself disappears onboard, Harrison and Marlene are determined to unravel the mystery and find the culprit.
The Highland Falcon Thief is unequivocally delightful. A mystery adventure on the railway, surprising and wonderfully engaging. Throughout the narrative, learning about the romance of the railways was lovely, the almost obsolete steam powered locomotives and the journey onboard, an adventure itself. As Harrison sketches various scenes of interest, the illustrations are recreated throughout, enchanting and delighting middle grade readers. Simply brilliant.
Harrison is a lovely young man, courteous and reluctantly boards The Highland Falcon, the only child on the journey from Crewe to Scotland until Harrison discovers a young stowaway. Marlene Singh is a railroad enthusiast and befriends Harrison as they begin their adventure across Britain.
The jewel heist has begun. Someone had been thieving from wealthy socialites and society members and when a brooch, earrings and and absurdly, the Atlas Diamond necklace as worn under security by the royal Princess herself disappears onboard, Harrison and Marlene are determined to unravel the mystery and find the culprit.
The Highland Falcon Thief is unequivocally delightful. A mystery adventure on the railway, surprising and wonderfully engaging. Throughout the narrative, learning about the romance of the railways was lovely, the almost obsolete steam powered locomotives and the journey onboard, an adventure itself. As Harrison sketches various scenes of interest, the illustrations are recreated throughout, enchanting and delighting middle grade readers. Simply brilliant.
December 4, 2022
Aventuri în tren. Hoțul din Highland Falcon
#256pagini
Vreau să încep prin a recomanda această carte tuturor iubitorilor de mistere, de cazuri de elucidat, avem un mic Sherlock Holmes. Foarte bine scrisă cartea.❤️
Este spre sfârșitul vacanței de vară, mama lui Harrison (Hall) urmează să nască, așa că părinții decid ca el să-și petreacă petreacă puțin timp cu unchiul lui, spre dezamagirea lui.
Cum unchiul lui urma să fie la bordul Highland Falcon, un regal tren cu aburi pentru a scrie un jurnal de călătorie, Hall îl însoțește în acesta călătorie.
Este un drum de 4 zile, o călătorie pâna in Scoția si înapoi, cu un tren regal cu abur, un drum de onoare a celui mai luxos tren care existase vreodată, și care urma să se retragă, să fie expus în muzeu
Nu este o călătorie fără incidente, deoarece Hall descoperă un pasager clandestin, iar dispariția mai multor bijuterii a unor pasageri, îl determină să facă cercetari și să descopere hoțul de bijuterii, mai ales că este furat și diamantul Atlas al prințesei, iar recompensa este pe măsură.
#256pagini
Vreau să încep prin a recomanda această carte tuturor iubitorilor de mistere, de cazuri de elucidat, avem un mic Sherlock Holmes. Foarte bine scrisă cartea.❤️
Este spre sfârșitul vacanței de vară, mama lui Harrison (Hall) urmează să nască, așa că părinții decid ca el să-și petreacă petreacă puțin timp cu unchiul lui, spre dezamagirea lui.
Cum unchiul lui urma să fie la bordul Highland Falcon, un regal tren cu aburi pentru a scrie un jurnal de călătorie, Hall îl însoțește în acesta călătorie.
Este un drum de 4 zile, o călătorie pâna in Scoția si înapoi, cu un tren regal cu abur, un drum de onoare a celui mai luxos tren care existase vreodată, și care urma să se retragă, să fie expus în muzeu
Nu este o călătorie fără incidente, deoarece Hall descoperă un pasager clandestin, iar dispariția mai multor bijuterii a unor pasageri, îl determină să facă cercetari și să descopere hoțul de bijuterii, mai ales că este furat și diamantul Atlas al prințesei, iar recompensa este pe măsură.
February 28, 2020
This was so much fun! A book I did not know I needed but now I am craving more! I am so glad this is part one in a series because I have a feeling it might become a favourite. The writing flows perfectly, the characters are all intriguing and the illustrations compliment it all wonderfully.
I didn't see all the twists coming and those I did just made me read on to see if I was right. Throughly enjoyable read which I highly recommend. Agatha Christie for kids! :)
I didn't see all the twists coming and those I did just made me read on to see if I was right. Throughly enjoyable read which I highly recommend. Agatha Christie for kids! :)
February 11, 2020
Steam trains are so cool!!!!
January 24, 2022
Reading this was like nose diving into a cozy middle grade version of an Agatha Christie novel. Well made middle grade mysteries that ISN’T scary are in fact rather unusual. This one manages to make a good mystery with unexpected twists and turns, a powerful story about friendship AND have it all mixed up with facts about trains! I would probably recommend this to kids who like reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stones, because there might not be any magic, but the feeling of solving a mystery and discovering a new world is similar.
