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The Highland Falcon Thief
Book One
Harrison Beck reluctantly joins his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal steam train, The Highland Falcon. As the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things get interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison investigates, uncovering a few surprises along the way. Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line? A breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve.
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Kidnap on the California Comet
BOOK TWO
After the excitement of his adventures aboard the Highland Falcon Thief, Harrison Beck can't wait for the opportunity to go on another amazing train journey. So when his Uncle Nat invites him aboard the California Comet, the iconic three-day train journey from Chicago to San Francisco, he leaps at the chance to travel. But when the daughter of billionaire entrepreneur August Reza goes missing en route, Hal finds himself with another mystery to solve. Can he uncover the kidnapper before the journey's end?
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Murder on the Safari Star
book three
Uncle Nat is taking Hal on the journey of a lifetime – on a Safari Train from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Drawing Africa's amazing wild animals from on board a spectacular steam train described as a luxury hotel on wheels, should be enough excitement for anyone. But something suspicious is happening on board the Safari Star and when a passenger is found mysteriously killed inside a locked compartment, it's up to Hal, along with his new friend Winston and his pet Mongoose, Chipo, to solve the murder mystery.
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Danger at Dead Man’s Pass
book four
A mysterious letter from an old friend asks Hal and Uncle Nat to help investigate a spooky supernatural mystery. Legend has it the Kratzensteins, a family of rich and powerful railway tycoons, are cursed, but there is no such thing as a curse, is there . . .? Hal and Nat take the night train to Berlin and go undercover. From a creaking old house at the foot of the Harz mountains, they take the Kratzenstein family's funeral train to the peak of the Brocken Mountain. Can Hal uncover the secrets of the Brocken railway and the family curse before disaster strikes?
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Sabotage on the Solar Express
book FIVE
Published February 2022
Billionaire train enthusiast August Reza has invited Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat to travel on the maiden voyage of the winning design of his Reza’s Rocket competition. Australian child genius Boaz won with his hybrid locomotive, driven by hydrogen fuel cells and solar power. But during the journey from Alice Springs to Darwin, someone onboard sabotages the train, hurtling passengers into a heart-stopping thrill-ride across the Australian Outback. Can Hal find the saboteur and stop the runaway train before disaster strikes?
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The Arctic Railway Assassin
book SIX
Publishing October 2022
Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat climb aboard the night train to Narvik, travelling to the Arctic Circle to see the northern lights for Christmas. But as their train leaves Stockholm, Hal and Uncle Nat realize they're being followed by a sinister figure, and Hal's powers of observation are tested when Uncle Nat's past comes back to haunt him. Journeying into the never-ending night of the arctic winter, our railway detectives must outsmart an assassin in their most chilling adventure yet, in which nothing is as it seems.
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THE HIGHLAND FALCON THIEF
Book One
Published 30 January 2020, The Highland Falcon Thief is a breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve.
Harrison Beck reluctantly joins his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal steam train, The Highland Falcon. But as the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things get interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison investigates, uncovering a few surprises along the way. Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief 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 solve the mystery aboard one of the world's grandest trains.
REVIEWS
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.
WORLD RIGHTS
The Highland Falcon Thiefis published by Pan Macmillan in the UK and America. Rights have been sold in Albania, Catalan, China, Czech, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Iran, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spanish, Sweden and Turkey.
International Editions of The Highland Falcon Thief
AWARDS
Shortlisted for the 2021 UKLA award ages 7-10
Shortlisted for the 2021 Juniper Book Awards
Shortlisted for the 2021 Lancashire Fantastic Book Awards
Shortlisted for the 2021 KSC Book Awards
Shortlisted for the 2020 North Somerset Teacher’s Book Award
Longlisted for the 2021 Blue Peter Book Awards
Longlisted for the 2021 Berkshire Book Awards
KIDNAP ON THE CALIFORNIA COMET
Book Two
Board the California Comet and help Harrison Beck to solve another heart-stopping mystery in the secondAdventures on Trains story, Kidnap on the California Comet.
After the excitement of his adventures aboard the Highland Falcon Thief, Harrison Beck can't wait for the opportunity to go on another amazing train journey. So when his Uncle Nat invites him aboard the California Comet, the iconic three-day train journey from Chicago to San Francisco, he leaps at the chance to travel. But when the daughter of billionaire entrepreneur August Reza goes missing en route, Hal finds himself with another mystery to solve. Can he uncover the kidnapper before the journey's end?
