Gevaar op Safari

Adventures on Trains #3

by M.G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman

Gevaar op safari is deel 3 van de populaire serie dader op het spoor van bestsellerauteurs M.G. Leonard en Sam Sedgman. Spanning en sensatie voor fans van detectives, mysteries én treinen vanaf 9 jaar.

Alex en zijn oom Ben maken de reis van hun leven aan boord van de Safari Star – een luxe stoomtrein die hen van Pretoria naar de prachtige Victoriawatervallen brengt.
De verbazingwekkende dieren en het landschap van Zuid-Afrika zijn al heel avontuurlijk, maar het wordt pas écht mysterieus wanneer een passagier dood wordt aangetroffen in een afgesloten treindeel. Is het een vreselijk ongeluk of is er meer aan de hand?

Deze serie is smullen voor lezers van heel veel leeftijden. Alle delen zijn los te lezen.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens, Crime, Audiobook

224 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2021

About the author

M. 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.

Reviews

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my spoiler-free interview with authors M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman: https://youtu.be/UM60KFWBqfo

Leonard & Sedgman are the masters of misdirection with outcomes that Agatha Christie herself couldn't have conjured. There's no slowing the Adventures on Trains series down as 'Murder on the Safari Star' proves to be Hal's most dangerous and shocking adventure yet.

I think I mentioned this in a review of a previous book but I do absolutely love how each mystery has been set in a different location, keeping the series fresh with every new instalment. The setting of South Africa in this one really adds to the danger as there are encounters with snakes, elephants - and even lions! I volunteered on a game park in South Africa back in 2016 and I could really picture myself being back there when the location was being described and the characters were allowed to explore outside. The conversation about rhinos and their endangerment because of their horns is a very real and heartbreaking reality that I think was excellently talked about in this.

The main reason we love this series is that it's a mystery on a train - and this one does not disappoint. The mystery in this can be rather baffling at first but as Hal figures more things out, I really felt myself start to become a detective. Having said that, I still wasn't sure what the outcome would be, or who was behind it all, and I think Leonard & Sedgman played the game very well in leading me off certain character scents.

Hal and Uncle Nat continue to shine and their relationship is always so genuinely portrayed. Because they are so grounded now in who they are, I'm always excited to see how they interact with a new cast of characters, and who Hal makes friends with next. I loved Hal's new friendship with Winston and even the mongoose Chipo. Each new setting and each new cast of characters presents different challenges to Hal and Uncle Nat and I just love watching them navigate it all.

Three books in and I am always confident that I'm going to be in for the ride of a lifetime when I pick up an Adventures on Trains book. This one is definitely my favourite one so far and I cannot describe how excited I am for the fourth book, coming out this year, called Danger at Dead Man's Pass. EEEKKKK how exciting does that sound?!

[Jade Ratley · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.86 on CAWPILE

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙

Murder on the Safari Star is the 3rd-installment of my new favorite Middle Grade series. I adored the first two books and this one was more of the same.

After train journeys in his native-UK and in the USA, it's now February holiday and this time Hal is joining his Uncle Nat in South Africa for a trip on the classic Safari Star.



Arriving in South Africa, Hal is itching for a new mystery. Having successfully solved mysteries aboard the Highland Falcon and the California Comet, Hal has earned himself a bit of a reputation; a young-Sherlock, if you will.

I love how quickly these books kick-off. The authors definitely know how to grab the Reader's attention. Within 10%, we're already in South Africa, boarding the train and meeting the players of our soon-to-be mystery.



As with the earlier stories, there is a character Hal's age on the train, Winston, who he quickly befriends and works with to solve the case. Bonus, Winston's pet mongoose, Chipo, who brings a heavy dose of cuteness to the story.

Cute animals aside though, you should be warned, this mystery is the most sinister and dangerous yet!



We have a death on the train. The person involved was in a locked room. Most people suspect it was an accident, unfortunate, but nothing to be too alarmed over.

Hal, who was outside the room at the time, doesn't believe it was an accident, but he'll have to prove it, if anyone is going to believe him. The investigation begins.



I was so intrigued by this one. The person involved was absolutely vile and had insulted, or angered, pretty much every other passenger on the train, including his own family. This left Hal with a lot of suspects.

I loved how it was a classic and true locked-room mystery. How could the killer have pulled it off?



