Think Murder on the Orient Express, but aimed at a younger audience.

Hal and his Uncle are back on their adventures again. This time they are on Safari starting off in Pretoria. This amateur sleuth knows that something is amiss from the outset, but when Rhino hunter and business mogul is killed then things step up a gear.

My discovery of this author duo is definitely one of the best things to come out of 2020.

Holiday times are always a special time for reading and what better way to kickstart my Christmas with a review copy of the third 'Adventures on Trains' novel, courtesy of Netgalley.

The 'Adventures of Trains' series, launched early this year, has to be one of my reading highlights of 2020. Both The Highland Falcon Thief and Kidnap on the Californian Comet offered everything I loved in a book as a child and still love today - an easy read full of fun characters, thrilling mystery, adventure and high stakes. It is essentially 'Poirot' for kids with the extra dynamic of always being set on a train.

Although we are not specifically train fans in our family, 'Adventures on Trains' will undoubtedly peak your interest in the fascinating world of locomotives. M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman bring their love and enthusiasm of trains passionately to life in these stories, making them as much of a central focus as the mystery itself. Beautifully illustrated by Elisa Paganelli, these exquisite, trundling beasts are bound to find a place in your heart alongside the main characters.

The dynamics of this story stay very much the same as in the previous two books. Hal, an enthusiastic sketcher turned skilful detective, accompanies his laidback, travel writer Uncle on a journey through Africa. However, the stakes are raised significantly higher than the previous two books when an actual murder is committed and Hal, alongside his new friend Winston and mongoose Chipo, becomes determined to solve it.

This is without a doubt my favourite of the three 'Adventures on Trains' series and, with the other two being pretty fabulous, that is testament to the strength of the writing and plotting. I loved the vibrancy of the whole setting, the uncluttered cast and pace and the twisty, turny plot that had plenty of surprises but was not overly complicated.

This story, in my opinion, doesn't feel as busy as the other two. Although there are plenty of moments of tension, I really felt like I was chugging through the African wilderness on a rather empty train. The cast were brilliant as always, particularly Beryl, and there were some strong, impactful messages intertwined into the narrative. Hal's determination to use his talent at sketching to help solve the case provides another unique hook to a series that is already steaming full speed ahead into roaring success. This is a simply brilliant series and when I put the book down at about 4.30 am on Christmas morning (I had woken in the night for an hour determined to finish it) I felt disappointed that another adventure was over and I would have to leave the characters until Book 4, Danger at Dead Man's Pass, is published in September 2021.

Another fantastically written addition to the train series written by MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman.

These are the perfect types of adventure books to read in one sitting (which is exactly what I did!) as you get lost in the fast paced storyline as we join
Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat aboard the Safari Star – a luxurious steam train that they journey on taking in the wonderful sights beginning at Pretoria to Victoria Falls.

When a murderer strikes on the train, Hal becomes determined to get to the bottom of it, despite to danger involved.

I'm looking forward to the next in the series already!

Another triumphant and immersive mystery to solve onboard a locomotive.

Murder on the Safari Star is the third in the Adventures on trains series by award winning author of the Bettle Boy series; M.G. Leonard, who teamed up with Sam Segman. You need not worry about reading the books out of order as they are complete adventures in their own right.

Harrison Beck joins his travel writing uncle once more but this adventure takes them aboard the Safari Star, a luxurious locomotive, as it travels through South Africa, from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Not only does Hal seek the big five but also an adventure to solve. Close encounters with South African wildlife is only just the beginning of this nail-biting mystery.

An avid sketcher, Hal takes in details often overlooked by others, piecing them together to solve mysteries, like the pieces of a jigsaw falling into place. Hal gets more than he wished for, as this time, the mystery is a murder, everyone is a suspect and he, along with new friend Winston, is in a race against the end of the track.

A chugstatic, immersive read, putting mystery and adventure seeking readers in the driving seat.

In the third instalment of Adventures on Trains, Uncle Nat and Hal are back for another adventure and this time it’s aboard the Safari Star travelling across Africa from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Obviously, this is not just a simple train journey, as soon disaster strikes and there is a murder to solve! Once more, Hal must step up and use his burgeoning detective skills to solve the case.

