This is the third book in the series I have enjoyed them all
This is a great middle grade series that is full of adventure. Perfect for Young readers.

I did enjoy this one but I felt it was lacking in the animals side of it a little bit. The storyline felt a little bit jarring, almost as if it was stretching for reasons for the events that happened. A little disappointed.

Another thrilling instalment in the Adventures on Trains series. The peril picks up with Hal becoming caught up in a murder mystery to solve. I love how this series brings countries to life for the readers. It's fast becoming one of my favourite series.

Another exciting book in the Adventures on Train series!
This was a little darker with an actual murder to investigate, but Hal and Uncle Nat - and of course, Hal’s newest friend, were able to get to the bottom of the mystery again.
We really enjoyed this, it was fast paced and we couldn’t wait to read a new chapter every night.
Thank you for our review copy, can’t wait for the next book!

The third in the series and this time set in Africa. Hal and his uncle are on a journey of a lifetime exploring safari animals and beautiful landscapes BUT when a passenger is mysteriously murdered it’s up to Hal and his friend to solve the crime.
Hal’s detective skills are much more advanced now (due to plenty of experience!) and this series is full of humour, suspense, great characters and I can’t wait to read the next one!
Leonard and Sedgman really are superstar storytellers for children everywhere ⭐️

This awesome series, it seems, is picking up the pace offering a new adventure, this time set in Africa where the crime is also rather ramped up as one of the passengers is found dead!

Young Harrison Beck (Hal), our hero throughout the series, and his trusty travel companion uncle Nat are invited to attend a train Safari starting in South Africa and working its way through Zimbabwe into Zambia. And it seems that Hal’s reputation as a budding detective is beginning to precede him as he departs on his next jaunt.

Throughout the series, Hal always makes a friend or two who help him solve the mystery and this time is no exception as Winston, the safari guide’s son and his pet Mongoose (who plays a pivitol role in the plot) step up to sidekick duties.

Before the train even departs, Hal witnesses secret liaisons and overhears quiet assignations. So desperate is Hal for there to be another mystery to solve, that he solves the mystery before it even takes place which unfortunately leaves him rather red faced. However not less than 24 hours later, the true crime is afoot!

I’ll leave the plot there as I wouldn’t want to spoil the twists and turns but second to the ingenious plot is the glorious setting! Throughout the entire journey, we are treated to the amazing backdrop of Africa both in it’s descriptions and illustrations with appearances from all your favourite animals sometimes in a brutal but real way! And that really underpins a strong secondary theme to the book: that of animal cruelty and animal conservation. It was brilliantly interwoven into the narrative in such a well thought out way that as a reader your left with no sympathy for the victim while also acknowledging that this doesn’t justify the violent actions of others.

Sam Sedgeman, in his acknowledgements, pays tribute to Agatha Christie, and as a huge Christie fan, it was brilliant to see the little nuggets of references and inspirations from her most famous tales. A dead passenger with an international cast of suspects where everyone has an axe to grind reminded me so much of Death on the Nile. And I spent the whole book arguing with myself as to who inspired the writer Beryl Brash: was it the salacious Salome Otterborne from Death on the Nile or Poirot’s occasional sidekick Ariadne Oliver?

M.G. Leonard had nuggets of her own: I didn’t fail to notice the Beetle reference hidden amongst the interrogations and conspiracy theories. Nor did I fail to spot the reference to Uncle Nat’s possible partner (lets hope one day we get to meet James).

Special recognition has to be given to Elisa Paganelli whose illustrations consistently make the books come alive and so cleverly as she draws through Hal’s eyes using Hal’s pencils and (in this book) charcoals. It certainly helped this time round being about to see a map of the train and where all the suspects were!

All in all this book was a triumph and this series of books seems to get better and better! The combination of vivid characterisation, international locations, awesome illustrations, genuinely mind bending mysteries worthy of Jonathan Creek and good old heart warming nostalgia, not to mention the train knowledge which is genuinely fascinating, this is a series that will stick around! Did somebody say TV/Movie adaptation? We can only live in hope…

(Ooo and I did guess the murderer in the end but the method stayed ever elusive to me! I need to brush up on my detective skills!)

