Danger at Dead Man's Pass (Adventures on Train)

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Hal,” Uncle Nat said softly, “in all the years that I’ve known the baron, he’s never once asked for my help. I … I thought you might want to come, at least to Paris. But if you’d rather not, I would understand, and I’m sure the baron would, too.” Full Book Name: Adventures on Trains Collection 4 Books Set By M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman (Danger at Dead Man’s Pass, Murder on the Safari Star, Kidnap on the California Comet and The Highland Falcon Thief)

This entry feels quite different to the others (in a good way) because it doesn't take place solely on trains. There are still a lot of trains, but once Hal and Nat get to the castle, a lot of time is spent in it, moving around the old house and grounds. It was a really nice shakeup from the other books, and exploited the setting brilliantly (cold, dark, snowy mountains that are supposedly haunted!) Plus, I love a good old castle. As previously stated, with 4 books published and at least 2 more given release dates, originality is key to the series' longevity. This book, more so than the previous ones, felt like the authors were changing up the formula slightly. For me, some of these adjustments worked better than others. Once again, the unstoppable team of Leonard, Sedgman and Paganelli have delivered a first class mystery in Danger at Dead Man's Pass, which is brimming with action and adventure. In this story, Hal suspects Uncle Nat is keeping things from him and discovers more about his past, bringing many new possibilities for these adventures. I love the relationship between these two and how it has developed over their adventures together. The story has a wonderful cast of characters, who in true detective story style, all have the finger of suspicion pointing at them at some point as clues and red herrings are skilfully layered.

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There's lots to unravel within the book that will entertain 9 years to 11 year old children, which it is pitched at perfectly for. Pulling the lid off one, Hal drew his school gates and, beyond them, Uncle Nat shrouded in fog. His heart lifted as he shaded the mist with a light crosshatch pattern. Another adventure was beginning. He could feel it. A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet.' The Times on Murder on the Safari Star

Discover November’s book club title, Danger at Dead Man’s Pass by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman (Macmillan Children’s Books). We’re delighted to bring you this thrilling adventure to enjoy in a book club setting – whether with friends, family or your school mates. In the first three books, Hal and Uncle Nat had adventures in their native-UK, in the United States and South Africa. This book takes them to Germany at the request of an old friend, Baron Essenbach. De vertaling is ook nu weer van Anne Douqué, en die heeft zich ook weer goed van haar werk gekweten. Alles is goed vertaald en leest vlot, er viel eigenlijk niks op. Of ja, toch wel, één klein dingetje: er werd naar de Franse taal met 'Français' verwezen - dat moet natuurlijk 'français' zijn. Maar goed, dat heeft de redactie dus ook niet gespot. Verder is alles tiptop in orde, zoals het hoort. En over taal gesproken: ik vond het tof dat al dat Duits erin stond! The winners of the Diverse Book Awards 2023 have been announced, with one winner from each of the four categories announced: Picture book, Children... The setting of Schloss Kratzenstein was very atmospheric and spooky. It was wonderful to join Hal and Uncle Nat on another journey, and make friends with another group of children. It felt like Hal grew up a little, working more on his own.I flatter myself that I could pass for French if I spent a month or two there,” Uncle Nat replied. “How about you?” I loved all the science bits, and the idea of a train that runs on solar power and water, essentially. Boaz is a great character, he’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I loved him so much. I love his family too, they’re supportive, but also down to earth. Hal caught his breath. He immediately recognized the tall figure in the dark peacoat. He’d drawn countless pictures of him. “Uncle Nat!” he cried, bursting into a sprint, running to the gates. “What are you doing here?” It also feels different because Hal and Nat go in knowing there's a mystery to solve, rather than stumbling across it. And, because they're a bit famous now, they have to go in disguise. It adds another layer of danger to the book because they also had to remember their cover while investigating - and Nat has secrets that he's not telling Hal.

Sabotage on the Solar Express is set in Australia and concerns a train driven by hydrogen and solar power, an invention from the mind of a brilliant child genius. But not everybody is happy with this and, as the journey unfolds, so does the sabotage. Accompanied by Elisa Paganelli's delicious artwork, so precise and clean with detail, Sabotage on the Solar Express rolls on with utter aplomb. We drew on a huge range of ghost stories, crime fiction and classic gothic literature when writing our latest tale. Here are some of our favourites that we turned to for inspiration as we brought our story to life. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleI do hope going forth more recurring characters are brought into the mix as the baron was; while being introduced to an entirely new cast is fun, sometimes you do want old roots to peek out of the ground from time to time. Moving the action to Australia, the by now slightly famous boy sleuth Hal and his caring - slightly mysterious (and for me, inappropriately crushworthy) Uncle Nat are taking a VIP inaugural test trip on a special hydrogen powered test train. Hal will need all of his wits and bravery to figure out who wants the train to fail - and possibly kill everyone on board! As usual, Elisa Paganelli's wonderful pictures allow the reader to see the sketches Hal makes on his journey, although he has to be careful not to reveal himself as 'the Drawing Detective'. Like the previous train adventures, Danger at Dead Mans Pass is full of description and detail, making the reader want to travel and see the places Hal does. The content is very appealing to train lovers, but not overwhelming the story. Hal did make some new friends in this one as well, which is often the case for him. Everyone loves Hal. They helped him a bit in his investigation. I particularly enjoyed Hilda, who had a penchant for mystery stories.