The Mystery of the Blue Train

Ages 4 to 8, Grades K to 3

This retelling of Agatha Christie’s The Mystery of the Blue Train is the second book in the Mini Mysteries series of interactive picture book mysteries for children.The Mystery of the Blue Train is one of Agatha Christie’s early detective novels (a cozy mystery—no violence or gore), and where she continues to use the fictional detective Hercule Poirot as a major character. The story, set on a train bound for the French Riviera, is a true who-done-it full of mysterious characters, missing jewels, and teasing clues. Monson’s retelling of the original book captures the plot and distills it in a way that is fun for children, gently ushering them into the literary world of Christie’s mysteries. Along with the story, there are activities, games, and puzzles throughout to help with children’s engagement, and might just foster a few budding detectives.There is also a glossary of terms and French words.

About the Author

Marci Kay Monson is an avid reader, crafter, and gardener. She received her BS in Technical Communications from Utah State University and a graduate certificate in publishing from the Denver Publishing Institute. She found a love for Agatha Christie when her book club read And Then There Were None and never looked back. She loves story, bright colors, and a little bit of (cozy and fictional) murder. Raised in Japan, England, and Germany, she now lives in Layton, Utah.Greg Paprocki works full-time as an illustrator and book designer. He has illustrated several Curious George books, the Little Leonardo series, and the BabyLit alphabet board books including S Is for Santa, B Is for Boo, E Is for Easter, and C Is for Camping. Released fall 2024 in the alphabet series were D is for Dogs and M is for Monsters. Greg’s Gibbs Smith titles have sold almost 975,000 copies. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.