It was fun watching Hal try to work through it all. There was even a scene where his Uncle Nat helped him to reconstruct the crime to try to find answers. It was adorable.

I became quite invested in certain characters and felt my heart-rate rising as they fell under suspicion. It was gripping until the very end.

Overall, this was an absolutely fantastic installment to the series. It was an incredibly fun mystery to try to solve. The quality of the locked-room set-up would make Dame Christie proud!



I would absolutely recommend this series to Readers of all ages. The books are always engaging and fast-paced, with a great group of characters and wonderful illustrations.

10-out-of-10 recommend!

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

never though a children’s mystery series set on trains would become a comfort read for me and yet here we are…

another fab instalment in this gloriously fun series, I can’t wait for more adventures.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books just get better & better! Our 3rd adventure w/Hal & Uncle Nat was the most dangerous & exciting one yet! This time we’re on the Safari Star traveling through Africa! The crime to solve this time is murder! Hal has definitely come a long way, & his detective skills show it. Part of the love for this story are Hal & Uncle Nat themselves. I love them 2 so much, & would travel w/them anywhere. Then the stories the authors come up w/for each book are always so engrossing & amazing! I had no idea whodunnit! Lol I was so happily shocked at the end, & so satisfied! There’s 1 guy in this book that stands for basically everything I despise in a human being. The way he treats other people is enough to make me dislike him. Thinks he’s better than everyone, & treats everyone like dirt. BUT how he treats animals that can’t stand up for/defend themselves?? That’s what gets my blood boiling. People who kill just to hang something on their wall. Or to act like that makes them the toughest person around..yea ok..let’s see you fight that animal w/o that gun & win, & then we’ll talk.🙄There are so many in the world like that, & I weep for these defenseless animals. ANYWAY! Lol So much adventure, suspense, humor, mystery, & so full of heart. The animals were described so vividly, as well as each setting, I felt like I was there w/them. Hal’s sidekick on this is Winston & his pet mongoose Chipo-that rascal has my heart & soul! So amazing. Love seeing each friend he makes on these adventures. Winston was a great one, adored him. Along w/the beautiful cover by Elisa Paganelli, it is again FULL of the most amazing illustrations that bring the story to life. Highly recommend this series, & can’t wait for the next book!💜

[Jessica Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is hands down the best middle grade mystery I have ever read!! I'll be hunting down the rest of the series!

[Demi Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samenvatting:
Gevaar op safari is deel drie van de Dader op het spoor serie. Hierin gaat Alex telkens met zijn oom Ben op reis, waar hij de spannendste dingen meemaakt. In de Safari Star wordt de spanning wel erg hoog wanneer blijkt dat er een moord is gepleegd. Dit moet haast wel gedaan zijn door iemand die aanwezig is op deze trein.

Zal Alex deze zaak weer weten op de lossen, of is de recherche die dit keer aan boort is, sneller dan hem?

--

Moord tijdens de treinreis
Opbouwende spanning

Het eerste wat opvalt is dat het per boek in de serie het steeds iets spannender wordt. Het begint met diefstal, wordt gevolgd door ontvoering en nu is er zelfs moord. Het geeft hoge verwachtingen aan het boek, maar M.G. Leonard en Sam Sedgman weten te voldoen aan deze verwachtingen.

Niet alleen de spanning wordt per deel opgevoerd, ook het hoofdpersonage, Alex, ontwikkeld zich in elk boek steeds meer. Door wat hij mee maakt tijdens de treinreizen krijgt hij ervaring in het oplossen van zaken. Zijn kennis en ervaring neemt hij dan ook telkens mee naar een volgende treinreis. Het personage blijft zich door ontwikkelen en dat is erg prettig.

Prachtige illustraties

Wat hierbij nog een leuk detail is, is dat Alex ook zijn tekenkwaliteiten ontwikkeld. De tekeningen, gemaakt door Elisa Paganelli, worden in het verhaal geplaatst als zijnde dat Alex ze zelf tekent. Hij gebruikt deze tekeningen onder andere om de zaken op te lossen. In Gevaar op safari krijgt Alex voor kerst ander tekenmateriaal waar hij tijdens de treinreis mee gaat oefenen. Door alle ontwikkelingen in de spanning en in het hoofdpersonage is het boek erg prettig om te lezen.

