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Mystery at Sea #1
Danger & Diamonds
Phillipa has always loved Agatha Christie mysteries, but it’s not until the new captain’s son and some interesting guests come aboard the cruise ship where she lives (and her parents work), that she finally gets a chance to do some sleuthing of her own.
- GenresMystery
160 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2010
About the author
Elizabeth Levy
196 books67 followersElizabeth Levy has been writing and publishing books for over thirty years and sometimes now she meets kids whose parents read her books when they were children! She has written over 80 books, a number that continues to surprise her, as it surprises her how long she's been at it.
Over the years they've printed lots of her books - over five million of them.
She loves to try writing different types of books - everything from funny mysteries to novels about kids who get in trouble to history.
One of the most pleasant surprises about writing is that she's been invited to travel all over the country and even the world speaking to children, teachers, and librarians. She's made some wonderful friendships and gotten lots of ideas for her books. One of the most special treats is that kids have drawn wonderful pictures of one of her favorite characters, Fletcher.
She grew up in Buffalo, New York, then went to Brown University, where she majored in history. When she graduated, she came to New York City and worked for ABC-TV and then for Senator Robert Kennedy. She has lived in New York ever since, and she loves it. She knows all the best places for salami, she has run four marathons, and she has completed many 5-borough bike tours, so she thinks she really knows this place well.
At certain times of the year, she can be found out at Shea Stadium watching her team, the New York Mets. She has always loved baseball.
Mostly she enjoys hanging out with her friends. They spend lots of time going to movies or plays, playing sports, having meals together.
When she's alone and not writing, she is usually reading. She reads mysteries a lot, always has, which is probably why many of her books are mysteries.
Over the years they've printed lots of her books - over five million of them.
She loves to try writing different types of books - everything from funny mysteries to novels about kids who get in trouble to history.
One of the most pleasant surprises about writing is that she's been invited to travel all over the country and even the world speaking to children, teachers, and librarians. She's made some wonderful friendships and gotten lots of ideas for her books. One of the most special treats is that kids have drawn wonderful pictures of one of her favorite characters, Fletcher.
She grew up in Buffalo, New York, then went to Brown University, where she majored in history. When she graduated, she came to New York City and worked for ABC-TV and then for Senator Robert Kennedy. She has lived in New York ever since, and she loves it. She knows all the best places for salami, she has run four marathons, and she has completed many 5-borough bike tours, so she thinks she really knows this place well.
At certain times of the year, she can be found out at Shea Stadium watching her team, the New York Mets. She has always loved baseball.
Mostly she enjoys hanging out with her friends. They spend lots of time going to movies or plays, playing sports, having meals together.
When she's alone and not writing, she is usually reading. She reads mysteries a lot, always has, which is probably why many of her books are mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 8, 2012
This is an entertaining mystery that is full of intrigue and suspense. It's the first book in the Mystery at Sea series. The collaboration between Elizabeth Levy and Mordicai Gerstein is familiar to us from the Something Queer series and we appreciated the longer story and more complicated plot.
This tale was an entertaining one to read aloud, although I had a hard time getting our girls to settle down once they learned about the "Havapoo" breed of dog from the story. They would say "Havapoo" and giggle endlessly. We really enjoyed reading this story together and we will certainly look for Parrots & Pirates at our local library.
This tale was an entertaining one to read aloud, although I had a hard time getting our girls to settle down once they learned about the "Havapoo" breed of dog from the story. They would say "Havapoo" and giggle endlessly. We really enjoyed reading this story together and we will certainly look for Parrots & Pirates at our local library.
May 12, 2021
Philippa's parents work on a cruise ship. She helps them with their jobs. A new captain and his son are coming aboard for this trip. A Duchess and her nephews also are on this cruise. Philippa does not trust them especially as she notices how much they all watch her. She also likes mysteries. So she decides she will find out about them and about the captain's son who is a mass of contradictions.
I enjoyed this story. Philippa is very determined to solve the mystery even if it means she runs afoul of the cruise director and the captain. I wanted to slap the Duchess and her nephews. They were pains in the behind. I liked Philip but I wanted to know his story as much as Philippa did. We do find out in the end what it is.
This is a good story for 8-12 years old. The mystery is enough to keep one engaged and rooting for Philippa.
I enjoyed this story. Philippa is very determined to solve the mystery even if it means she runs afoul of the cruise director and the captain. I wanted to slap the Duchess and her nephews. They were pains in the behind. I liked Philip but I wanted to know his story as much as Philippa did. We do find out in the end what it is.
This is a good story for 8-12 years old. The mystery is enough to keep one engaged and rooting for Philippa.
October 13, 2014
Eleven year old Philippa Bath has an exciting and unconventional life, having grown up on the magnificent cruise ship S.S. Excalibur. When she finds a friend in the captain’s handsome son Philip, her life becomes infinitely more interesting as a mystery comes to the surface.
Philippa soon finds herself involved in a tangled web involving diamonds, royalty, mechanical birds, and a meddling duchess. On top of that, her friend Philip is not all that he seems—guarding some secrets of his own. The more clues she unravels, the stickier the situation becomes and she and Philip find themselves drifting slowly and surely into danger.
Will Philippa be able to save the day, or is this bon voyage to life as she knows it? Mystery lovers will enjoy this bright and breezy splash through the seas, and the illustrations by Mordicai Gerstein add nice visual appeal.
(This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com)
Philippa soon finds herself involved in a tangled web involving diamonds, royalty, mechanical birds, and a meddling duchess. On top of that, her friend Philip is not all that he seems—guarding some secrets of his own. The more clues she unravels, the stickier the situation becomes and she and Philip find themselves drifting slowly and surely into danger.
Will Philippa be able to save the day, or is this bon voyage to life as she knows it? Mystery lovers will enjoy this bright and breezy splash through the seas, and the illustrations by Mordicai Gerstein add nice visual appeal.
(This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com)
April 4, 2011
How would you like to live on a cruise ship? Eleven-year-old Philippa Bath finds it pretty interesting, especially when there is a mystery to solve. In this story, a new captain and his son, Philip join the crew. Philppa is busy getting to know Philip when they discover that something is just not right about a passager who calls herself a duchess. Can these two work together to solve the mystery they find and just what is this mystery?
February 10, 2014
A rather blah mystery - Phillipa lives on a cruise ship where her parents work. A new captain comes aboard with his son and their pets. Also aboard are a creepy Duchess and her nephews and her foo-foo dog. Phillipa tries to befriend the captain's son, but he seems standoffish. Why is the son not friendlier? Why is the creepy duchess interested in the children? Where's Borgunlund?
March 4, 2012
A cute mystery that takes place on a cruise ship. Phillipa's parents work aboard the cruise ship, so it is fun to read about some of the behind the scenes workings on board a cruise ship.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews