I always find myself eagerly awaiting the next book in a series only to find that I read it too quickly and it’s done. This entire series feels like a whirlwind- a brilliant one but certainly over too quickly.

Each of the books in this series is a perfectly pitched mystery. Alice and Sonny are the perfect detective duo and though each of the previous two left you wanting more, this one felt final and wrapped up a few loose ends that readers were likely curious about. I still want more and would gladly read dozens in a series like this, similar to the Adventures on Train series. Which I also adore.

Cleverly written and with enough twists, turns and exotic locations, readers will find themselves looking for clues and holding suspicions about everyone! When Estelle Fortune, famous Hollywood actress boards the ship, there is a level of excitement rippling through the family and crew. When she is kidnapped before they even depart Egypt, the excitement turns to fear and worry.

Alice begins making notes and looking for clues- this could be their most daring adventure yet. On board are Estelle’s family and manager, all of whom are worried and trying to find answers. Alice begins to suspect that the kidnappers had inside help and starts to form bold ideas. Whether they are right or wrong will be down to the reader to decide!

An absolutely cracking story and I am really going to miss Alice and Sonny! I loved seeing them figure out their relationship and navigate the loss of their mother. So much happens in this trilogy and it is a series I will certainly return to.

Mysteries at Sea: The Hollywood Kidnap Case by A.M. Howell is an exciting and fast-paced adventure that takes young readers on a thrilling voyage filled with intrigue and suspense. Howell masterfully crafts a mystery set against the glamorous backdrop of Hollywood, blending elements of danger, humor, and clever detective work. The characters are relatable and dynamic, particularly the young protagonists, who use their wits to uncover clues and solve the case. With twists and turns that keep readers engaged, Mysteries at Sea: The Hollywood Kidnap Case is a delightful and immersive read, perfect for fans of adventure and mystery. It’s a gripping story that showcases the excitement of solving puzzles while navigating the glamorous yet perilous world of Hollywood.

If ever an author can be relied upon to craft a book that will hook even the most reluctant readers it’s got to be AMHowell. Brilliantly written and pitched perfectly for the top end of primary school this book swoops you off on a trip full of excitement and mystery. This is a brilliant addition to what is proving to be an awesome series of books.

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.

The Hollywood Kidnap Case is an absolutely unputdownable combination of cosy crime and intriguing historical fiction. Set in the tumultuous period between the world wars – the summer of 1936 – A.M. Howell has combined the golden age of ocean travel with the golden age of Hollywood glamour. Nods to Shirley Temple, Judy Garland and the magic of film pulls readers right into the adventure. Fans of the Adventures on Trains series, Agatha Christie or anyone who loves a good whodunnit will devour this fast-paced, twisty tale.

In this third and final adventure, the Lady Rose is taking on a new party of paying guests – famous Hollywood starlet Estelle Fortune, her manager and her brother’s family. Estelle’s niece, Winnie, becomes fast friends with Alice and Sonny. When Estelle is kinapped and a ransom note is found demanding $50 000, the gang are thrown right into another mystery.

Brilliantly plotted with plenty of clues, red herrings, potential suspects and peril around every corner, The Hollywood Kidnap Case takes readers on a high-stakes journey through Alexandria and across the sea to Malta. This strategic pre-war setting, the presence of the British navy and detailed descriptions of significant, real-life places create a fascinating backdrop for secrets to be reveled.

The golden thread running through the Mysteries at Sea series is Alice and Sonny’s family relationships. Discovering they are siblings and being reunited after many years apart is life changing. They have become the best of friends and fantastic detective partners. Desperate to discover what belongings their mother left hidden on the Lady Rose, they continue to hope they’ll find someone who can open the safe. The role of Dorothy in their lives is now so much more than that of governess. The children aren’t sure what to think about her blossoming relationship with their father. This universal theme of family and remembering those we’ve lost will resonate with many readers.

It’s always sad when a beloved series comes to an end. A.M. Howell has made sure Mytseries at Sea finishes with a bang! Perfectly rounded and completely sastisfying, readers will be left content (but still wanting more).

The Hollywood Kidnap case by A M Howell was released this week and it’s the brilliant conclusion to one of my favourite middle grade mystery series of the year.

Alice and Sonny set sail again on their family’s yacht but this time it has been chartered to the famous Hollywood actress Estelle and her family. When she is kidnapped shortly before they set sail, Alice, Sonny and Estelle’s niece Winnie know they have to investigate to help to rescue Estelle.

The children are brilliant characters - clever and inquisitive and making lots of brave decisions. I like that the adults (their father and Sonny’s governess Dorothy) do try to keep them out of trouble but they are good at tricking them and finding ways to carry out their investigations. The historical and geographical details in the story are really interesting and clearly very carefully researched - I loved reading about pre-WWII Malta and Egypt.

As the final book in the series, this did a great job of bringing together some of the threads and mysteries that have been running through all three books and was a really satisfying conclusion.

A great middle grade read for children who love a detective series - fans of Murder Most Unladylike would definitely enjoy this.

I'm a big fan of these mysteries from AM Howell and couldn't wait to read the final book in the trio. Brilliant characters with wonderful historical snippets and a good old mystery. Elements of Famous Five without all the sexism!

I'm gutted this is the last of Alice and Sonny's adventures, although the door seems to be a tiny bit open for the future?! 😍

Loved this final adventure in the mysteries at sea series and it was great being back on the Lady Rose with Alice and Sonny with another great mystery to solve. Combine a glamorous Hollywood movie star who goes missing, secrets and lies along with the dramatic settings of Egypt and Malta and it os the great background for the duo to make new friends, solve mysteries and escape some danger! I absolutely whizzed through it and it was my favourite out of the 3

Mysteries at Sea: The Hollywood Kidnap Case follows Alice and Sonny in year 1939, as they follow a kidnapping case.
We are in Egypt, on our way to London, however the film star that we are supposed to take with us is nowhere to be found - Alice and Sonny investigate this case.
They have a new helper - and the trio set sail on an adventurous examination.
Who is behind the kidnapping?
Not easily predictable, not on the nose or cliched, The Hollywood Kidnap Case proves to be a fun read for older children.