Moord en mysterie

Waar de Dader op het spoor boeken goed in zijn, is de enorme spanning, mysterie en de plottwisten. Al vanaf het begin van het boek weet je, door de vorige delen, dat er iets gaat gebeuren. Hierdoor ga je alvast nadenken wat er zou kunnen gebeuren en wie hiermee te maken kan hebben. Algauw wordt duidelijk dat het om een moord gaat en ga je meedenken over wie de dader kan zijn. Leonard en Sedgman weten je hierbij telkens op een 'verkeerd spoor' te zetten. Het blijft hierdoor spannend en het plot was weer een verassing.

Gevaar op safari is een kinderboek geschikt voor de stoere jongens en meisjes onder ons, die wellicht zelf ooit wel eens detective zouden willen worden. Het verhaal leest gemakkelijk weg, het taalgebruik is duidelijk en de illustraties maken het helemaal af.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book and am ready to read another in the series.

[Amélie Boucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was, once again, such an amazing read! I loved the African setting and seeing Hal make new friends and solve new mysteries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euayJ1N2cYM

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this a while ago, read the first two as well so I thought why not.
This was a light mystery as always.
Ideal for younger readers who want to test if they like mystery reading.

[Astrid Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another strong book from Adventures on Trains series.

This time, Hal and his uncle Nat were traveling in Safari Star, a luxurious safari train in South Africa. And for the first time on his detective career, Hal had a murder case.

As usual, the characters are intriguing, the setting (in and out of train) is marvelous, and the mystery itself is quite clever. This is probably one of the most consistent middle grade mystery series I've ever read, and will always be one of my favorites!

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve come here straight from Kidnap on the California Comet as I’m just devouring these books. It’s certain for an action packed adventure and detective drama, and accompanying Hal on his journeys is bound to be a fun trip at this point, if a little dangerous!

He’s foiled jewel thieves, kidnappers and now it’s about to step up a notch. Can he solve the most difficult case of all - a murder?

I loved the story of this one and the location too. Going through Africa and on safari had it being one of my favourite in the series so far. Chipo also was the greatest and cutest addition!

And can I just say, Nat’s unwavering support and loyalty towards Hal is just the best thing ever. He always gives him everything he needs, validates him in every aspect and has his back and best intentions at all times. It’s so refreshing and seeing the relationship between Hal and his uncle blossom has been lovely.

10/10 as always and as much as I’d like to slow these books down, I can’t! I have the next one lined up and I can’t resist joining Hal on another train adventure.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het eerste dat me opviel toen ik in dit derde boek begon, was dat de vertaling van Anne Douqué was. En al kon ik me niet herinneren wie de vorige twee verhalen had gedaan, van haar had ik nog nooit gehoord. Het was in elk geval een aangename kennismaking. Het las vlot, snel, geen rare zinnen, geen typfouten. Mooie Nederlandse uitgave!

Inhoudelijk doet dit boek enorm denken aan De Moord op de Oriënt-Express van Je-Weet-Wel-Wie, Die Naam Hoeft Niet Eens Genoemd Te Worden. Een afgesloten ruimte in de vorm van een luxetrein waarop passagiers van allerlei slag en nationaliteiten zitten en waarvan er een op onverklaarbare wijze vermoord wordt. Feitelijk heeft het nog lang geduurd voor Leonard & Sedgman er zich aan waagden, maar goed, de concurrentie is - eh - moordend, natuurlijk.

En om eerlijk te zijn: dit verhaal overtuigde niet helemaal. Er zijn een paar momenten in het boek waar ik vond dat Alex te overhaast te werk ging of niet genoeg aandacht (of de verkeerde soort aandacht) besteedde aan bepaalde elementen. Volgens mij is hij slimmer dan dat.
De personages die exclusief in dit boek voorkomen - met name Winston, maar ook alle andere - zijn ook niet zo heel bijzonder opvallend. Alleen Nicole verraste me op het einde nog even, want op mijn zeventiende was ik in elk geval niet zo daadkrachtig als zij (al heb ik ook nooit plannen gehad om business management op Harvard te gaan studeren, oké, kan ik het helpen). Maar verder... mwah. Ik was niet echt overtuigd. Liana, ja, die vond ik nog wel tof. Een frisse wind door het verhaal.