Concerning representation there’s some scenes where a couple of POC-characters clearly get accused for being the thief because of their origin and that’s a disappointment. There’s also no queer representation, which is sad. I probably would have fainted from happiness if there was. Still, this is an amazing middle grade mystery!
Concerning representation there’s some scenes where a couple of POC-characters clearly get accused for being the thief because of their origin and that’s a disappointment. There’s also no queer representation, which is sad. I probably would have fainted from happiness if there was. Still, this is an amazing middle grade mystery!
February 6, 2020
This is our kids book of the month - a who dunnit set on board a steam locomotive called the Highland Falcon. Hal's mum is going to hospital to have a baby and finds himself on the locomotive with his journalist uncle, as it takes its final journey before retiring to the transport museum. Mid journey, some priceless jewels go missing, so Hal with the help of a stowaway called Lenny set out to solve the mystery before the end of the journey. A great read, I'm sure this will be a hit in our store.
August 9, 2020
I enjoyed reading this very much. Proving once again that nothing beats a mystery on a train!
March 1, 2021
Ggggggggoooooooodddddddddddd
April 8, 2021
Heerlijke kinderdetective in ware Agatha Christiestijl, met sterke clou. Gemaakt volgens de regels van de kunst.
June 18, 2023
2⭐
Mystery, drama and an incredible plot!
Mystery, drama and an incredible plot!
August 2, 2021
Really enjoyed this one! Not too predictable. I think the kids from the reading club will love this one.
Read
November 28, 2022My nine-year-old and I were so excited about this for a read-aloud but neither one of us could get into it. I didn't feel connected to the main character after three chapters and then introducing so many secondary characters so early on just felt like information overload without sufficient emotion or plot attached. My son's primary response was, "Boring!" Bummer as I loved the synopsis and it's fairly highly reviewed and a fairly robust series. Maybe we will try again in another time and mood.
February 18, 2022
I think it's actually 2.5 stars. I feel bad because others are rating it so highly but the reality is that I was a little disappointed.
I really enjoyed the set up for the plot and the setting. I also really liked our main characters; Uncle Nat, Hal and Lenny all felt like real people though I'd say the secondary ones felt more like card board cut outs.
Which takes me to the problems I had with the book. As much as I found the writing engaging and any time I set out to read one chapter I'd read six I felt like in the end the plotting let me down. This is a mystery plot that could have supported an adult novel (a thief is moving through the upper classes stealing jewelry and now they are on a train - jewelry starts going missing, is it the same thief? What are they on the train for?) I could definitely see the influence of Christie in the planning of the plot and setting here and kept having to remind myself this was a kids book and the plot couldn't get nearly as interesting as it would in her books.
But the problem is, that a child detective can't go into all the interesting layers an adult book would to try and obscure who did it. As a result this is a super striped down story that lacks any of the interesting twists and turns that make this "puzzle style" subgenre work. The kids never make any effort to get to know more about the individuals on the train - we get far more exposition about the train itself (which I loved) then we do about the other potential suspects - together the kids come up with one suspect, never look into anyone else, generally do almost no investigating, and when the red herring is proven innocent we're basically at the end. It honestly felt like the book was too long and an editor told Leonard they had to cute some of the mystery investigation or some of the train stuff and Leonard decided to keep the train stuff.
This leads me to my other problem, which is that Lenny is basically a pointless character. She jumps to the Red Herring conclusion and then the kids have no other conversation about it being someone else, never look into anyone else. And then, she's separated from Hal at the integral point - never gets curious about the obvious clue she has access to (that Hal eventually uses to solve the mystery), which btw is *very* out of character for her. I expected her to have gone through everyone's luggage. Hal doesn't talk to her about his suspicions, he never consults her etc... He just swoops in, says "I know who did it, you'll see..." and then goes on to solve the case.
I finished the book thinking, if I ever wondered if you could take a Watson/Hastings character and successfully blend them with a Mary Sue/Damsel in Distress trope now I know you can. Not that I'd ever wondered that. Or wanted that. I feel like the useless "partner" who just follows the detective around for narration purposes is a trope we've long outgrown and I'm confused why it was put into this book. What was Lenny's purpose? Train things? The story either needed Lenny to be a more involved detective (which would have matched her personality better) or leave her out.
Also, this is a modern book written to feel like it's written in that older style but we know it's modern times in the story. And we're going to have the police unreasonably jump to suspect the brown people on the train and we aren't going to at ALL mention that race is CLEARLY a factor in a police detective easily jumping to this unsupported, unsupportable, conclusion???? Because, I was SO waiting for Uncle Nat to comment on the obvious racism...