With the long summer holiday ahead, many parents and carers may already have heard from their young charges that they are bored and there is nothing to do – especially if the weather ends up being a disappointment. I’m sure I can’t be the only one who would argue that while there are great books there is no reason to be bored and this, the conclusion to what has been a fantastic trilogy, is one that is guaranteed to entertain those picking it up.

Concluding the adventures of siblings Sonny and Alice which started with Peril on the Atlantic, this is another journey back in time to 1936 to catch up with the brother and sister after their paths crossed with royalty onboard their yacht the Lady Rose in The Royal Jewel Plot. Here, they, their father and crew are charged with transporting a glamorous actress from Egypt to London to film her latest blockbuster but are soon caught up in a kidnapping where they fear for the victim’s life in a mystery that will have young readers on the edges of their seats.

Excited at the thought of meeting her favourite actress, teenager Estelle Fortune, Alice frets over her outfit while a far more relaxed Sonny reads his book on deck. When Sonny’s former governess Dorothy spots two cars approaching, Alice lists those who will be accompanying them on their voyage back to the UK, hoping that she will be able to make friends with Estelle’s niece Winnie, who is accompanied by her parents Mr and Mrs Troutman as well as the actress’s manager, Howard Quill. All is well until, as Alice’s father approaches the party to welcome them onboard, a carriage arrives on the quayside and a woman alights who is quickly drawn into an argument with Howard as a bewildered Alice and Sonny look on.

While the guests are hurried up the gangway that will take them onto the yacht, Alice overhears Howard tell her father that the woman, a Bertha Godfrey, is dangerous and must be kept away from Estelle and Captain Townsend promises him that a crewman will always be posted at the gangway to protect her. With everyone now onboard the yacht, the adult guests head to their cabins, giving Alice and Sonny the opportunity to talk to Estelle and Winnie and show them around. With the Lady Rose not scheduled to leave until the following morning, once all of her supplies have been delivered, the guests together with Alice and Sonny enjoy an evening trip out to visit the city’s catacombs, guided by Dorothy, and a pleasant time is had by all until the arrival once again of Bertha, who Alice spots secretly talking to Estelle.

Rising early the next day to complete her chores, Alice bumps into crew member Frances who is delivering breakfast to Estelle and Alice helps her with the door to the actress’s cabin. As they both enter, it is soon evident that Estelle is not there and amongst the signs of a struggle is a ransom note demanding $50,000 for her safe return, saying that the police must not be informed and stating that further instruction will be given at Valletta. Feeling they have little option but to comply with the demands of the note, Estelle’s family and the crew of the Lady Rose immediately change their plans to head to the Maltese capital. As Alice and Sonny investigate what has happened, they make several key discoveries onboard that point to those whom Estelle should have been able to trust – can the pair of them solve one last case and find the missing actress, or is she destined to meet a terrible watery fate?

As we’ve got to know both Alice and Sonny over the course of the three books, we have seen them grow closer to one another – initially as friends and then as brother and sister. From the beginning of this instalment, it is clear just how in tune with one another they are but, like real life siblings, they are very different in character and do not always agree – something that is clear in the book when Alice’s impulsive nature causes friction and upset. With their finding one another has come a range of questions for them both and here readers who have followed their story since the beginning will be pleased to find the answers in a conclusion that is very fitting but – hopefully – leaves the way open for one or other, if not both, of them to have more adventures in the future.

Again brilliantly researched, this story will transport children to both the catacombs of Cairo and the streets of Valetta – places with which they may be unfamiliar but that are vividly brought to life on the pages, as are the characters – old and new. As well as Captain Townsend and Dorothy, we are reunited with some of the crew of the Lady Rose that we met in Book 2, making this a really enjoyable and engaging sequel for children who have read that title. There is enough of the backstory woven into the narrative for this to be read as a standalone but I really would recommend reading the whole series in order to ensure you don’t miss anything.

My enormous thanks go to publisher Usborne and to Net Galley for my advance, virtual read. The Hollywood Kidnap Case publishes August 1st, making it a perfect read for the summer break.

Alice and Sonny are back and this time there's a Hollywood star ( Estelle Fortune) on board the ship. However, when she is kidnapped under mysterious circumstances, Alice and Sonny decide it is up to them to get to the truth and solve the case before it's too late.

This is the third book in the Mysteries at Sea series and, having loved the first two books (you can read my reviews here: Peril on the Atlantic and The Royal Jewel Plot), I was excited to be able to read The Hollywood Kidnap Case before publication.

The arrival of Estelle brings glamour to the Lady Rose and Alice is excited by this. However, there is a looming problem in Bertha, a rival actress who is upset at loosing out to Estelle in a recent casting. It's clear that Bertha is the prime suspect in the case but nobody can quite work out what happened or how the kidnapper managed to get Estelle off the ship. As the book progresses, I enjoyed the fact that some of the plot takes place in Malta and the descriptions (especially of the national library) make me want to visit Valletta.

As with the previous two books, the plot is gripping and the outcome isn't obvious which is why I like the vase notes so much. It was great to see Alice and Sonny's relationship developing further and the end of the book left me curious about what might be in store next for the pair.

The Hollywood Kidnap Case is another brilliantly clever book in the Mysteries At Sea series and one that will make a most unoutdownable read over the summer. Publishing on the 1st August, it's definitely one to pre-order.