Ik had zo mijn vermoedens over wie hét gedaan had, na een tijdje, en ik bleek gelijk te krijgen ook, al wist ik niet waarom. Maar hoe je het ook draait of keert: zoals gewoonlijk gaat het in elk geval weer om een heleboel details die uiteindelijk één grote, volledige puzzel vormen. En dat is natuurlijk wel de bedoeling, dat is ook wat ik in dit verhaal verwachtte en wilde.

Oh ja. Het was ook heel plezant om een paar uitstapjes naar wilde dieren te maken. De combinatie van de treinrit met die safaritochtjes was heel origineel gevonden en goed verwerkt!

7/10

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This series really is wonderful! Honestly, I just want to go on awesome train trips around the world. They are so full of love for trains and mysteries, it really shines out from the books.

I felt that this was a little more contrived than the first two, but only in the sense that the crime feels a little engineered. Which is forgivable, as I doubt the series would work if Hal and Nat just went for a plain old train ride ;) Aside from all that, it was great to see Hal work his magic on another mystery. And also to see a friend that was less than convinced (at least at first!) by his snooping, and to see a detective who respects his skills.

I also found that I sort of figured out who would die and then who did it reasonably fast - though I didn't get why as you don't get the hint til close to the reveal. I never mind that though as they are so fun and well laid out. And the characters are all so wonderful. Even the unlikeable ones!

The safari element felt great as well - really respectful of the animals and explaining about hunting and endangered species. And I obviously loved Chipo, as he's adorable!

I was pleased to see that the galley had the illustrations in, as they really help make the books, and are honestly so fantastic.

We also got a teeeeeeeny sneak peek at the next book and I think it will be another corker - I'm liking the set up already.

4.5 stars.

[Felix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since their first book I have been hooked to this mystery train series. I really enjoyed their latest book because I liked how the book is written. All the characters are likable and interesting. The authors make it easy to become hooked. They have the main protagonist solve the crime along with a fresh new character who becomes a trusted friend to Hal. I like the fact that a new likable character is put in to the book, this way you don´t have all the characters repeating with each new book.
I am really excited for the next book in the series and definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery and likes children being the main star.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book.
Another great book in the series.
The writing as always is fabulous and makes you believe that it's you on the journey.
Illustrations again are amazing.
Sneak peak of the next book brilliant.

[Danie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Julie Footner-Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book with a great story. Really enjoyable

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adventure on trains is set in South Africa and deals with big game hunting and endangered species.

[Valinora Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted fun murder mystery, with a cast of passengers that could have stepped off Agatha’s Christie’s Orient Express, accompanied by a clever plot, with clues nicely placed throughout the story. In fact, you could call it Agatha Christie for kids. It’s a super premise for a series of stand alone adventures, with Hal and train buff uncle travelling the world, and given its light tone, different locations and the challenge of solving the mystery before Hal, it’s a super read for kids. Also it’s illustrated, and I love illustrations!
While it’s the third book in the series, it’s a stand alone story, so definitely one to read if you come across it, and I will be checking out the others in the series.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is third book in the Adventures on Trains series. The main characters of Hal and Uncle Nat are on a train in Africa named the Safari Star. The book is about Hal’s investigations into a murder and rhino horn smuggling. Hal has now got a well known reputation for solving crimes. He sometimes rushes to conclusions very quickly, but he intuitively realises things and can work out the mysteries of the case. My favourite part of the book was its dramatic ending. This is a chuffing murder mystery adventure and I would like to read the next book by M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgeman.

[Ellie (bookmadbarlow) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Adventures on trains series and they just keep getting better IMHO. This instalment finds Hal and his Uncle in Africa and investigating, yes, you guessed it a murder.
I love all the research that goes in to these books and the illustrations just help bring the words to life. I already have book 4 on my shelf ready to read!

[KW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am two adventure-on-train books away from becoming a model railway nerd. I love this series with my whole heart.

[Ita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice surprising twist as the murderer is uncovered!

[Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best one yet! An intriguing mystery that I definitely recommend. :)

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gevaar op safari is alweer het derde deel in de serie Dader op het spoor. In dit deel gaan Alex en zijn oom Ben mee met de trein de Safari Star. Deze treinreis brengt hen van Pretoria naar de prachtige Victoria-watervallen. Het is een geweldige reis, met een bont gezelschap aan boord. De trein is prachtig, er zijn overal wilde dieren te zien en de reis is één en al avontuur. Maar dan wordt de reis nog avontuurlijker, wanneer één van de passagiers dood wordt aangetroffen aan boord. Samen met zijn nieuwe vriend Winston en inspecteur Erik, gaat Alex op onderzoek uit. Was het moord of is het een gruwelijk ongeluk?

