Peril on the Atlantic
In July, 1936, the Queen Mary sets sail across the Atlantic and Alice can't wait for the summer of adventure that lies ahead. At last, she is able to accompany her sailor father on board ship. But whilst he is focused on winning the prestigious Blue Riband, Alice finds herself witness to an attack on a steward by the name of Joseph Wilks. Determined to uncover the truth, Alice, with the help of fellow passengers, Sonny and Miriam, and bellboy, Charlie, start to uncover a devious plot of sabotage and intrigue. As tension and danger mount, they need to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
What a brilliant story! Historic detail has been skilfully balanced with a gripping plot which is engrossing to the final page. Information- and misinformation- builds the mystery to its satisfying conclusion, leaving the reader ready for more in Alice’s next adventure.
Keen for adventure and delighted to at last be able to accompany her father on his travels, Alice is an engaging character. The friendships she builds whilst on board with Sonny, Miriam and Charlie evidence her kind, accepting nature and the story benefits greatly from their team work and resilience as they work together to solve the puzzle.
In the best Agatha Christie tradition, the action swells towards the final denouement, with all the red herrings and false starts falling away to reveal the culprits. There is plenty of tension and just the right amount of peril to keep the reader on the edge of their seat as the final reveal.. but I can’t say any more about this! Read it and see if it surprises you too!
Scattered with historical details, ‘Peril on the Atlantic’ is a brilliant read, perfect for sharing as a class story or for using as guided reading text. It is exactly the sort of story I would have loved when I was younger and is every bit as good as ‘The Garden of Lost Secrets’, ‘The Secret of the Treasure Keepers’ and ‘The House of One Hundred Clocks’. I can’t wait to read the next of the ‘Mysteries at Sea’ series!
Peril on the Atlantic A M Howell
Usborne ISBN: 978-1801316743
You can read my review of ‘The House of One Hundred Clocks’ here and ‘The Secret of the Treasure Seekers’ here.
