The Highland Falcon Thief: 1 (Adventures on Trains, 1)

Winner of the Book of the Year, Children's Fiction at The British Book Awards
Winner of the Books are My Bag Readers Award, Children's Fiction
Shortlisted for the FCBG Children's Book Award

'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams

Climb aboard the Adventures on Trains mystery series for young readers! From bestselling authors M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. Beautifully illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

First stop is The Highland Falcon Thief, a breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve.

Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are enjoying the final journey of the Highland Falcon, Britain's most famous steam train. But when a precious jewel goes missing, Harrison and his new friend Lenny find themselves at the centre of the investigation. Can they solve the mystery 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.

The Highland Falcon Thief can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on the next stops in this thrilling series, Kidnap on the California Comet and Murder on the Safari Star.

Praise for the Series:

'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' – Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief

'A first class choo-choo-dunnit!' – David Solomons on Kidnap on the California Comet

'A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet' – The Times on Murder on the Safari Star

'This series just gets better and better' – Maz Evans on Danger at Dead Man's Pass

Review
'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story; -- David Walliams

A first-class book ― Telegraph

A pacey and intensely satisfying mystery, boasting a sparkling golden age crime fiction sensibility despite its contemporary setting ― Guardian

Packed with clues and red herrings, this express ride has terrific characters and steams through the plot. Wonderful. ― Daily Mail

With the Highland Falcon Thief, M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman bring the classic mystery on a train bang up to date with a carriage-load of wit and suspense -- Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster

A thrill-ride of a mystery, guaranteed to be one of the most fun, atmospheric page turners of 2020 -- Lauren St John, author of Kat Wolfe Investigates

A super-fun middle-grade mystery with steam-trains and samoyeds. I loved it! -- Peter Bunzl, author of Cogheart

Like Murder on the Orient Express but better . . . a terrific read! -- Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of Millions

A fabulous fast-paced ride, packed with clues, illustrations and intrigue ― Bookseller

Loved every page of this wild madcap delightful ride of a book! Cracking characters, page-turningly pacey, hilarious and nail-biting in turns . . . glorious. It’s going to be a smash hit -- Liz Hyde, author of Bearmouth

Mysteries on trains - what’s not to love? This absolutely rips along, perfect for the railhead child in your life! -- Ross Montgomery, author of Perijee and Me

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. -- Alex O'Connell ― The Times Children's Book of the Week Published On: 2020-01-18

A runaway romp of a read -- Piers Torday, author of The Lost Magician

Ideal for independent readers who enjoy a good old-fashioned mystery ― Booktrust

Written with a real deftness of touch, I loved this thrilling mystery and can't wait for Hal's next adventure -- Christopher Edge, author of The Many Worlds of Albie Bright

An absolutely fantastic read, set on a beautiful old train; great characters, excellent plot and just enough mystery to keep you guessing all the way to the end ― ReadingZone

Samoyeds, secrets, Scottish scenery and the page turning action in The Highland Falcon Thief makes it a really compelling read, it is a really well researched story which includes fascinating facts and insights into train travel -- Catherine Friess ― Story Snug

[A] superior, Agatha Christie-inflected whodunnit ― Financial Times

Train enthusiasts, mystery buffs, and adventurers alike won’t be able to resist this fast-moving quest. ― The Bulletin

Illustrated with lively black-and-white drawings, this [is a] well-constructed, fast-paced mystery ― Booklist

M. G. Leonard has made up stories since she was a little girl, but back then adults called them lies or tall tales and she didn’t write them down. As a grown up, she has written stories about fantastical beetles, beautiful birds and thrilling train rides. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in England, by the sea, with her husband, two sons, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles. She is the bestselling writer of children’s books such as The Ice Children, Beetle Boy, theAdventures on Trains series and The Twitchersbooks.

Sam Sedgman is a bestselling author and presenter. Before writing stories for children, he worked as a playwright, journalist, and digital producer, and founded a company making murder mystery treasure hunts for adventurous Londoners. Written with his friend, M. G. Leonard, The Highland Falcon Thief was Sam’s first book for young readers. A lifelong fan of puzzles, games, and detective fiction, he grew up with a railway at the bottom of his garden and has been mad about trains ever since. He lives in London.

Elisa Paganelli was born in Modena (Italy) in 1985, and since childhood books have been her bestfriends.

After completing artistic studies she made a career in advertising and has been the founder and owner of a small award winning design and trade business. She now lives and works in UK as a freelance Illustrator and Creative Designer, accompanied by her beloved pets.

Elisa loves quietness, the wind and she truly feels home when in the wild nature.
On her bedside table you'll find a pile of psychology books, and very often one of her cats.