Mysteries at Sea: The Hollywood Kidnap Case
As seen:
By A.M. Howell
avg rating
3 reviews
Alice and Sonny investigate the kidnapping of a Hollywood star, in this installment of the bestselling Mysteries at Sea series, from award-winning author A.M. Howell.
Alice and Sonny’s family yacht is in Egypt, ready to pick up famous actress Estelle Fortune, and take her to London to film her next blockbuster movie.
But just before the boat leaves, Alice discovers that Estelle has vanished! In her room is a note, threatening that unless a large amount of money is paid in Malta in a few days’ time, Estelle will be thrown overboard.
As the Lady Rose sets sail, Alice, Sonny and their new friend Winnie must work out who is threatening Estelle, but can they save her, before time runs out?
Praise for the Mysteries at Sea series:
""A thoroughly modern thriller."" Daily Telegraph
""A true ocean delight packed with peril, adventure & secrets galore."" Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
""An exquisitely plotted nautical adventure, packed with mystery and derring-do."" Judith Eagle, author of The Accidental Stowaway
""A high-octane nautical adventure, brimming over with secrets and sabotage."" Nicola Penfold, author of Where the World Turns Wild
""""Will appeal to fans of the Adventures on Train series."" The Bookseller
""Absolutely unputdownable."" Zillah Bethell, author of The Shark Caller
""Brilliant story which kept me gripped until the very end!"" Ewa Jozefkowicz, author of The Dragon in the Bookshop
Reviews
I really like the idea of the book and I love mystery books so this was made for me
Having read the rest of the series, I couldn't wait to read about Alice and Sonny's latest adventure. Action, mystery, crime and interesting family tensions are evident from the very beginning. I've loved the individual mysteries but have been equally invested in the characters of Alice and Sonny and have enjoyed watching them develop their skills and relationship with each other.
I can't wait to see what AM Howell will pen next.
Hmmm...I don't want this to be the last of Alice and Sonny's adventures!
The whole series of these books has been superb. I liked the Robin Stevens murder books, Fleur Hitchcock's mystery stories (esp Murder at Snowfall) and The Adventures on Trains series (Sedgeman/Leonard) and Alice Eclair books so you can see the type of book this is. I have read several of AM Howell's other books too and they are equally good.
I have been watching AM Howell's Insta account in the run up to the release of this book and she clearly has a love of cruises and the sea which was inherited from her Dad as they regularly went on these holidays when she was a child. Also the attention to detail with regard the places in Malta is just lovely.
The date is September 1936, it's just 3 months since Alice and Sonny met on the Queen Mary when Alice's father was staff captain. Then they became friends investigating a mystery until teh truth came out - they are actually brother and sister separated many years before by their grandfather who kept Sonny with him after their mothers death and Alice was with her father. But their grandfather has died and left them as his only family The Lady Rose, a beautiful yacht which they charter to rich guests! We first met the Lady Rose in The Royal Jewel Plot when their guests on board were the King Edward and his friend Mrs Simpson.
In this they are in Egypt to pick up a Hollywood actress, Estelle Fortune, she has just finished one movie and is headed to England for the next. She also has with her, her brother and his wife and daughter Winnie (the Troutman's) and her manager Howard Quill. They are followed to the dock by Bertha Godfrey another actress who is supposed to be jealous as Estelle got teh part in a film that she wanted. But something worse happens before they even leave the dock in Alexandria. Estelle is kidnapped and a ransom note tells them to go to Malta to pay they have to set sail. But Estelle seemingly got on the steamship to Malta willingly, she must have been very scared of her captors.
But how there were crew stationed at the gangplank nobody could get on or off, unless they did it in the few minutes it took to put out a fire on deck, a fire in a waste paper basket full of paper that seemingly wasn't there when the night crew had walked to their post. Alice and Sonny start looking into the mysteries, and include Winnie who becomes a firm friend. But has Winnie told them everything?
Alice doesn't think all is as it seems, and the mystery changes in her mind. Can they find out what has happened and why?
I would have loved these to continue, but would still like to read more of Alice and Sonny in the future despite the ending of this series.
Thanks to Fritha at Usborne for the copy of this book which is launching on 1st August.
