Title: Kitty Hawk and the Tragedy of the R.M.S. Titanic (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series Book 4) by Iain Reading
ISBN: 9781502598205
Published: February 16, 2014
Published by: CreateSpace
Trade paperback, 234 pages
Content rating: G

Book Description:

Kitty Hawk and the Tragedy of the RMS Titanic is the thrillingly cryptic fourth installment of the exciting Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series featuring the intrepid teenage seaplane pilot Kitty Hawk and her various adventures of mystery and intrigue as she follows in the footsteps of Amelia Earhart on an epic flight around the world.

This fourth book in the series brings Kitty to the emerald hills of Ireland where she meets a handsome stranger and is quickly swept up in a perplexing hundred-year-old family treasure hunt involving secret codes and puzzling clues that lead her on a fast-paced adventure that carries her from Dublin to London - from the decks of the ill-fated ocean liner Titanic to the temples of ancient Egypt and the streets of Jack the Ripper - until she finally unlocks the mystery and discovers the long-hidden treasure.

Buy the Book:  Amazon



Reading a Kitty Hawk book has quickly become one of my favourite pastimes. "And then there was silence. A silence so complete that not a single one of us dared to breathe. For a moment, I was a lost soul again, set adrift in the universe, and floating on the memory of the adventures that had led me to this place so many months before."

In this book, Kitty is continuing her round-the-world flight, following in the footsteps of her heroine Amelia Earhart. Kitty is in Ireland on a publicity gig, when she is approached by a tall, dark, handsome young man who wants to hire her to solve a mystery involving his family and the ill-fated Titanic. The clues include an old newspaper clipping, a crossword puzzle and a postcard with strange markings. Kitty is off to London to the British Museum to learn about hieroglyphics, and includes a trip to Abbey Lane of the Beatles fame, as well as taking a tour of Jack the Ripper's domain.

Kitty continues to be an independent, smart young woman, but I was somewhat disappointed in her this time around. Stealing, Kitty? Really? And, I think the author didn’t need to go into details about Jack the Ripper's escapades. This is, after all, a YA novel – too much unnecessary, gory information.

The 100-year-old story of the Titanic never seems to lose its appeal. As usual, the author has deftly created an intriguing mystery surrounding it and 2 real-life people who were on that voyage so long ago. Mr. Reading's books are always educational. I loved the slew of information about the Titanic. For example, I didn't know that it was a royal mail ship, hence the letters R.M.S. attached to the name. I'm impressed with Mr. Reading's erudition regarding the Titanic, the Rosetta stone and hieroglyphics. He is able to convey this to the reader in a simple, understandable way.

The novel is a page-turner. The chapters are short and there is a lovely section "Some Further Reading (if you're interested)" - the author's words - following the 2 epilogues!

History buffs will enjoy the references to the Beatles, Sherlock Holmes, Marconi, Jack the Ripper, and much more. People of all ages will like the hidden treasure incorporated in the mystery.

Congratulations, once again, Mr. Reading!

Sandra Olshaski's disclaimer: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

About the Author:

This week is Audio Book Week hosted by Jen over at Devourer of Books. I have been following her discussions and also those with Sheila at Book Journey about all aspects of audio books and it has gotten me really excited about listening to audio. I had tried twice in the past and gave up, but when I saw the audio version of The Dressmaker at the library I decided to try it. It has changed my view of audio books! Here is my very first review of an audio book.

I don't know that this book would have the same effect on me if I had read it rather than listened to it. I loved the story, which was about Tess Collins, an aspiring seamstress who is hired as a maid by famous designer Lady Duff Gordon. She travels on the Titanic and they both survive on different lifeboats. But stories are revealed of how Lady Duff Gordon may have saved herself at the expense of others. Tess is torn between loyalty to her employer and Jim Bonnie, the sailor who was on the same lifeboat as Lady Duff and who knows what really happened that fateful night. The trial case that follows the sinking was suspenseful and it was insightful as to why most survivors were reluctant to talk about that night. Survivor's guilt is one of the strong themes in this novel. But it's also about starting over, following your dreams, becoming an independent woman, and standing up for what one believes.