This is a fantastic addition to a brilliant series. These two authors are a force to be reckoned with and the fantastic writing and plots means it is possible to sell all three books in one go!

Murder on the Safari Star is the third instalment of M.G Leonard and Sam Sedgman's Adventures on Trains series, following the roaring success of the Highland Falcon Thief and Kidnap on the California Comet. As a huge fan of the previous two novels I was eager to delve into the latest offering and luckily it did not disappoint.

This time Hal and his Uncle Nat are exploring the South African savannahs, desperate to see the Big 5 out in their natural habitat. As usual, they are joined by fellow travelling explorers on board the steam train, a motley crew including a young boy named Winston and his pet mongoose, who soon become Hal's favourite companions. Just like in the previous books, their holiday is soon cut short as mystery reveals itself when one of their fellow passengers is found dead inside their room. Determined to find the truth, our young detective, Hal, steps up to try and find the culprit before the train reaches it's final destination.

Once more, M.G Leonard and Sam Sedgman have done their research and delivered a believable whodunnit mystery set in beautiful surroundings. The mystery of the murder itself reminded me of something from a Jonathan Creek episode, with no obvious explanation for how the murder took place. Again, there are a number of potential suspects introduced from the very first pages, and as expected, I suspected each and every one of them until the final reveal. I am yet to guess a suspect correctly as the twist and turns that the authors provide always lead me to the wrong conclusions!

Hal and Uncle Nat's enthusiasm for detective work has developed over the course of the series and Hal's confidence with his decisions and relationship with Uncle Nat has grown believably since book one. Hal now has full support of Uncle Nat in his amateur sleuth shenanigans and it was great to see Uncle Nat providing Hal with opportunities to find evidence and meet with witnesses throughout their adventure.

Murder on the Safari Star is another fantastic train crime adventure. This series is now a firm favourite of mine, and one which I have introduced many children in school to with great enthusiasm. Just like the rest of the series, this instalment can be read completely separately without prior knowledge or in order as your next Adventures on Trains fix.

A brilliant crime adventure filled with twists and turns and suspects in every carriage!

I came across the Train mystery books via audible actually and missed out book two. I dont think though that takes anything away from the story! This is such an exciting book and a real murder to solve this time too! These books make fabulous reading for adults too though they are set for kids! A real twist of a plot up to agatha christies standard in some places!

The Adventures on Trains series is becoming one of my favourite middle grade series and I have found myself often counting down the days until the next book in the series is released. Murder On The Safari Star is the third book in the series and the one that I’ve been anticipating the most. I couldn’t wait to dive back into the adventures of Hal and Uncle Nat, and discover what mystery they were going to solve next.

After their last adventure on the California Comet, Uncle Nat surprise Hal with a trip on the Safari Star – a safari train from Pretoria to Victoria Falls in South Africa. Hal is automatically excited to go on another adventure with his uncle and have the chance to draw some amazing animals from onboard a beautiful steam train. However, as soon as he gets on board Hal knows something suspicious is happening on the Safari Star and when a passenger is found murdered, it’s up to Hal, Uncle Nat and his new friend Winston to try and solve the mystery of the Murder On The Safari Star.

Just like the first two books in the series, Murder On The Safari Star packs a punch with its adventure, mystery and crime-solving elements, and if I’m being honest it’s probably my favourite book of the series so far. From the first few chapters, you are thrust into the enigma surrounding the Safari Star and the people on board it. This being said, I was drawn in from the get-go and found the book very hard to put down, I also had the same problem with its two predecessors. With this series, you can’t help but want to unravel the mystery as quickly as you can, and this was certainly more prominent for me with Murder On The Safari Star.

The plot, I think moved a lot slower than the previous two books, but this wasn’t seen as a negative by any means. In my opinion, I believe that the slower plotline worked well for the story, and meant we also got to enjoy some other aspects such as the safari elements, and Hal’s friendship with Winston and Uncle Nat. The lead up to the murder is mysterious, and tense in some places you are left waiting on tenterhooks for it to happen. When it does finally happen you are left feeling shaken, and you just want to investigate who did it alongside Hal. Hal’s urge to solve this crime is shown tenfold throughout the book, and you find yourself feeling just as satisfied as him when he solves the mystery. I also want to mention the setting of Murder On The Safari Star – it’s gorgeous! I have never been to South Africa, but whilst I was reading I could imagine myself there, going on safari and seeing all the incredible wild animals. It was truly such a joyous thing to feel when reading. The way everything is described through a child’s eyes makes it even more magical, and that for me was one of the stand out things to this book.

