A Murder Most Unladylike Mini-Mystery - The Case of the Missing Treasure

The cases of Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong have been so much fun to read, and I'm glad that even though this is a British series, the books continue to be republished here in America so that I can read and enjoy them.  However, some time ago, I came across a "mini-mystery" that was only offered in Kindle format here in the States - which thoroughly annoys me, because I do not read books on a computer.  I much prefer (and will only read) books printed on paper.  I love the feel of a book in my hands, the sound of pages turning, and the smell of that ink.  So, I figured that I would never get to read this short story starring my two favorite sleuths.  Then, on my trip to Ireland last year, while in a Chapters bookstore in Dublin, I chanced upon this actual hard-copy, printed version of the mini-mystery I could only get on Kindle in the States!  Thrilled to death, I bought it (of course!).

The Case of the Missing Treasure takes place between books 6 (A Spoonful of Murder) and 7 (Death in the Spotlight).  The sixth book having been the last one of this series that I read, last May, I figured I'd better read this one before delving into the seventh Wells and Wong mystery.  And the "mini-mystery" not only describes the length of the story (less than half the length of a regular Wells and Wong story), but also the size of the book, which measures only 4.37" x 6.34".  Another fun difference about this book is that Hazel, the Secretary and Vice-President of the girls' two-person Detective Society, is not the one telling the tale - no, in this short story, readers are told the story through the eyes of Daisy Wells, which provides for a thoroughly entertaining perspective, as we see exactly how Daisy thinks as the girls venture through an investigation.  And yet one more variation from the regular series is the fact there is no murder to solve in this one; instead, the girls must crack a series of codes in order to stop the ongoing thefts of London's most famous museums.

Because the story is shorter, the pace is much faster than a normal Wells and Wong mystery - but it is not any less exciting, nor is it any less intriguing.  The girls discover a coded message hidden in the British Museum, and along with George and Alexander (the young Pinkertons-in-training), they set about laying a trap for the would-be thieves.  Daisy knows her Uncle Felix is investigating, but he won't give them any information and basically wants them to stay out of it.  Well, anyone who knows Daisy and Hazel knows that nothing will keep them from solving a case - even if it means Daisy will have to climb inside an empty sarcophagus to hide out and wait for the thieves to appear!  The real question is - does the mummy's curse actually exist, and will Hazel and her friends find themselves in dire trouble for ignoring the warnings about the curse?

It's a fun story, and as usual, Daisy and Hazel have to face the consequences of disobeying their elders in order to sneak off and solve the mystery.  And one of the really great things about this book is that it fills in some of the gap between books 6 and 7, picking up after the end of 6 and ending with the direct lead-in to 7!  I know there are other short stories out there (being collected into the Once Upon a Crime  - A Murder Most Unladylike Collection 1), and I look forward to getting them and seeing just where they fit into the grand scheme of things.

As far as I can tell, there are only nine books in this series, which means, aside from the short stories, I only have three books left before I reach the end of the Wells & Wong case files.  Perhaps author Robin Stevens will step back into the world of this wonderful detective duo and continue the adventures of Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong - at least, I can hope so!

RATING:  10 first English editions of Vidocq's book on detecting out of 10 for a fun little scavenger hunt turned mystery without having to face down dastardly murderers!