I loved both The Highland Falcon Thief and Kidnap on the California Comet, so I jumped at the chance to read Murder on the Safari Star early. As expected, I wasn’t disappointed with this thrill ride of a book – I enjoyed it so much that I read it in one sitting, speeding through as I wanted to solve the case alongside Hal. The plot is pacey and develops quickly making you want to read more and more.

Instantly, you know that there’s going to be a mystery to solve as a cast of suspicious characters with intriguing backstories unravel, including Luther Ackerman, train owner, and retired detective Erik Lovejoy. Hal and Uncle Nat continue to be the stars of the story, but it was Winston and Chipo who I fell in love with in this adventure! Let me let you in on a little secret – if a book has animals in it, I am sold. Chipo, the mongoose, was immediately loveable and the mongoose’s adventures will delight younger (and probably older) readers. Additionally, Winston was a likeable sidekick to Hal, bringing a little more hesitancy to him as he has become more headstrong.

Overall, this book was fabulous and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Books for providing an e-book review copy.

This was another superb installment in the Adventures on Trains series.

I love Hal and Uncle Nat, it was lovely to see their relationship develop even further in this story. And the new characters were brilliant, with each book I enjoy the new characters and it amazes me how quickly you come to like them and root for them. Obviously a sign of good writing in my opinion. This was a really clever plot with some really good twists, I adore these books and this one was fabulous. The illustrations are always wonderful and the drawings of the animals were beautiful.

I would highly recommend this book, whether you have read the previous two or not, it's just a brilliantly entertaining book.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Climbing aboard the Safari Star is like stepping into a living, breathing game of Cluedo. You wait for the crime, you watch out for the clues and then you scratch your head in confusion! Just exactly who done it?!

Junior detective Hal and his uncle Nat climb aboard the Safari Star for a once in a lifetime trip through South Africa and Zimbabwe. They are expecting to see the Big Five and breath-taking scenery; what they’re not expecting to see is a cold-blooded murder! Can Hal and his new friends solve the mystery before the murderer strikes again?

M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman have created a good old-fashioned murder mystery, filled with red-herrings, suspicious characters and thrills a plenty. This was definitely my favourite book in the series, and can easily be read as a stand-alone story.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to enjoy this ARC. I very much look forward to buying a copy to share with my class.

Having read the previous titles in this series I was eagerly awaiting this one. I wasn't disappointed, from the very first, when you just KNOW that Uncle Nat will take Hal on a train journey it was a rollercoaster of emotions and excitement. The characters were once again appealing and believable, each one quirky and relatable. As we travel through Africa with Nat and Hal the description allows us to fall into the book and believe that we are there, on that journey, with them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and am excited that the physical copy will be out in time for some birthdays coming up.
I am also very much looking forward to the next books in the series.

Murder on the Safari Star
Sherlock Da Vinci does it again. The third epic train adventure for young Harrison and his amazingly kind Uncle Nat take them on a whirl wind adventure of trains, sights and investigation. What is there not to love about this mystery series? From the start we are gripped and wanting to find out what’s around the next bend in the line.
For school I think this books can be used for numerous topics, along with stand alone lessons on description, character profiling, art lessons for illustrations, VIPERS, geography lessons on Africa, lessons on hunting and the dangers to the world it brings, persuasive writing and that’s after you just sit and enjoy the adventure and love of wanting to know ‘who did it,’ it’s never who you think.
So as always, I will buy the book when it comes out because I love it and because the amazing work of both authors and illustrators needs to be celebrated for all to see. The class will love it, the staff will love and most importantly you will love it.
All I hope now is that the next adventure, which you get a sneak peak at the end, is just as gripping and beautifully written as the first 3 and that there are many more adventures to come. As you know, there are plenty of countries to visit and a vast amount of trains to be on.

Firstly a massive thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a preview copy of this wonderful book. I already own and loved the previous 2 adventures on trains, and certainly didn't think they could get any better. I was wrong! This is my favourite of Hal's adventures. The text is so rich I was completely transported to the safari star.
Hal and his uncle Nat travel to South Africa to be guests on the Safari star train, travelling to Zimbabwe. Cue a collection of characters and adventures as one of the characters suffers a mysterious 'accident'.
This novel includes characters you love to hate as well as introducing new friends such as Winston and his brilliant pet.
A great addition to the series with lots of twists and turns. This is quickly becoming my favourite series. Highly recommend!