Op de vorige twee treinreizen heeft Alex een ontvoering en een juwelenroof kunnen oplossen. Alex is daarom erg gespitst op alle verdachte dingen die hij ziet. Wanneer hij een passagier aan boord beschuldigd, wordt hij voor de rest van de passagiers voor gek gezet. Toch blijft Alex naar zijn onderbuikgevoel luisteren, er is iets verdachts aan de hand. Gewapend met zijn schetsboek en houtskool maakt hij prachtige tekeningen van de dieren die ze tegenkomen op safari, van de passagiers, maar ook van alle andere bijzondere dingen die hij ziet. Alex is ook in dit deel weer een fijn personage om over te lezen. Hij bijt zich vast in het onderzoek, zet zich in voor zijn vrienden en is verder gewoon een lieve en leuke jongen. De andere personages aan boord zijn, net als bij de vorige delen, weer stuk voor stuk bijzonder te noemen. Er zit een enorme diversiteit in de personages en dat is ontzettend fijn om te lezen.

De treinreis zelf klinkt echt prachtig en is heel beeldend geschreven. Alsof je zelf aan boord bent van de Safari Star. De prachtige illustraties, gemaakt door Elisa Paganelli, ondersteunen dit gevoel. Maar dan de dood van één van de passagiers. Dit maakt het weer eens ontzettend spannend. Samen met Alex ga je op onderzoek uit, verdenk je meerdere passagiers en misschien raadt je het plot wel. Persoonlijk vind ik deze serie zo goed geschreven, dat het mij nog geen enkele keer is gelukt om de dader te raden.

Het is lekker mysterieus, avontuurlijk, maar bevat ook altijd humor. Ik kijk enorm uit naar het volgende deel dat eind 2022 gaat verschijnen. Dit is en blijft een geweldige serie. Het zijn echt detectives voor kinderen. Ontzettend leuk om zelf te lezen, maar ook heel leuk om voor te lezen! Dit is in ieder geval echt één van mijn favoriete kinderseries!

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the third instalment of Adventures on Trains, Uncle Nat and Hal are back for another adventure and this time it’s aboard the Safari Star travelling across Africa from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Obviously, this is not just a simple train journey, as soon disaster strikes and there is a murder to solve! Once more, Hal must step up and use his burgeoning detective skills to solve the case.

I loved both The Highland Falcon Thief and Kidnap on the California Comet, so I jumped at the chance to read Murder on the Safari Star early. As expected, I wasn’t disappointed with this thrill ride of a book – I enjoyed it so much that I read it in one sitting, speeding through as I wanted to solve the case alongside Hal. The plot is pacey and develops quickly making you want to read more and more.

Instantly, you know that there’s going to be a mystery to solve as a cast of suspicious characters with intriguing backstories unravel, including Luther Ackerman, train owner, and retired detective Erik Lovejoy. Hal and Uncle Nat continue to be the stars of the story, but it was Winston and Chipo who I fell in love with in this adventure! Let me let you in on a little secret – if a book has animals in it, I am sold. Chipo, the mongoose, was immediately loveable and the mongoose’s adventures will delight younger (and probably older) readers. Additionally, Winston was a likeable sidekick to Hal, bringing a little more hesitancy to him as he has become more headstrong.

Overall, this book was fabulous and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Books for providing an e-book review copy.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blooming loved this! Very clever and I definitely had a list of suspects as long as a giraffe’s tongue! A safari train journey sounds so much fun… but I’d maybe hold on the murder and smuggling. A brilliant adventure in this series (sad I’ve left the next at home!). Hal is so clever and I’m glad he always finds a friend to help him out!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the brilliant Adventures on Trains series. Characters are developing well. The plot is clever and intriguing. Plenty of adventure and how fabulous are the illustrations? Very! These are very well researched and the collaboration oozes a love of writing, storytelling, and trains!
Can’t wait for number four. Highly recommended for children ... and adults!!

[Alexandra Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guessed the murderer!