A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery, Book 6 - A Spoonful of Murder

Okay, some of you may notice that this posting is listed as book SIX of a series titled "A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery" - but you're saying to yourself, "Hey, wait a minute - I don't remember seeing any series like that in this blog before!"  Well, technically you have, but it didn't go by this name.  So, I suppose a bit of explanation is in store.  Back in 2016, I discovered a series called the "Wells & Wong Mystery" series, starring Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells, the two members of Detective Society whose careers take off when they stumble across the dead body of one of their teachers.  They solve the crime, and before you know it, they become involved in another murder mystery ... and another ... and another!  One more book in 2016, a third book in 2017, a fourth one in 2018, and a fifth one in 2019.  And then they stopped - at least, here in the United States they stopped.  And while the series was titled "A Wells & Wong Mystery" here in the States, across the pond, it was from the very beginning called "A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery."  So, after a four year break, the series continues to be published here in the States, picking up with book 6 - only, now, the publisher has decided to go with the original name for the series, rather than the U.S. name.  And, now that you are all caught up, let's check in and see just what Daisy and Hazel are up to now...

A Spoonful of Murder opens on a rather sad note.  Hazel's beloved grandfather has died, and her father is requiring she come home for a period of mourning.  Only, as much as Hazel wants to go home for her grandfather's sake, she's worried about what will happen when she faces her mother - the same mother who did not want her to go to boarding school in England, and the same mother who Hazel has never been able to please, no matter what she does.  So, she makes one demand of her father - she will come home to China so long as she can bring Daisy with her!  And so begins the Detective Society's latest adventure - and before you ask, NO, it is not the death of Hazel's grandfather that is the subject of this mystery.

Author Robin Stevens has spent enough books establishing the two main characters that the mysteries now start to delve a little more into the families of Daisy and Hazel.  The last book focused on Daisy's side of the fence, and now in this book, we get a glimpse into Hazel's background.  Upon arriving in China, readers discover just how NOT perfect Hazel's family is - and, poor Daisy discovers just how wealthy and influential Hazel's family is!  Of course, we are talking about China, which boasts a completely different way of life, particularly in the early twentieth century.  Daisy (and readers!) discover that not only does Hazel's father have two wives, but that Hazel has two sisters by her father's second wife - AND, to Hazel's surprise, her father has a newborn son (and if you know anything about Eastern culture, then you will realize just how important that first born son is to a father!).  And to top it all off, Hazel's maid, Su Li, has been taken away to be given the prestigious honor of caring for little Teddy Wong!

There is most certainly plenty of family drama in the opening chapters of this book, and while Hazel has to deal with all of the changes in her family, she also has to keep Daisy from thinking there is any foul play associated with her grandfather's death.  No, the foul play doesn't come into play (no pun intended) until they take poor Teddy to the doctor - and Su Li ends up dead in an elevator, baby Teddy is kidnapped, and the elevator attendant has somehow disappeared from the building with the baby!  Everyone is in an uproar, and Mr. Wong is forced to accept the help of a rather gruff but determined detective.  But Hazel and Daisy realize they must solve this mystery first, because a jade pin left to Hazel by her grandfather is the only clue found at the scene of the murder!  Someone is determined to implicate Hazel for the crime, and the Detective Society must narrow down the suspect list pretty quickly before the detective becomes wise to what they are doing!

The culprits behind this crime are not exactly difficult to figure out, but the motive and the planting of the evidence against Hazel turn out to be a bit more complicated.  And with Hazel's guilt over her resentment toward Teddy and her anger at Su Li prove more than a distraction, leaving it up to Daisy and some unexpected help from Hazel's new maid, Ping, and a yard boy, who manage to provide assistance in the most unique ways, to keep Hazel on the case.  And with Hazel's father locking down the house and the family, they must come up with a creative solution to escape the house and investigate the suspects so that they can find Teddy and bring Su Li's killer to justice.

I am SO glad this series was brought back to the States, so that fans like me can continue reading the adventures of Wells and Wong.  These books are so well written, and two main characters so much fun, you can't help but enjoy every page of the story.  If you have not read any of this series yet, what are you waiting for?  I strongly urge you to find the first book in the series and get started!  Trust me, you won't regret it!

RATING:  10 plates of orange chicken feet out of 10 for proving that even on the other side of the world, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong can still solve a murder mystery like no other!