A fun central mystery, lovely illustrations throughout the whole series, the right blend of train and intriguing mystery, this is sure to be another hit. The characters are becoming like friends now, and long may the adventuring continue!

As far as crime fiction goes, the classic Murder on the Orient Express must surely be the story that many people would name as their idea of the perfect murder mystery. I have to be honest, I’ve not read that book – although I’ve seen the original film version several times – but this is the second murder on a train I’ve read about this year after very much enjoying the fabulous First Class Murder by Robin Stevens a few months ago. While I loved the two books which preceded this title, I wasn’t convinced that this could possibly be a new take on the genre but I was mistaken because this, the third in the Adventures on Trains Series, is a cracking tale – packed full of mystery and with a fresh storyline that had me puzzling over the identity of the murderer right up until the end.

If you are anticipating a watered-down, junior version of the classic Agatha Christie title, please don’t. The only similarity between that and this book is the crime of the title being set onboard, as you would expect, but what we have here is the best yet in this ongoing series – a book full of twists and turns, and with splashes of humour that had me smiling throughout, until the exciting conclusion which had me on the edge of my seat.

For anyone as yet unfamiliar with these stories, each – unsurprisingly – follows an adventure on a train, an adventure had by boy detective and gifted artist, Hal, as he accompanies his Uncle Nat on fantastic journeys. Journeys which are all set on unique trains in a wide variety of locations, with Hal sketching what he sees along the way. Here, he finds himself setting off for another exciting experience, travelling from South Africa towards Zambia on the Safari Star, a trip which is a Christmas present from Uncle Nat and which promises not only to afford him the opportunity to travel on another wonderful train, but to also show him rare creatures in their natural environment.

Also travelling will be the necessary mix of exotic passengers, including a retired detective, a loathsome media magnate accompanied by his family, a famous actor and an eccentric lady novelist. Before they have even set out though, Hal is already trying to find the makings of a mystery and when he spots the train’s owner Luther Ackerman passing a roll of cash to another man before they have even boarded, he instantly switches into detective mode. Discussing his suspicions with Winston, the young son of the guide who will be leading the travellers on safari, he is disappointed that his new friend does not seem to share his suspicions, with Winston explaining that he is not keen to risk putting his mother’s job at risk by annoying her employer.

Once onboard, Uncle Nat and Hal cannot fail to notice the shabby interior of what was once a luxurious hotel on wheels and discuss Ackerman’s hopes of travel writer Nat’s positive review drumming up new trade. Hal shares his concerns about what he has seen and asks if he should alert retired detective Erik Lovejoy – a friend of his uncle’s also travelling on the train, at the start of his retirement. After being told to just enjoy himself, Hal, Nat and the rest of the passengers find themselves in the observation car to find out more about the trip from Winston’s mother, Liana. It soon becomes apparent that while the majority of the guests are there to enjoy seeing the wildlife, the incredibly wealthy Mervyn Crosby sees the trip as an opportunity to hunt and kill the animals, and is not used to being told no. When he reels off a list of his kills, and reveals he has brought a rifle with him, everyone around him is horrified and Mr Ackerman tells him they will discuss the topic privately later on.

At dinner, Hal and Nat are joined by the Sasakis – a couple on holiday from Japan – and Mr Sasaki reveals his wife has a deep dislike of Mr Crosby as he is behind a project to build a super casino on ancient forest land near their home, something which would be an environmental disaster for the area. When Mr Crosby then sits down to eat and is loud and obnoxious, Hal finds himself losing his temper and being rude firstly to him and then Mr Ackerman, who he accuses of taking a bribe to allow Mr Crosby to hunt rhino before being forced to back down and apologise to both of them.