Hal, as a character has grown as the series has progressed, and I feel that he’s learning more and more about himself through each adventure. His determination and grit to get to the bottom of the crime shone through the most in Murder On The Safari Star, and you can feel how proud he is of his achievements. I have also loved seeing his relationship with Uncle Nat grow and grow, and in this book, you can see how close they have become and how much trust they have for one another. Also, Hal’s ability to easily make friends on each of his adventures shows how friendly he is, and how much he longs for that friendship element wherever he is.

Murder On The Safari Star was yet again another incredible instalment to a series that has cemented itself as one of my favourites. The mystery, tension, adventure and fun that are woven together makes for one super read. Bring on book four!

4.5 Stars.

I appologise for not reading this sooner. I ended up my signed copy from Waterstones along with the Audiobook.

This was another great mystery/adventure story. The 2 reoccurring characters of Hal and Uncle Nat are again a pleasure to follow and I love seeing there relationship grow throughout each book. This time we have Winston and the adorable yellow mongoose Chipo that join Hal in trying to solve this case. The setting within this one is the best yet, and i just couldn't put it down. Whilst with middle grade I always say you have to hold back on any disbelief. These stories are meant to be far fetched and fantastic. It takes us back to our childhoods and how wonderful it is to see it through a child's eyes. I loved this one and did not guess the twist until right near the end. It was a fantastic third story and I cannot wait for the next installment Danger at Dead Man's Pass. I reccomend this to young and older readers and I throughly enjoyed my safari adventure.

A great murder mystery for children. Hal and his uncle are this time travelling in South Africa, along with a group of guests on the Safari Star. Hal has not one, but two crimes to solve; smuggling and murder.

I enjoyed this story more than the previous book in the Adventures on Trains series. The characters were more believable and I felt I got to know them well. The author painted vivid portraits of them all. I am sure the similarities between Mervyn Crosby and Donald Trump are not accidental!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved M G Leonard’s books and this one is the best one yet, My year 5/6 class are hooked on this series and are very jealous that I have read an advanced copy of book 3. There’s no doubt that I will be recommending this book to my class.
A fabulous murder mystery which will leave its readers guessing until the very end.

Choo choo! I absolutely loved being able to climb aboard another train with Hal and Uncle Nat (despite me being suspicious of him being the Magpie in the first book).

This third installment has a unique, calmer pace to it than the other two (especially different to the very intense journey aboard the California Comet) which provides lots of breathing space to enjoy the descriptions of all manner of sights and sounds of the safari alongside the very severe murder which takes place.

The murder itself is handled impeccably and takes place in a locked room. The mystery surrounding it is unlike anything in the other books as both Hal and Chipo (love Chipo) constantly review their predictions and doubt themselves about what happened on the other side of the door. Younger readers have nothing to fear about the way this murder is handled.

Having listened to the previous two titles on audiobook (Jot Davies is amazing - check them out), I have never actually realised what beautiful worlds Elisa Paganelli has created with her wonderful illustrations. The safari setting oozes from every page and adds to the perfect feel of the book.

Without giving too much away, I have to say that the cast of supporting characters was brilliant: fun, vibrant, and full of personality. As usual, M.G.Leonard and Sam Sedgeman have created a group of very-real characters who I would love to actually be on the train with.

I am new to the whodunnit genre - baptised by the Highland Falcon Thief - and am completely hooked - as are my Year 6 class.

Bring on book 4 and the journey to Dead Man's Pass.

Choo choo!

. Another fantastic addition to the Adventures on Trains series. This time we join Nat and Hal on a trip across Africa, complete with safaris and a murder! As always, this is cleverly plotted and full of wonderfully drawn characters. The trick is to try to spot the clues and solve the puzzle before Hal! Not easy. I will happily recommend this middle grade series all day long!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to read this exciting Murder Mystery.

