Alice-Miranda in the Alps by Jacqueline Harvey

Title: Alice-Miranda in the Alps

Author: Jacqueline Harvey

Genre: Fiction/Mystery

Publisher: Puffin

Published: 17^th September 2019/

Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Price: $16.99

Synopsis: Snowy escapades in stunning Switzerland!

Alice-Miranda and her friends are off to Switzerland to ski, sightsee and experience the unique White Turf racing event. St Moritz is as glamourous as they expected and their hotel is beyond belief – as are its owners, the overly friendly Otto Fanger and his frosty wife, Delphine Doerflinger.

Mid-holiday, the Baron, a close friend of Alice-Miranda’s family, reappears after being mysteriously uncontactable, and the group head across the country to stay at the Grand Hotel Von Zwicky. The resort town of Zermatt is full of charm, but underneath the picturesque exterior are glimpses of shady dealings and unsavoury characters. Can Alice-Miranda work out who is involved in time to save the Baron’s beloved hotel?

~*~

Alice-Miranda and her friends are off to Switzerland for a skiing holiday with her parents and Millie’s parents, with Sep, Sloane, Lucas and Jacinta along for the ride. They’re going to see the White Turf race, and stay in a glamorous hotel and eat some delicious chocolate. There’s friend to see, a train to catch to Zermatt, and the owners of their hotel to contend with.

Otto Fanger is very friendly and very obsessed with his dog, and his wife, Delphine Doerflinger, who is very frosty and up to something. This something sends them across the country to the Grand Hotel Von Zwicky, where shady things are happening, and it’s up to Alice-Miranda and her friends to work out what is happening at the Baron’s hotel.

Someone is definitely up to something, as they are in every Alice-Miranda book, which creates the mystery about the hotels, the chocolate and the Baron that Alice-Miranda’s family knows.

Wow, the twelfth Alice-Miranda book continues the series wonderfully, and brings all of our favourite characters (plus Caprice) into a new environment. Caprice is there quite accidentally, after they discover her during a skiing lesson, even though she’s meant to be in Italy. Her presence is, as it has been in the last few books, fraught with tension. She sets everyone on edge, even the adults at times. And of course, nothing can ever just be fun! Thought it was nice to see that she doesn’t always win in this one.

Saving the Grand Hotel Von Zwicky is a huge part of the story, as is the connections it has to a museum and Herr Dettwiller. The hidden secret is what drives the story, and what makes it thrilling. There is something that brings it all together, so it not only continues the series very well, but gives readers a new and unique story. Yes, it follows similar beats to the rest of the series. Most series do, and that’s what makes them work. It is what has helped me enjoy the series, because even if some readers predict things, there are still surprises in the story and the entire series.

One thing that stood out was how Caprice might be slowly changing, and her evolution alongside the mystery that drives this story and what Alice-Miranda, and her family is doing or working on. It’s a delight to read a series where the adults are there, but don’t hinder the children too much. It works very well to reassure readers of all ages and highlight the importance of working together and asking for help when you need it.

There’s a joy in reading these books for children when you’re an adult. It’s comforting and reassuring, especially when some adult books are higher stakes and stressful. Sometimes, you just need to read something gentler and calmer, where you can revisit characters you love, or in my case, would have loved as a younger reader. I also love how diverse this series is, because it feels like it is reflecting our world as much as possible.

This twelfth Alice-Miranda book is a great way to continue the series and show how children can work out a mystery, and what it means to have a good group of friends you can rely on. I am looking forward to reading the rest and finishing the series!