Today it is my stop on the Love Books Tour for Aria and Liam: The Baker Street Mystery by Coline Monsarrat. I have reviewed the book for my stop on the tour.

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Title: Aria and Liam: The Baker Street Mystery

Written by: Coline Monsarrat

Illustrated by: Drafts.com

Published by: Apicem Publishing

Blurb 

Meet Aria and Liam, two average 13-year-olds with a not-so-average problem!

Hey, fellow adventurers! I, Aria, opened a portal to the past, which catapulted us into a 3,000-year-old kingdom! Since then, my BFF Liam and I have taken part in numerous adventures in history, facing exciting (and perilous!) missions. But don’t worry; we’re up for the challenge and learning how to become true adventurers! From ancient civilizations to historical events, we’re on a mission to save the day and find our way back home. So come along for the ride as we explore the past and make history… literally!

Get swept away into the foggy streets of London, where a baffling and cryptic adventure awaits Aria & Liam!

As Aria and Liam team up with the daughter of the famous writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, they must race against time to save him from a mysterious and sinister plot. But when Doyle announces the return of Sherlock Holmes, he suddenly vanishes, plunging them into a world of hidden clues and shadowy figures. Could the mastermind behind it all be a rival author, a member of a secret society, or someone from London’s high society? With each chapter bringing a new surprise, Aria and Liam must use their smarts and bravery to crack the case and save Doyle before it’s too late.

Will they prove themselves as sharp as the legendary detective, or will they fall victim to the same fate

Ideal for fearless adventurers aged 9 to 12 who love humour, excitement, and a dash of fantasy.

Aria & Liam is a series of standalone middle-grade books allowing young readers to enjoy each adventure in any order they wish.

A sudden catastrophe changes everything and William and Granny must somehow find a way to put the world back to what it was. Could the blank pages of the mystery red book somehow be the key?

Only time will tell

Review

Aria and Liam: The Baker Street Mystery is the eighth book in this time travelling series published by Apicem Publishing. The series follow Aria and Liam on their adventures through time to different historical eras and geographical locations such as Ancient Egypt and the Incas as well as Rome and the mythical lands of Atlantis and Camelot. This series amalgamates history and mythology into fun and exciting adventures for children.

The Baker Street Mystery opens with introductions from the main characters, Aria and Liam, introducing each other and gives a brief overview of some of their other escapades covered in the previous books. There is also a lovely addition of vignettes of portraits of the main characters. In places there are discrepancies between the text and illustrations such as Mrs Thompson glaring at them through rectangular glasses and in the picture the glasses are circle.

This action adventure stand out for me as it is quite unusual as it is written in third person present tense. Sometimes the speech patterns reminded me of Lady Whistledown’s narration in Bridgerton, with its old-fashioned English and calling each other ‘My dear, Liam’ or ‘My dear, Aria’ and Arthur Conan Doyle starting his letter at the end of the book, ‘My dear reader’. I found all the character’s voices to be very similar to each other which made it difficult to know who was talking in longer passages of dialogue. I also found it a little worrying the children were able to lie so easily without negative consequences to the point several scenes were devoted to how to get their story straight.

It must be noted the premise of this story is entirely fictional as there is no records of Arthur Conan Doyle going missing, which the author acknowledges in a letter written as though it were from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at the end of the book. Unlike Agatha Christie who did go missing and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle reportedly investigated her disappearance. I felt The Baker Street Mystery was not particularly historically accurate but rather touched on life and the way people lived in Britain during the early 1900’s.

The Baker Street Mystery was an entertaining read, suitable for children aged seven to twelve years old, who enjoy traditional-style mysteries.

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Author Bio:

Coline Monsarrat is a fervent enthusiast of history, driven by a feverish passion for the captivating and unforgettable stories that unfold within its pages. Whenever she finds herself in the history section, she becomes engrossed in the rich narratives that have shaped our world. With an insatiable curiosity, she often ponders the “what ifs” of history—contemplating the alternative outcomes of pivotal events and the possibility of a different course for humanity.

Fuelled by her desire to share this passion with children, Coline crafted the enchanting historical and adventure fiction series Aria & Liam, where history and its legends seamlessly blend with adventure, humour, and the enduring power of friendship. Each book in the series captures the spirit of thrilling adventures packed with action, humour, and fascinating journeys through history.

You can find our more information about Coline on her author’s website: www.ariaandliam.com or follow her on X (Twitter) @ColineMonsarrat and Instagram @ariaandliam @ColineMonsarrat

To follow the rest of the tour take a look at the schedule below:

I would like to thank Kelly from Love Book tours for inviting me to take part in this book tour.