Murder on the Safari Star is the third book by M G Leonard and Sam Sedgman with the crime solving Hal and his Uncle Nat. Although I haven’t read the first two, this was an easy book to pick up and feel like you know the characters. Like all good Murder mysteries, you are introduced to all the suspects, trying to figure out which one will have a grisly end, and who is the guilty party. You know there is going to be a Murder from the title of the book, and you just can’t wait for it to happen!

With a beautiful backdrop of Africa, that is described so well you can picture it, this is a great story that will keep you guessing up to the end. I will definitely recommend this to my KS2 class, and adults too!

I’ll start by saying that I am a big fan of this series of train books by both M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. So, as you can imagine, I was incredibly excited to get my hands on a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In the predecessors, I have loved the brilliant combination of detective work and adventure that Hal and his Uncle Nat find themselves dealing with on board stunning trains. This time around, Hal and his Uncle are headed to South Africa to participate in a tour of the landscape on board the Safari Star. I’ve personally never had the pleasure to visit, but the wonderful description and incredible illustrations (Elisa Paganelli) created such a vivid image that you could easily mistake them for memories.

It isn’t long before Hal and Uncle Nat’s vacation is impeded by a fellow passenger’s grave circumstances on board the Safari Star. With the help of Winston, Chipo (haven’t stopped googling yellow mongooses) and his Uncle Nat, can Hal solve the case?

When it comes to a “Whodunnit” you know what you’re signing up for. There will inevitably be a mystery that needs solving. For me, the journey to the mystery being solved is what makes a “Whodunnit” great and this book does it brilliantly. I questioned every character introduced, convinced at points as to who the culprit was, only to change my mind a chapter later.

In the end I was waaaaaay off!

It’s not just the characters that make the story, the train itself is a huge character. I really love the detail that goes into describing the Safari Star. I’m far from being a train enthusiast but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t come away from reading this series of books without having a bit more knowledge as well as a bit more intrigue in them.

This book was a fantastic read and it’s my personal favourite in the series so far. I’ve preordered it and I’m also well aware the next iteration is on the way and I cannot wait.

THEME: Mystery/Adventure/Whodunnit

RATING: 🦉🦉🦉🦉

I loved the previous two books in this series and Murder on the Safari Star is just as good! Another new setting and another new train route, this time with Hal going on safari in South Africa. Once again the train is full of interesting characters and when one of them is murdered, Hal sets out to investigate along with his new friend Winston (and his pet yellow mongoose Chipo).

These books are such a great nod to classic crime fiction to introduce children to the genre. They’re not over simplified in any way though and the twists and surprising character reveals were some brilliantly. I’ve got great admiration for how well researched they are and the attention to detail about the trains and how they work - even if you’re not interested in trains, you learn some fascinating details. I can’t forget to mention the amazing illustrations either - they are so beautifully detailed in such an appealing style, adding lots of imagination and clarity to the characters, setting and plot.

An exciting and fun adventure story, with a setting I’ve never read before - I hadn’t realised you could go on a safari on a train!

This was another jolly train adventure for Hal and his uncle Nat! They are travelling through South Africa on the Safari Star, which of course means lots of amazing descriptions of animals and landscapes. There is a thoroughly unlikable baddy, who is killed in a classic locked room mystery. The (wonderfully unstereotypical and modern) collection of characters on board of course all have possible motives - was he killed or was it an accident? In this instalment, Hal's friend is a train employee's son called Winston, who has a pet mongoose that of course causes trouble.
This was a rollicking read, with a really satisfying conclusion - I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult but it is perfect for any keen readers aged 7+ who like, trains, animals, detective stories or adventure - pretty much everyone! I would not hesitate to read this to Years 4/5/6 as a class novel, especially with its themes of conservation.

M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman have done it again! The third book in this fantastic series certainly lives up to the hype.
For this adventure, the reader is whisked away to South Africa to board the luxurious Safari Star. Hal is on a trip of a lifetime, alongside an array of interesting characters who soon become suspects. He feels there’s something afoot right from the beginning, but is he right? Yet again, this exciting mystery is full of intrigue and will leave you guessing right until the end.
It was great to have the characters disembark and venture out on safari for some thrilling close encounters with the African wildlife and I’m sure the theme of conservation will resonate with readers.
Despite being stuck at home right now, I loved being able to escape through this book. Fans of the series will not be disappointed!