Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic
Set in July 1936 aboard the Queen Mary cruise ship, Alice is having the experience of a lifetime even though she must defy her father to roam the ship … With her new friend, Sonny, Alice must unravel an urgent mystery when someone is attacked and soon learns that there’s more than one secret to be revealed too.
A.M. Howell’s book is inspired by her own childhood memories of boating with her family. The story is a blend of real history woven deftly into the fictional plot. The story shows life on a large cruise ship from First Class through Third Class, and the staff labouring behind the scenes. Everything that happens has a purpose; there’s no random characters or unnecessary scenes with plots and subplots coming together organically.
A story that moves along smoothly, rather like the ship itself, with slower moments to delve into the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences, Howell seamlessly weaves facts into the story without affecting the pacing. I liked the authors exploration of Alice’s relationship with her father, a widower, who is trying to forge a stronger relationship with her, which is hard to do when he’s been at sea so much.
A very well written book with a clever finale hinting at the next book to come. A thrilling read from start to finish.
