A Recipe for Trouble
Introducing Alice Éclair, aged thirteen, the newest spy extraordinaire. By day, she is a talented and creative pastry chef in her mother’s renowned Parisian patisserie constructing delicious and intricate confections. At night, she transforms into a cunning and quick-witted spy, ready to undertake even the most difficult assignment. Inveigling her way onto the glamorous Sapphire Express train, Alice’s task is to single out who amongst the eclectic group of passengers is the double agent before the train reaches its destination.
A mystery set in the confines of the train allows lots of opportunities for tight situations, dodging in and out of carriages and lucky escapes. Plenty of exciting encounters with suspected enemies mean the story bounces along at a satisfying pace. As light and fluffy as one of Alice’s meringues, the plot is nevertheless engaging; short chapters ending on a cliffhanger ensure the reader will stay absorbed. A very unexpected twist means that Alice must call on all her craftiness and cunning to outwit her most surprising and difficult opponent.
With Alice, Sarah Todd Taylor has whipped up a very appealing and amusing character. Full of resourcefulness and determination, she can wriggle her way out of even the stickiest of situations. Nothing will prevent her from solving the case. Her savvy firmly establishes her as a first-class spy and this first instalment of a new series will no doubt leave young readers eagerly anticipating her next glamorous adventure.