An adrenaline-fuelled journey across America from bestselling authors M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman.
You can read chapter one of Kidnap on the California Comet at the end of The Highland Falcon Thief.
A first class choo choo-dunnit!
SCHOOL RESOURCES
If you’re teaching a KS2 topic on North America, Kidnap on the California Comet provides lots of great jumping-off points. Mrs P - a primary school teacher - has created tasks for each chapter in her BLOG.
A slick and super satisfying sequel with kidnap, card tricks, and the coolest train carriage ever!
REVIEWS
AWARDS
MURDER ON THE SAFARI STAR
Book Three
All-aboard for the third amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated throughout by Elisa Paganelli.
Uncle Nat is taking Hal on the journey of a lifetime – on a Safari Train from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Drawing Africa's amazing wild animals from on board a spectacular steam train described as a luxury hotel on wheels, should be enough excitement for anyone. But something suspicious is happening on board the Safari Star and when a passenger is found mysteriously killed inside a locked compartment, it's up to Hal, along with his new friend Winston and his pet Mongoose, Chipo, to solve the murder mystery.
You can read a chapter of Murder on the Safari Star at the end of Kidnap on the California Comet.
REVIEWS
What a total joy these train books are - and they keep getting better! Highly Recommended.
AWARDS
DANGER AT DEAD MAN’S PASS
BOOK Four
All-aboard for the fourth amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated throughout by Elisa Paganelli.
Embark on a thrilling fourth adventure in the bestselling, prize-winning Adventures on Trains series from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, as Harrison Beck investigates an ancient family curse high in the German mountains. Illustrated in black-and-white throughout by Elisa Paganelli.
A mysterious letter from an old friend asks Hal and Uncle Nat to help investigate a spooky supernatural mystery. Legend has it the Kratzensteins, a family of rich and powerful railway tycoons, are cursed, but there is no such thing as a curse, is there . . .?
Hal and Nat take the night train to Berlin and go undercover. From a creaking old house at the foot of the Harz mountains, they take the Kratzenstein family's funeral train to the peak of the Brocken Mountain. Can Hal uncover the secrets of the Brocken railway and the family curse before disaster strikes?
You can read a chapter of Danger at Dead Man’s Pass
at the end of Murder on the Safari Star.
VIDEO
REVIEWS
SCHOOL RESOURCES
DOWNLOAD an activity pack that can be used at home or in the classroom, by teachers, librarians or homeschoolers.
SABOTAGE ON THE SOLAR EXPRESS
BOOK Five
Publishing February 17 2022
Ride into danger with Hal and Uncle Nat on the fifth breathtaking Adventures on Trains Mystery, Sabotage on the Solar Express, from bestselling award-winners M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. Perfect for readers of 8 to 12 and brilliantly illustrated in black and white throughout by Elisa Paganelli.
Billionaire train enthusiast August Reza has invited Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat to travel on the maiden voyage of the winning design of his Reza’s Rocket competition. Australian child genius Boaz won with his hybrid locomotive, driven by hydrogen fuel cells and solar power. But during the journey from Alice Springs to Darwin, someone onboard sabotages the train, hurtling passengers into a heart-stopping thrill-ride across the Australian Outback. Can Hal find the saboteur and stop the runaway train before disaster strikes?
You can read a tease of Sabotage on the Solar Express
at the end of Danger at Dead Man’s Pass.
The Arctic Railway Assassin
Book 6
The bestselling, prize-winning Adventures on Trains series embarks on a thrilling sixth adventure as Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat climb aboard the night train to Narvik, travelling to the Arctic Circle to see the northern lights for Christmas.
But as their train leaves Stockholm, Hal and Uncle Nat realize they're being followed by a sinister figure, and Hal's powers of observation are tested when Uncle Nat's past comes back to haunt him. Journeying into the never ending night of the arctic winter, our railway detectives must outsmart an assassin in their most chilling adventure yet, in which nothing is as it seems.
The Arctic Railway Assassin can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the award-winning Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: Murder on the Safari Star, Danger at Dead Man's Pass and Sabotage on the Solar Express.
