The Highland Falcon Thief

Description

Winner of the Book of the Year, Children's Fiction at The British Book Awards, 2021 Winner of the Books are My Bag Readers Award, Children's Fiction 2020 Adventures on Trains is a major mystery series from bestselling authors M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. First stop is The Highland Falcon Thief, a breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve. Beautifully illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are enjoying the final journey of the Highland Falcon, Britain's most famous steam train. But when a precious jewel goes missing, Harrison and his new friend Lenny find themselves at the centre of the investigation. Can they solve the mystery 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. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on the next stops in this thrilling series, Kidnap on the California Comet, Murder on the Safari Star and Danger at Dead Man's Pass. Praise for the Series: 'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief 'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' - David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief 'A first class choo-choo-dunnit!' - David Solomons on Kidnap on the California Comet 'A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet' - The Times on Murder on the Safari Star 'This series just gets better and better' - Maz Evans on Danger at Dead Man's Pass

M.G. Leonard has made up stories since she was a girl, but back then adults called them lies or tall tales and she didn't write them down. As a grown up, her favourite things to create stories about are beetles, birds, and trains. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons, a fat cat called Kasper, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles. Sam Sedgman is a bestselling author and presenter. Before writing stories for children, he worked as a playwright, journalist, and digital producer, and founded a company making murder mystery treasure hunts for adventurous Londoners. Written with his friend, M. G. Leonard, The Highland Falcon Thief was Sam's first book for young readers. A lifelong fan of puzzles, games, and detective fiction, he grew up with a railway at the bottom of his garden and has been mad about trains ever since. He lives in London. Elisa Paganelli was born in Italy and since childhood, hasn't been able to resist the smell of paper and pencils. She graduated from the European Institute of Design in Turn and worked in advertising, as well as running an award-winning design shop and studio. She now collaborates as a freelance designer with publishers and advertising agencies all over the world, including designing and illustrating The House With Chicken Legs (Usborne) and the Travels of Ermine series (Usborne).

An instant classic -- David Walliams A first-class book * Telegraph * A pacey and intensely satisfying mystery, boasting a sparkling golden age crime fiction sensibility despite its contemporary setting * Guardian * Packed with clues and red herrings, this express ride has terrific characters and steams through the plot. Wonderful. * Daily Mail * With the Highland Falcon Thief, M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman bring the classic mystery on a train bang up to date with a carriage-load of wit and suspense -- Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster A thrill-ride of a mystery, guaranteed to be one of the most fun, atmospheric page turners of 2020 -- Lauren St John, author of Kat Wolfe Investigates A super-fun middle-grade mystery with steam-trains and samoyeds. I loved it! -- Peter Bunzl, author of Cogheart Like Murder on the Orient Express but better . . . a terrific read! -- Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of Millions A fabulous fast-paced ride, packed with clues, illustrations and intrigue * Bookseller * Loved every page of this wild madcap delightful ride of a book! Cracking characters, page-turningly pacey, hilarious and nail-biting in turns . . . glorious. It's going to be a smash hit -- Liz Hyde, author of Bearmouth Mysteries on trains - what's not to love? This absolutely rips along, perfect for the railhead child in your life! -- Ross Montgomery, author of Perijee and Me I have a station announcement: their collaboration is a chuffing triumph. Fans of Agatha Christie, or, more recently, Robin Stevens and Katherine Woodfine, should adore this mystery which makes a steam trail all of its own. -- Alex O'Connell * The Times Children's Book of the Week * A runaway romp of a read -- Piers Torday, author of The Lost Magician Ideal for independent readers who enjoy a good old-fashioned mystery * Booktrust * Written with a real deftness of touch, I loved this thrilling mystery and can't wait for Hal's next adventure -- Christopher Edge, author of The Many Worlds of Albie Bright An absolutely fantastic read, set on a beautiful old train; great characters, excellent plot and just enough mystery to keep you guessing all the way to the end * ReadingZone * Samoyeds, secrets, Scottish scenery and the page turning action in The Highland Falcon Thief makes it a really compelling read, it is a really well researched story which includes fascinating facts and insights into train travel -- Catherine Friess * Story Snug * M G Leonard, the author of the highly successful Beetle Boy series, in which a boy becomes friends with a giant beetle, has teamed up with Sam Sedgman to produce The Highland Falcon Thief, the first in a projected series set on trains for children of nine and up. Trains have a special place in children's literature: the Hogwarts Express, steaming off into magical worlds; Alice jumping on a train to reach another chess square in Looking-Glass land; Bobbie and Phyllis flagging down the train with their red petticoats in The Railway Children. Dangerous, enclosed spaces, trains also offer the promise of adventure. They are equally terrifying and awesome * Literary Review * [A] superior, Agatha Christie-inflected whodunnit * Financial Times * Train enthusiasts, mystery buffs, and adventurers alike won't be able to resist this fast-moving quest. * The Bulletin * Illustrated with lively black-and-white drawings, this [is a] well-constructed, fast-paced mystery * Booklist * 'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story; -- David Walliams