Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery
Score: ❤❤❤❤ 1/2
Page Count: 336
Book #1 of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: November 30th, 2012
Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.
After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.
After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Review:
PROS:
1. First off, a HUGE thank you to the author and Kelsey Butts for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review! I was pretty excited to read this book since I was a little in the mood for a mystery but also something a little more fun and nothing heavy. It's actually a little difficult to find that type of mystery book that isn't too juvenile for my personal reading taste. I enjoy middle-grade books, don't get me wrong there. However, I find that I'm beginning to lose patience with them a little quicker as I get older. Right off the bat, Kitty Hawk was able to grip my attention and I'm so glad it did. Here's my review: 
2. Kitty Hawk really gripped me because of the big presence her character has from the very first page. There was no mistaking that she was the adventurous type and didn't at all let fear or worry stop her from taking on another adventure that would be seen as risky or even dangerous. At the same time, she wasn't an adrenaline junky, rather, she thought and planned out every trip down to the very last detail to be better prepared for a safe journey and be ready for any emergency that might arise. She was very smart and quick thinking, a problem solver and very confident in her ability to handle herself when in danger. She reminded me a lot of Nancy Drew meets Agent Carter and I loved that about her character.
3. The story was a fun adventure to read about. It had a classic feel to it set in the present day which gave it a unique tone. At times, I imagined the book playing out in the time of Amelia Earheart and had to remind myself that Kitty Hawk's travels take place in the time of laptops and smartphones. I loved that it had an old school tone to it, however, as it made it so interesting and fun to read. It was refreshing to read and I don't have a problem with recommending this novel at all. You if you want just a nice, funny and relaxing adventurous read, please consider Kitty Hawk. You won't be disappointed.
4. The only real "problems" I had with the book would be that it did get a little info-dumpy at some points, although it wasn't too bad as it only happened a few times throughout the book but it was something I had to take note of for my review. I also thought some of the flashbacks felt a little disjointed from the story and it didn't provide a smooth transition back into the story once it was over. Had those two things been tweaked a little, I would totally have given this book a full five stars.
You Can Purchase The Book Here:
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About The Author:
Iain Reading is passionate about root beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations.
Iain is the author of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, The Wizards of Waterfire Series, and the dragon of the month club. To Learn more, go to https://www.amazon.com/Iain-Reading/e/B00B0NGI6Q/
Author Links:
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
1. What inspired you to write the story of Kitty Hawk?
It was the character herself that inspired me. I loved (and still love) the idea of a female teenaged pilot named Kitty Hawk who has the courage and ambition to embark on an around-the-world adventure to discover everything she possibly can about this planet we live on. Truth be told I am a bit jealous of Kitty Hawk's adventures. I mean, who wouldn't want to fly their own plane around the world and experience that kind of freedom?
2. What factors went into play when writing and planning Kitty Hawk's character?
I was very lucky when writing and planning Kitty Hawk's character because she was one that essentially "wrote herself". Once I had the most basic idea of who she was and what she could do, the rest of it just fell into place. That isn't to say that I haven't learned more and more about her as her travels have taken her from place to place, but it was always amazing to me how real she always was and how little work it was to "create" her - I think because she was already always there, waiting. But even so, I will admit that it took me a while to really find her voice. Her thoughts and actions and motivations were always there, but it took me a while to find her voice in describing those to other people. (The books are in first person, you see....)
3. Were there any other big influences besides Jack London that inspired you to write Kitty Hawk's adventure?
In some ways I am a bit like Kitty Hawk myself, in the sense that I love travel and I love to see amazing beautiful places. I don't get to fly to them in my own plane like Kitty Hawk does, but I still love to see them. Kitty Hawk's first adventure in Alaska and the Yukon was also very much inspired by the powerful raw beauty of those places when you experience them for yourself. This is true of any Kitty Hawk book as well. The places in the books are as much characters as anything else. And those places influence the story and almost write it for me.
4. Which of the characters do you most relate to in the book?
As much as I would like to relate to Charlie and be exactly like him, I have to say that Kitty Hawk herself is probably the one I relate to the most. Not that I directly relate to her and see myself in her, but more like I relate to her motivations and thoughts and decisions. She also thinks and says funny things that make me laugh.
5. Kitty Hawk has a habit of following in the footsteps of Amelia Earhart and Jack London. Is there a famous adventure you would love to take on if you could?
I have always been fascinated by the tales of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's attempt to climb Mount Everest, which is strange because the urge to climb mountains is something that I really don't understand the appeal of. But Everest, with its summit poking up into the jetstream, has always fascinated me.
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