Usborne sets sail on new mystery series from Howell

Usborne has acquired Mysteries at Sea, a three-book children’s series from A M Howell, author of The Garden of Lost Secrets (Usborne). 

Senior commissioning editor Becky Walker and fiction editor Alice Moloney acquired UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada for the series from Clare Wallace at Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency. The first book, Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic, will publish in paperback in August, with books two and three to follow in 2024. 

According to the publisher, Mysteries at Sea is a gripping series unravelling mysteries aboard ships crossing the globe in the 1930s. The series features real ships, historical figures and events and brings the history of the period vividly to life. The seaboard setting is inspired by Howell’s childhood travels on the ocean waves.  

The synopsis for the first instalment reads: “July, 1936. As the Queen Mary sets sail across the Atlantic, Alice can’t wait for the summer of adventure that lies ahead. She’s excited to explore the huge ship, with its shops, animals and even celebrities on board. 

“As Alice’s sailor father focuses on winning a prestigious race, she witnesses a shocking attack. Alice and her new friend Sonny start to uncover a dark sabotage plot and as they investigate gold bars, anonymous notes and lost silk gloves, secrets in their own lives come to the surface. 

“While fog threatens the boat’s journey, and dangerous enemies show themselves, Alice and Sonny are in their own race to solve all the mysteries unfolding. But what they discover might change both their lives forever…”

Maloney described Howell’s writing as “the perfect combination of immaculately plotted  mystery and incredible factual detail”. Wallace said she “couldn’t be happier" that Usborne will be publishing.

Howell added: “Usborne have been so supportive in developing my career as an author over the past few years so it’s a dream come true to continue working with them on my exciting new series.”