Initially, I had to adjust to listening to a story rather than reading it. So I found myself focusing more so as not to miss a word. It was hard at the beginning but gradually got easier. Duerden does an amazing job of changing voices for all the characters until I could easily recognize them and conjure a picture in my mind of what they were like based on their description, voice and actions. Initially, I disliked Tess's voice. It seemed too young, almost childish, but it got better as her character was built. Also, the narrator ended every sentence with a rising inflection that I found annoying, but that gradually got better, either because I got caught up in the story or because I became much more fascinated by the facility and skill with which the narrator switched tone, pitch and inflection with each character.

Lady Duff Gordon was a formidable character and her voice suited her so well, better than anything I could have come up with in my mind if I were reading the book. She sounded so much like the middle-aged haughty aristocratic lady. I also loved Jim Bonnie's voice, his accent, and the emotion the narrator succeeded in giving it. Wow! She succeeded in making me fall in love with a sailor! He chose to do the right thing even at the expense of his reputation and livelihood. He was morally good and handsome to boot.

I've read negative reviews about this book regarding inaccuracies, such as the fact that Tess was a farm girl, yet did not speak like one and adapted too easily with the upper class. I have to agree with this and some other things that came too easily to the main character. But I was able to suspend disbelief because I loved the premise of this book. It's fiction after all. The author and narrator were able to transport me to the turn of the century among the upper class on a majestic ship and in America where women were protesting for change, especially the right to vote. Tess grew as a character. Pinky Wade, the reporter, was another character I liked because she represented the independent woman voting for change.

So for me, the audio book of The Dressmaker has opened up a new love for books. It has made me want to start listening to audio books on a regular basis. If you are hesitating about audio books or did not like your previous experience, perhaps this historical fiction revolving around the Titanic, with a sprinkling of romance propelled by strong female characters will change your mind. It did for me.


Note: This audio is rated P = profanity. There are a few religious expletives.


Reviewed by Laura


Disclosure: I borrowed this audio from the library. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

My daughter and I love the Dear Canada series. Not only do we learn a part of Canadian history but the story is told in diary format and from the point of view of a pre-teen protagonist. The historical event chosen is appealing to the middle-grade reader because it comes alive through the personal eyes of a girl. All of this holds true for the latest book in the series, That Fatal Night in which 12 year-old Dorothy Wilton, a Titanic survivor, is suspended from school after she whops a girl at school for saying something disparaging about the Titanic disaster.

It was hard not to like Dorothy from the very beginning! This was a spunky girl and we were quickly absorbed in her story. My daughter loved her instantly. Dorothy's kind teacher asked her to write about her experience on the ship but Dorothy is reluctant, so initially she writes about everything else with only hints of her journey on the Titanic. She tells of staying with her grandparents in England and the fun things they did. The bits she inserts about the Titanic stir our curiosity since we wonder how she survived, what is the secret she' s withholding about that night, and how she finally got home.

My daughter really liked this take on a Titanic story. She didn't want a sad story, like some of the other Titanic books we've read. Writing from the point of view of a girl who suffered survivor's guilt was a refreshing perspective. It was about how a young girl dealt with an emotional trauma after the fact, after she returned home to Halifax. We liked the ending, especially the epilogue.

The historical note and photographs at the end just cemented the fact that some of the people mentioned by Dorothy actually lived in 1912 and were a real part of the Titanic disaster. I also enjoyed the Author's Note about some of the stories she encountered while doing research. It reminded me of the Titanic exhibit my husband and I had seen in Las Vegas two years ago.

We highly recommend this book and all the Dear Canada series. They are well-written and appealing to middle-grade girls.  

Meet the Author!

Award-winning Canadian authors Sarah Ellis and Julie Lawson will be appearing together at Vancouver Kidsbooks

to celebrate their new books about the night the Great Ship Went Down.

Come for songs, readings and learn more about this fascinating topic!

Thursday, November 24th at 7pm

Come one, come all! 

This is a free event, so please help spread the word to any of your Vancouver-dwelling followers! Both books will be available for purchase.