Honestly, in the end, while I enjoyed a lot about the book I felt like what I'd read was "Babies First Christie" novel where all the good parts about writing a mystery were stripped out and all that was kept was the basic structure of "locked room", one detective with a useless helper, and everyone gathers in one room to hear the solution. From an 11 year old. ok.
Btw. I knew what was up with the Red Herring from the outset, and with who. I knew who had done it from almost the beginning and I knew the diamond was being stolen as that scene was playing out. I get it's a kids book and I'm unnaturally canny with a mystery, but I read other kids mysteries that don't project the whole entire solution like this.
So. If you want a fun, hijinks style adventure with really enjoyable characters though a little lacking in development this is a good book. But if you wanted to read a MYSTERY I suggest you try Robin Stevens' Murder Most Unladylike series or Julie Berry's Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place which keep the atmosphere and style this book was going for but actually do the mystery part well too.
I really enjoyed the set up for the plot and the setting. I also really liked our main characters; Uncle Nat, Hal and Lenny all felt like real people though I'd say the secondary ones felt more like card board cut outs.
Which takes me to the problems I had with the book. As much as I found the writing engaging and any time I set out to read one chapter I'd read six I felt like in the end the plotting let me down. This is a mystery plot that could have supported an adult novel (a thief is moving through the upper classes stealing jewelry and now they are on a train - jewelry starts going missing, is it the same thief? What are they on the train for?) I could definitely see the influence of Christie in the planning of the plot and setting here and kept having to remind myself this was a kids book and the plot couldn't get nearly as interesting as it would in her books.
But the problem is, that a child detective can't go into all the interesting layers an adult book would to try and obscure who did it. As a result this is a super striped down story that lacks any of the interesting twists and turns that make this "puzzle style" subgenre work. The kids never make any effort to get to know more about the individuals on the train - we get far more exposition about the train itself (which I loved) then we do about the other potential suspects - together the kids come up with one suspect, never look into anyone else, generally do almost no investigating, and when the red herring is proven innocent we're basically at the end. It honestly felt like the book was too long and an editor told Leonard they had to cute some of the mystery investigation or some of the train stuff and Leonard decided to keep the train stuff.
This leads me to my other problem, which is that Lenny is basically a pointless character. She jumps to the Red Herring conclusion and then the kids have no other conversation about it being someone else, never look into anyone else. And then, she's separated from Hal at the integral point - never gets curious about the obvious clue she has access to (that Hal eventually uses to solve the mystery), which btw is *very* out of character for her. I expected her to have gone through everyone's luggage. Hal doesn't talk to her about his suspicions, he never consults her etc... He just swoops in, says "I know who did it, you'll see..." and then goes on to solve the case.
I finished the book thinking, if I ever wondered if you could take a Watson/Hastings character and successfully blend them with a Mary Sue/Damsel in Distress trope now I know you can. Not that I'd ever wondered that. Or wanted that. I feel like the useless "partner" who just follows the detective around for narration purposes is a trope we've long outgrown and I'm confused why it was put into this book. What was Lenny's purpose? Train things? The story either needed Lenny to be a more involved detective (which would have matched her personality better) or leave her out.
Also, this is a modern book written to feel like it's written in that older style but we know it's modern times in the story. And we're going to have the police unreasonably jump to suspect the brown people on the train and we aren't going to at ALL mention that race is CLEARLY a factor in a police detective easily jumping to this unsupported, unsupportable, conclusion???? Because, I was SO waiting for Uncle Nat to comment on the obvious racism...
Honestly, in the end, while I enjoyed a lot about the book I felt like what I'd read was "Babies First Christie" novel where all the good parts about writing a mystery were stripped out and all that was kept was the basic structure of "locked room", one detective with a useless helper, and everyone gathers in one room to hear the solution. From an 11 year old. ok.
Btw. I knew what was up with the Red Herring from the outset, and with who. I knew who had done it from almost the beginning and I knew the diamond was being stolen as that scene was playing out. I get it's a kids book and I'm unnaturally canny with a mystery, but I read other kids mysteries that don't project the whole entire solution like this.
So. If you want a fun, hijinks style adventure with really enjoyable characters though a little lacking in development this is a good book. But if you wanted to read a MYSTERY I suggest you try Robin Stevens' Murder Most Unladylike series or Julie Berry's Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place which keep the atmosphere and style this book was going for but actually do the mystery part well too.
August 4, 2022
I acknowledge the book is aimed at young people not old men, but I have enjoyed others in the series. However if this had been my first it would have been my last. Will read another in the series and trust that will be of the previous I’ve read.
January 27, 2020
Pure cosy crime joy for the middle graders. Full of mystery, drama, laughs and trains.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 415 reviews