A trip to Paris filled with spies, princes and princesses and aeroplanes!
Peril In Paris – the blurb
ALL ABOARD THE TRAIN TO PARIS!
It’s 1911, and the young detectives of TAYLOR & ROSE are turning their talents to ESPIONAGE.
On a case for the mysterious SECRET SERVICE BUREAU, the daring MISS SOPHIE TAYLOR and MISS LILIAN ROSE must leave London for the boulevards and grand hotels of Paris.
But DANGER lurks beneath the bright lights of the city – and INTRIGUE and MURDER lie in store. As aeroplanes soar in the skies overhead, our heroines will need to put all their spy skills to the test to face the PERIL that awaits them…
Detectives at the ready!
I hadn’t read any of the Taylor and Rose books previously but my daughter had and loved them. Peril in Paris is the first in a new series that follows on from The Sinclair Mysteries. It’s easy to follow if you are a newbie although the back story provided does now make me want to read the Sinclair books. I genuinely loved this mystery, it’s deliciously old fashioned and genuinely suspenseful. I didn’t get Lil’s involvement initially (I’ll blame my newness to the girls if you think it was obvious) but I loved the way the story switched back and forth between the two before dissecting. It feels grown up without being inappropriate for middle graders and I can’t wait to borrow Spies in St Petersburg from my eldest. If only I can find where she has tidied [thrown under bed somewhere] it.
Book club questions
+++ These questions contain spoilers and should only be used if you have read the book already!+++
- Have you read any of the Sinclair Mysteries (or any of the Taylor and Rose books) before? Does this make a difference? Were you able to follow the story? Do you now want to read them all?
- The book is set in 1911 and there are lots of mentions about a possible war with Germany. When did World War One start? Which countries did it involve?
- Who was your favorite spy in the book – Sophie? Lil? Princess Anna? Which storyline would you have liked to have been a part of?
- In the book the author has invented a country called Arnovia. How does Woodfine make Arnovia seem real as a country? Could have a go at making up a country and making some facts about it? Where is it located? What traditions does it have? What does the flag look like?
- The air race mentioned is loosely based on the Circuit of Europe air race that took place in 1911. Can you find out more about the race? Where did it start/finish? Who came first and how long did it take them?
If you would like to join in with our Children’s Book of the Month keep your eyes peeled when we announce September’s book in a few days time. Our review with book club questions is usually posted on the last Monday of the month and you can check out previous Book of the Months such as Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm by clicking on the Young Adult/Kids button at the top of our Home Page. In the meantime we would love to see what you have been reading.