The following morning, Liana takes the travellers out to part of the Kruger National Park to see the sights and Nat is injured by Mr Crosby kicking him in an attempt to kick Chipo, Winston’s pet yellow mongoose. When the assembled party separates itself onto two jeeps to go to view the wildlife, Hal is surprised to see Mr Crosby’s daughter Nicole join him, Winston and Nat, but it soon becomes apparent that she has no time for her father either. After a frightening encounter with a black mamba, Hal is relieved to return to the train and resume the journey, helping Winston to make some tunnels for Chipo before they are again joined by Nicole, who continues to make her feelings for her father crystal clear.

After a very public row between parent and child in the observation lounge, a couple of the passengers remonstrate with an unrepentant Mr Crosby, with one telling him that karma will ensure he gets what he deserves. A welcome distraction for all is provided by the sudden appearance of a herd of impala and Hal rushes to draw them while Mr Crosby hastens to his suite with the intention of shooting them. Desperate to stop him, Hal and Winston chase after him and call to him through the door to stop but soon they hear a gun being fired and are unable to get an answer. When help arrives, it soon becomes apparent that there has been a tragedy onboard, but was it an accident or cold-blooded murder?

Although this is – obviously – a book about a murder, the text carries a very strong environmental message to its readers throughout its pages. While many people continue to eat meat, they wouldn’t take quite so much delight in it as Mr Crosby, and certainly wouldn’t dream of killing an endangered animal for kicks, but sadly there are still people who consider this to be an acceptable pastime. One of my boys was late to school a few weeks ago and most apologetically told me that this was because his mother had been waiting for the police to arrive to deal with hare coursers – something equally as abhorrent, but which sadly takes place up and down the country. If we are to stop the tormenting of any creature for ‘sport’, whether endangered or not, we need to bring this issue to our children’s attention so that they do not consider it to be acceptable. By doing so in an age-appropriate way here, the authors will be educating and equipping a new generation to carry on the fight against such horrific practices.

For anyone who has read the first two books and is worried that the introduction of murder into the mix will spoil the gentle humour and relative innocence of the first two titles, there is absolutely no need to be concerned. Yes, there is obviously a murder but there are few gruesome details to upset younger readers – they are far more likely to be upset by the attempted kicking of Chipo than the despatching of an individual as repellent as the victim here. What readers of all ages will find is a perfect balance here between the crime committed and the humour which we have come to expect. The scenes between lady novelist Beryl Brash and newly-retired detective Erik Lovejoy as she flirts quite outrageously with him, amused me greatly. While the way in which she tries to get her man may go over the heads of some younger readers, many adults sharing this title with their charges will enjoy her antics enormously.

This is most definitely a great book for sharing. I wouldn’t read it to my Year 5 class but I’m quite sure the Year 4s would absolutely love this – as would their teacher – and there will be many children of that age, and some more mature Year 3s, who will be lucky enough to enjoy this as a bedtime read with their grown ups. Children and adults alike will be delighted to see that once again, complementing the text to perfection, there are the illustrations that Hal creates throughout his adventures – in reality drawn by Elisa Paganelli – which are highly detailed and form an integral part of the plot.

I cannot wait to hold a proper copy of this book and I know I am not alone. Thankfully, it is not too long to wait for this to be published – it is due on 4th February 2021. Until then, enormous thanks – as always – go to NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Books for allowing me to read this ahead of time.

What a fantastic thriller! Murder on the Safari Star is the third in the incredible Adventures on Trains series and this is my favourite so far. Like a train, it powers on at break neck speeds as Hal and Uncle Nat investigate a shocking murder. Can they uncover the murderer in time?
There’s lots of suspects to explore and it kept me guessing until the end. My favourite characters in this story were Winston and his pet mongoose Chipo - I could see the pair teaming up to solve crimes like the Murder Most Unladylike series.
I highly recommend this book when it’s released in February; I’ll be preordering it for my classroom. The tantalising teaser for book 4 at the end of the book has left me very excited for the next one.

Oh my! MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman do it again. The third instalment of Adventures on Trains is just as wonderful and as much fun as the previous two. This time Hal and Nat are in wonderful SouthAfrica heading to Zambia when a most horrible man meets a most unfortunate death. Is it murder or did he shoot himself accidentally? Hal is on a mission.
This book is simply wonderful and the sneak preview of book 4 made me so excited - the stories are continuing!