With three successfully solved cases under his belt, Hal Beck is gaining quite the international reputation. However, the last thing he wants is to be recognized as he and Uncle Nat embark on another adventure. This time around, they have been hired to investigate a family curse. Legend says that an ancestor of the Kratzensteins once made a deal with the devil, and his descendants are fated to pay the ultimate price.

First and foremost, this series remains a delight for me. I am so pleased that it has been published in the United States to reach even more middle grade mystery readers. With that said, this has been my least favorite read of the series thus far. I love the inclusion of German language and culture, the wintry setting, and the fact that Hal must tackle yet another new type of classic crime, this time with the suggestion of supernatural elements. There were also some changes that I was less fond of:

(1) We spent far less time on the tracks in this installment, making it more of a secluded estate mystery rather than a travel mystery.

(2) The authors added espionage into the mix which will be good fun for some readers, but I found it beyond my capabilities to suspend my disbelief.

I very much plan on continuing the series, and I still wholeheartedly recommend these books to any fans of middle grade and mystery reads!

Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
Original Pub Date: 21 Feb 2025
Reading Format: ebook

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!

HAUNTED RAILWAY HAUNTED RAILWAY!!! Wow I love middle grade. If you love a good mystery with a spooky twist, this story is totally for you! Every clue might show if curses are just old tales or something way creepier.

When I recommend that adults read middle grade fiction, this book is a great example. The atmosphere of a gloomy German castle surrounded by mountains, and accessible by private train was so detailed and entertaining. I loved the characters, and was surprised to see that this is the 4th book in the series because it could easily be a stand-alone novel. Most readers will relate to the fun of staying in a children's tower with cousins at or around your age, and the fun of playing video games and exploring. The fun of the book is in the mystery, with twists, secret codes, spies, and a crew of kid detectives.

This would be something I would recommend to readers who like Scooby Doo. It had all of the haunted, gloomy atmosphere, with a great mystery and multiple twists. The only difference is it isn't necessarily a silly story, but I think this would be a great read-alike.

I want to preface this review with I have never read another book in this series before I picked up Danger at Dead Man’s Pass. I probably should have. I feel like the author very briefly touches on what has happened in the previous three books, but it was not enough that I felt confident in the backstory that got Hal and his Uncle Nat to the place they currently are before heading to Dead Man’s Pass. That being said, I did enjoy the book. I loved the pictures that were placed within the story. I think that is a beautiful way to paint the scene and truly highlight how talented that Hal is with his artistic abilities. I also think it is quite fun that people all over the country can recognize Hal just by his drawing abilities. What a fun way to be recognized. I loved how Hal is able to build relationships where ever he goes, and his detective skills are quite impressive. I think mystery lovers are going to enjoy this book and I might even go back and get caught up on Hal’s adventures.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I have really enjoyed this series so much! While it is primarily written for children, I have found myself recommending it to adults on several occasions because the stories are so charming.
This story did fall a little flat for me compared to the other books in the series. I think it is really possible it was just my attention span at the time I tried to read it, and I hope to pick it up again soon to finish the story.
I will absolutely continue to suggest this series to readers of all ages (and continue to collect the print copies as well because I love the illustrations).

Great middle grade page turner. Uncle Nat comes to Hal’s school mysteriously one day to take him on another detecting adventure. This time to solve the Krazenstein curse. Hal and Nat must go undercover as members of a recently deceased man in order to solve the mystery or his death and the curse that haunts the Krazenstein family.

This rainy and gloomy afternoon, uncle Nat meets Hal after school with an urgent letter addressed to both of them, asking for help. Will they please go undercover as distant relatives of a dead man...at his funeral?

Hal and his uncle Nat are known to travel on occasion--for educational purposes of course--and a little vacation, but not the kind most people do. They're now famous detectives. After a recent case, Hal is known as The Drawing Detective because sketching helps him think.

Baron Essenbach, who hired them, gives the pair information and asks them to investigate a suspicious death.

But there are hidden layers and depths to this situation. A ghostly figure in a gray cape appears, then vanishes repeatedly. The old family home (more of a castle, with a train station inside) is big enough to hide many secrets. Jealousies flair, and the newest will is missing.

While Hal enjoys being a "cousin," he doesn't like lying to his new friends, and he has to call his uncle "Dad." It's a lot for a 12 year old, but Hal is made of stern stuff. The biggest problem is time, which is running out!

This was a unique and fun adventure. I enjoyed the German (which Kindle provides a translation for), and the methods of travel like the Eurostar. And the people were not Americans pretending to be European (some authors have trouble writing the difference).

5/5 Stars
I plan to look for the other books of this series!

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the unedited copy of this ebook; the review is voluntary.

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Danger at Dead Man's Pass by M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman is book 4 in the Adventures of Trains series. This series is a favorite with my train enthusiast son. Each adventure takes the reader on a different train with mysteries all around. This book particularly had my son enthralled and he read it in about a day. He thought this book was particularly mind-bending (in his words) and full of mystery. Highly recommend! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher and also bought a copy. Opinions are entirely my own.

Danger at Dead Man's Pass by M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman continues the adventures of train loving Uncle Nat and Hal. With mystery, spies, murder and family secrets, this book has it all.