Board the first mystery
Start with The Highland Falcon Thief to meet Hal and Uncle Nat and see how drawing becomes Hal's most useful detective tool.
Book Series · 6 Books
Adventures on Trains Books
In order from The Highland Falcon Thief to The Arctic Railway Assassin.
Six illustrated mysteries follow young artist Hal Beck and his travel-writer uncle as every remarkable train journey becomes a new crime to solve.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read the Adventures on Trains Books
Read the six mysteries in numbered order, beginning with The Highland Falcon Thief. Each case has its own suspects and solution, so the books can stand alone, but recurring relationships and Hal's confidence as a detective grow in sequence.
Macmillan's official series inventory ends with The Arctic Railway Assassin as book six. Sabotage on the Solar Express is book five even though its US edition was published after book six's original UK release.
Sources: Macmillan's official Adventures on Trains series, Macmillan's Sabotage on the Solar Express page.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The cases involve theft, kidnapping, sabotage, an assassin, and—in book three—a murder. Suspense, peril, and dangerous train situations can be intense, but the mysteries are written for middle-grade readers rather than described graphically.
Hal solves problems by observing people and sketching clues. The international settings, train history, and teamwork give curious readers plenty to enjoy beyond the crimes.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$1248
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2020
The Highland Falcon Thief
A boy must solve a jewel theft on a royal train to clear his friend's name.
272 pages· 51,503 words· Est. 5.5 hour read
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Eleven-year-old Hal Beck embarks on a royal train journey with his uncle, expecting boredom. Instead, he befriends a stowaway, Lenny, and faces a mystery when a princess's diamond necklace is stolen. With suspicion on Lenny, Hal must use his keen observation and sketching skills to find the real thief and save his friend before the train's final stop. Can Hal uncover the truth in time?
In reading order
Adventures on Trains Series
6 books · Published 2020–2022
#1
Sale price
$1248
The Highland Falcon Thief
Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2020
A boy must solve a jewel theft on a royal train to clear his friend's name.
#2
Sale price
$1597
Kidnap on the California Comet
Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2020
A missing billionaire's daughter on a train sparks a race against time.
#3
Sale price
$1597
Murder on the Safari Star
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2021
A train journey turns deadly. Can Hal solve the mystery before reaching the final stop?
#4
Sale price
$2374
Danger at Dead Man's Pass
Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2022
A young detective faces a family curse and haunted railway mystery.
#5
Sale price
$1899
Sabotage on the Solar Express
Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2022
A young sleuth races to stop a train sabotage before disaster strikes.
#6
Sale price
$1899
The Arctic Railway Assassin
Chapter Book · 2022
A night train journey to the Arctic turns deadly as a sinister figure shadows the passengers.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Adventures on Trains series?
There are 6 books in the Adventures on Trains series. It began with The Highland Falcon Thief in 2020, and the newest book, The Arctic Railway Assassin, was published in 2022.
What order should you read the Adventures on Trains books in?
Start with The Highland Falcon Thief and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #6.
What ages are the Adventures on Trains books best for?
The series is best for ages 9–14, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring Adventures on Trains to life.
Keep exploring
Similar Series
City Spies
Ages 8–12
The Story Collector
Ages 9–12
Book Scavenger
Ages 8–12
Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls
Ages 9–13
Jack and the Geniuses
Ages 8–12
Artemis Fowl
Ages 8–12
Train to Impossible Places
Ages 7–12
Survival Tails
Ages 8–12