An orphaned child. A mysterious device. Cut-throat pirates who'd kill to get it. When her mother is murdered, a young girl is thrust into a dangerous quest to find her missing father. Harriet Howland is happy to day-dream, listening to the tales of adventure the roguish sky monkey tells her at their secret meetings. But when her tower home is attacked by bloodthirsty pirates, she's forced into a dangerous struggle for survival. What is the mysterious device the dying woman thrust into her hands? Who is the strange Professor Poliakoff she's been told will help her? Can she find out before the murderous pirates close in? As the mysteries unfold and the danger mounts, Harriet discovers nothing is as it seems. It will take all her wit and courage to tell truth from lies, true friends from secret enemies, and finally confront the ghosts of her past. Beyond the Starline is the first in a trilogy of steampunk adventure novels for everyone from nine years up. If you like a fantastical, page-turning adventure story with a gutsy heroine, as heart-wrenching as it is exciting, you'll love Austin Hackney's tale of courage, friendship and hope pitted against terrifying odds. Beyond the Starline is the first book in Austin Hackney's thrilling Dark Sea Trilogy. Praise for the Dark Sea Trilogy: "Fast-paced, exciting, evocative - a really great read!" - Sara Crowe, Carnegie Medal nominated author of Bone Jack "I never wanted to stop reading!" - Philip Womack, contributor at the Literary Review and award-winning author of The Darkening Path series.