A “well-written, engaging detective story” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about a rogue who trades in rare birds and their eggs—and the wildlife detective determined to stop him. On May 3, 2010, an Irish national named Jeffrey Lendrum was apprehended at Britain’s Birmingham International Airport with a suspicious parcel strapped to his stomach. Inside were fourteen rare peregrine falcon eggs snatched from a remote cliffside in Wales. So begins a “vivid tale of obsession and international derring-do” (Publishers Weekly), following the parallel lives of a globe-trotting smuggler who spent two decades capturing endangered raptors worth millions of dollars as race champions—and Detective Andy McWilliam of the United Kingdom’s National Wildlife Crime Unit, who’s hell bent on protecting the world’s birds of prey. “Masterfully constructed” (The New York Times) and “entertaining and illuminating” (The Washington Post), The Falcon Thief will whisk you away from the volcanoes of Patagonia to Zimbabwe’s Matobo National Park, and from the frigid tundra near the Arctic Circle to luxurious aviaries in the deserts of Dubai, all in pursuit of a man who is reckless, arrogant, and gripped by a destructive compulsion to make the most beautiful creatures in nature his own. It’s a story that’s part true-crime narrative, part epic adventure—and wholly unputdownable until the very last page.
Winner of the Book of the Year, Children's Fiction at The British Book Awards, 2021 Winner of the Books are My Bag Readers Award, Children's Fiction 2020 Shortlisted for the FCBG Children's Book Award Adventures on Trains is a major mystery series 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, Murder on the Safari Star, Danger at Dead Man's Pass and Sabotage on the Solar Express. Praise for the Series: 'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' – Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief 'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams 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
In The Highland Falcon Thief: Adventures on Trains #1, a middle-grade series starter from MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman, a young boy is swept up in an investigation to uncover the perpetrator of a jewel theft. When eleven-year-old Harrison "Hal" Beck is forced to accompany his travel-writer uncle on the last journey of a royal train, he expects a boring trip spent away from video games and children his age. But then Hal spots a girl who should not be on board, and he quickly makes friends with the stowaway, Lenny. Things get even more interesting when the royal prince and princess board for the last leg of the journey—because the princess's diamond necklace is soon stolen and replaced with a fake! Suspicion falls on the one person who isn't supposed to be there: Lenny. It's up to Hal, his keen observation, and his skill as a budding sketch artist to uncover the real jewel thief, clear his friend's name, and return the diamond necklace before The Highland Falcon makes its last stop.
Board the California Comet and help Harrison Beck to solve another heart-stopping mystery in the second Adventures on Trains story, Kidnap on the California Comet, from bestselling authors M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. After the excitement of his adventures aboard the Highland Falcon Thief, Harrison Beck can't wait for the opportunity to go on another amazing train journey. So when his Uncle Nat invites him aboard the California Comet, the iconic three-day train journey from Chicago to San Francisco, he leaps at the chance to travel. But when the daughter of billionaire entrepreneur August Reza goes missing en route, Hal finds himself with another mystery to solve. Can he uncover the kidnapper before the journey's end? Kidnap on the California Comet can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Murder on the Safari Star, Danger at Dead Man's Pass and Sabotage on the Solar Express. Praise for the Series: 'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' – Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief 'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams 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
'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' – David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief Ride into danger with Hal and Uncle Nat on the fifth breathtaking Adventures on Trains Mystery, Sabotage on the Solar Express, from bestselling award-winners M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. Perfect for readers of 8 to 12 and brilliantly illustrated in black and white throughout by Elisa Paganelli. Billionaire train enthusiast August Reza has invited Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat on the maiden voyage of the Solar Express – the winning design of his Reza’s Rocket competition. But during the journey, they discover the train has been sabotaged, hurtling passengers into a heart-stopping, action-packed, thrill ride across the Australian Outback. Can Hal find the saboteur and stop the runaway train before disaster strikes? Sabotage on the Solar Express can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Murder on the Safari Star, and Danger at Dead Man's Pass. 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
A compelling real-life account of the smuggling and subsequent sale by con men of near-extinct falcons out of Yukon wildlife sanctuaries and the joint U.S./Canadian sting operation that culminated in an embarassing law-enforcement diaster
