Peril on The Atlantic is a classic children’s adventure caper, very much in the vein of Adventures on Trains. Here, railway locomotives have been replaced by luxury liner, The Queen Mary, but the ride is no less thrilling!
What Is Peril on the Atlantic?
This is the first book in a new series “Mysteries at Sea.” It introduces Alice, the daughter of the ship’s staff captain. Alice’s mother died when she was young, and she rarely sees her dad, who spends a great deal of time at sea. She’s thrilled at the opportunity to spend her summer with her father, but dismayed when it turns out he will be spending most of his day overseeing the ship’s capture of the prestigious Blue Riband. It’s her father’s intention that Alice will spend most of her time in her cabin. She will not be allowed to mingle with the other passengers.
Of course, this was never going to happen, and before long, Alice sneaks out to investigate the wonders of the Queen Mary. Here she meets Sonny, a bored passenger traveling with his governess. Before meeting Sonny, Alice witnesses an assault on a crew member, Joseph. Joseph is left unconscious and fighting for his life. Before the attack, she overheard Joseph trying to back out of something he had promised to do for his assailant. Something most definitely shady.
When Sonny and Alice discover a gold bar hidden not far from where Joseph was attacked, the game is afoot!
Why Read Peril on the Atlantic?
The pre-war setting (1934) and the fact that Peril on the Atlantic’s central character is called Alice, reminded me of the Alice Eclair series of books, that I’ve had great fun reviewing in recent months. This book is probably for a slightly older age group. I would say 10 or 11 upwards.
As Alice and Sonny investigate what happened to Joseph, they uncover an intricate web of intrigue. To help them work out what is going on they recruit the aid of two more young passengers. One, Charlie, a bellhop, and the other Miriam, a Jew whose family are fleeing Germany. The awesome foursome are a likable set of characters who work well together in order to solve the ship’s myriad mysteries.
It seems everybody on the Queen Mary has at least one secret. There are mysteries aplenty to solve, which is what makes Peril on the Atlantic so good. The plot is intricate, yet not overly complicated for its intended audience. The novel contains many reveals and surprises. Some relate to the crime that is being committed, others about the pervese nature of human beings (and their love of pets) but some go to the heart of Alice’s family and will have ramifications for her in novels to come. By the end of the novel, the mystery is neatly solved but this being the start of a new series, the seeds for a second book are sown.
Next, we’re promised an instalment set in the Mediterranean, featuring, the King of England, no less. On the strength of the plot and characters of Peril on the Atlantic, it’s a follow up I would be more than happy to read. I don’t think this book quite hits the heights of the Advntures on Trains series at its best, but it certainly offers strong competition. Lovers of that series will find much to enjoy here. “Mysteries at Sea” can definitely become a series of books that does for the open seas what Adventures on Trains does for rail travel.
Mystery, history, and travel from halcyon days. What’s not to love?
If you would like to pick up a copy of Peril on the Atlantic you can do so here, in the UK. (Affiliate Link) There is currently no US edition available.
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
