A TALENTED author is using her latest book to help educate kids about one of the most famous disasters of all time.

Lindsay Littleson’s second historical fiction novel for children, The Titanic Detective Agency, was published on April 15 – the same date on which the cruise liner sank in 1912, with the loss of more than 1,500 lives.

The main characters in this retelling of the tragedy were all real life passengers on the Titanic.

Lindsay, who lives in Uplawmoor and works as a teacher at Kilbarchan Primary School, said: “My publisher, Cranachan Books, specialises in children’s Scottish historical fiction and, when they asked me to write a Titanic-set story with a Scottish twist, my first action was to search the passenger list, hunting for the perfect protagonist.

“Twelve-year-old Aberdonian Bertha Watt, travelling in second class with her mother Bessie, proved ideal. I wanted my novel to engage young readers from the start, so giving Bertha a thrilling plot was essential.

“Once aboard ship, she turns amateur detective and, with the help of her new friend Madge Collyer, determines to solve the mystery of the enigmatic Mr Hoffman.

“When Bertha meets a young Swedish lad travelling alone in third class, she adds the strange boy and a treasure map to her case book.”

The Titanic Detective Agency is Lindsay’s fifth title, following on from the success of books such as The Mixed-Up Summer of Lily McLean and Guardians of the Wild Unicorns.

It will be launched at the Waterstones store at Braehead, in Renfrew, on Thursday, April 25, with Lindsay answering questions on her work.

The Titanic Detective Agency, priced £6.99, is available in bookshops and online HERE.

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