Book Extract & Giveaway: Mysteries at Sea: The Royal Jewel Plot by A.M. Howell

I am so happy to be welcoming A.M. Howell back to Novel Kicks with the blog tour for her latest novel, Mysteries at Sea: The Royal Jewel Plot.

Alice and Sonny are excited for their summer trip, sailing on the luxurious yacht the Lady Rose. They’re even more excited when they find out the King of England is going to be onboard too!

There’s also a precious jewel on the boat – a rare opal, kept in a tank protected by a poisonous octopus.
Until one morning, Alice discovers that the opal and octopus are both missing. The search is on to retrieve the priceless gem, before the ship reaches its destination, and everyone on board finds themselves in serious trouble.

As Alice and Sonny’s investigations take them closer to the truth, they realise that everyone on the Lady Rose seems to have a secret, maybe even the king himself…

You have a chance to win a copy of Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic (book one in the series), below but first, A.M. Howell has shared an extract from Mysteries at Sea: The Royal Jewel Plot. We hope you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Chapter One

The Lady Rose

Alice glanced at her watch in dismay. They were going to be late for the king’s arrival! Tightening her grip on her suitcase as she hurried along the hot, dusty street, her head was full of the summer storms, landslides and train delays that had hindered their journey from England to the small port of Ăibenik on the Yugoslavian coast. A journey that should have taken two days had instead taken four.

On any occasion that would have been irritating, but they had been expected on the Lady Rose (the steam yacht she and her brother, Sonny, had recently inherited from their grandfather) two days ago. Now they were late and the king of England, who had paid handsomely to holiday on the yacht, was due to arrive at any minute. She, twelve- year-old Alice Townsend from Suffolk, England, was going on the king’s voyage! Even thinking these words seemed fantastical, like a story in a thrilling paperback novel. Though the king certainly wouldn’t be impressed at having to wait for them.

Swallowing her excitement, Alice took in the throngs of locals dressed in bright cotton skirts and Sunday-best suits emerging from the town’s narrow side streets, as they too headed towards the port. Many of them stared at their party of four and she wasn’t at all surprised.

There was Father at the front, his beige suit jacket as crumpled as his brow as he strode alongside a station porter pushing their luggage trolley.

He was closely followed by Dorothy, her brother’s governess and former guardian, with her frilled sun parasol and satchel of school books bumping against her side.

Then there was Sonny, her brother, just a few steps ahead as he carefully carried his pet mouse Rocket’s cage. The brim of his sun hat shielded his eyes from the sun’s glare and a canvas bag of mouse bedding slung across his shoulder gusted in the breeze, wood shavings scattering from it like breadcrumbs. A gaggle of local children laughed and scurried after him, picking them up.

Alice giggled at the unfolding scene as she walked behind, and a woman wearing an embroidered shawl smiled at her, her gaze curious and lingering. Perhaps she was wondering at Alice’s brown hair, which had kinked into rebellious waves in the heat, her dusty sandals, her ink-spotted fingers and her straw hat that now resembled a squashed mushroom after Alice had accidently sat on it during one of their long train journeys.

Returning the woman’s smile, Alice hurried after her brother, perspiration trickling down her back. She breathed in the sweet-smelling air and looked up at the clamour of red rooftops climbing a steepish hill. The excitement at finally arriving at the port was making the troubles they’d faced on their journey quickly fade.

Pressing on through the gathering crowds, they finally emerged onto the quayside. “Look. There she is. The Lady Rose,” Alice said to Sonny breathlessly. Her heart skipped as she gazed at the yacht named after their mother, who had died when they were both small.

*****end of extract*****

About A.M. Howell –

A.M. Howell has always been inspired by the stories around her, and how imagination can unlock the secrets of the past.

Her thrilling historical mysteries have garnered great critical acclaim, winning both the Mal Peet Children’s Book Award, and the East Anglian Book of the Year Award, as well as being shortlisted for lots of other prizes.

A.M. Howell lives in Suffolk with her husband and two sons.

Say hello to A.M. Howell on X (Twitter,) Instagram or via her website. 

*****

Win a copy of Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic, book one in the series. 

We have one copy Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic to give away to one winner.

How to enter….

All you have to do is comment on this post with the word ‘Jewel’. The competition closes at 12pm on Friday 19th April 2024. The winner will then be chosen at random by Novel Kicks (see terms and conditions for how your information will be handled.)

*The Terms and Conditions Part–

The winner will be chosen at random. Once the draw has concluded, they will be contacted by Novel Kicks. The winner will be notified by email. If no response is received within 7 days then Novel Kicks reserves the right to select an alternative winner.

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. 

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser (Usborne Publishing) and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Novel Kicks will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.