A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery, Book 8 - Top Marks for Murder

Ah, it feels so good to take another trip back into the world of Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong.  I can't believe it has been nearly a year since I read the last mystery - it does not seem like that long has passed since Daisy and Hazel were solving a murder in the theater!  But, here we are, joining the teenage girls of the Detective Society as they return to Deepdean school for not only a new semester, but a new murder.  This series has been so much fun, and quite honestly, now that I've started re-reading the Dana Girls series, I realize that this series (set at an all-girls' school) is more or less a modern updating of the Dana Girls (although Daisy and Hazel are not biological sisters, they do act much like Louise and Jean do in the Dana Girls' series!).  Maybe that is part of the reason I have enjoyed it so much.

 

Top Marks for Murder is the eighth full-length novel in the series (not counting the short-story, The Case of the Missing Treasure), and it returns the girls to their roots at Deepdean.  In this particular mystery, the school is gearing up for its 50th anniversary celebration, with a number of special events planned and all of the girls' parents traveling in to help celebrate.  Daisy and Hazel, however, find themselves parent-less -Daisy's parents are working and Hazel's parents are not willing to make the long trip from Hong Kong.  However, the events in the story do end up bringing a "guardian" of sorts for the girls in the form of Inspector Priestly.  And, quite honestly, the Inspector's interactions with Daisy and Hazel is so perfectly written, and the Inspector finally does something that I've been waiting decades for people in these murder mystery series to do - he admits to the girls that "against all probability, when you've told me that something terrible has happened, it always has.  You have been right again and again, and I would be no sort of policeman at all if I did not believe in your detective powers by now" (p. 83).  FINALLY!  It seems in every mystery series, whether in prose form or on television, no matter how many murders the amateur sleuths solve, when the next murder comes along, the sleuths' theories and observations are dismissed, and they are told to stay out of it.  Here, at least, we have a police inspector who recognizes the fact that these two teenage girls have solved eight murders (to date), so why would you not give credence to what they have to say?  It is only logical!

 

Author Robin Stevens really plays up the misdirect with this mystery.  When Beanie witnesses what she believes to be a murder - a man choking a woman - in the woods outside of Deepdean, the Detective Society is on the case  The only problem is, there is no body and no proof of any murder.  The only clues they have are a French matchbook and a ladies' hat.  Oh, and there's that invitation to the 50th anniversary celebration - meaning that either the murderer or the victim (or both!) was to be a guest at the weekend's ceremonies.  The girls sketch out a plan to figure out the identity of the victim by watching what woman, who is supposed to be there, fails to appear.  But that plan goes awry when Miss Barnard's sister, Mrs. Rivers, is murdered at the opening dinner.  It is clear she is poisoned (the girls recognize the affects of arsenic right away), and it is also clear that only someone at the table where she sat could have done it. But who was it?  As the girls keep watch on their suspects, and as they re-enact the actions of those at the table that night, they think they are getting closer to the truth.  But then another murder attempt takes place during a garden party (I say attempt, because this victim manages to survive!), and the girls are forced to re-think everything.  Finally, Daisy comes up with a plan to smoke out the culprit; but will her plan succeed or simply put her in unwarranted danger?

 

It truly is a mind-boggling mystery, as Stevens is constantly changing the direction.  Just when you think you have an idea of what's going on, she pulls the rug out from underneath you and turns it around.  And without giving anything away, even after the girls figure out who the culprit is (or who they believe it is), it turns out everything - and everyone! - is not quite what it seems.  There are some great surprises in the story, some unexpected plot twists, and one very sad revelation regarding the mother of one of the girls in the Detective Society (not Daisy or Hazel, so breathe easy).  The final revelation of the truth at the end is definitely worthy of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle.

 

One interesting tidbit I noticed while reading was a passing reference to the possibility that one of the new girls' father might be "the rightful owner of the Koh-i-Noor diamond" (p. 11).  I had to read that twice, because something in the back of my mind was nagging at me, telling me I had read about that diamond before, and not necessarily all that long ago.  Well, looking back, it seems that the Koh-i-Noor diamond was discussed on page 40 of The Clue in the Jewel Box, the Nancy Drew mystery originally published back in 1943.  That particular diamond (which is real, by the way) originated in India, who still makes claims of ownership to the diamond, and it allegedly has a curse connected with it (supposedly only a woman or God can wear it).  It is currently on display at the Jewel House in the Tower of London as a part of the Crown Jewels.

 

One other aspect of the story I should mention is the use of A.E. Houseman's poem, "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff."  It is actually a rather ingenuous idea, and Steven's incorporation of the last stanza of that poem into the story and the importance to unraveling the truth of what really happened at that dinner table is just one of the many reasons why this book is so thoroughly enjoyable.

 

There is some hints at the end of this book about a trip to Egypt for Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, so I'm hoping that the next book will have a mystery filled with pyramids, mummies, and all kinds of great Egyptian hieroglyphic-clues! 

RATING:  10 salt shakes and champagne glasses out of 10 for a cleverly plotted mystery full of twists and turns that will make your head spin!

A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery, Book 7 - Death in the Spotlight

And so we come to book seven of the Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens (formerly known here in the States as the Wells & Wong Mystery series).  Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong make an irresistibly fun sleuthing duo, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of their adventures to date.  As the series has progressed, the two young girls have aged and matured, they have learned and mastered new skills, and they have gained considerable experience in deduction and crime-solving.  Now, with this book, I get a combination of things two things I love - mystery and theater!  Combining these things almost made this into the perfect book!  Of course, as you'll note, I said almost...

Death in the Spotlight picks up not long after that short story (Case of the Missing Treasure), in which Daisy and Hazel, along with their friends George and Alexander, have to find a treasure missing from the British Museum shortly after arriving back from their trip to Hong Kong (which was recounted in book six of this series).  Now, Daisy and Hazel are still with Daisy's Uncle Felix and his new wife, "Aunt Lucy," who are determined to keep the girls from getting into trouble (i.e., becoming involved in solving another murder).  In order to this, the girls are signed up to help a local theater stage its production of Romeo and Juliet, since the aunt of a girl at Aunt Lucy's work owns the theater, which provides an "in" for Aunt Lucy to get the girls bit parts in the play.  Daisy is thrilled, but Hazel not so much.  But from the moment they set foot in the theater, things are off.

First, Daisy seems rather not herself, especially around the actress who was originally slated to play Juliet, but who was replaced by an up-and-coming actress who just came off a successful play at another theater.  Second, none of the actors seem overly happy about the play.  Rose (Juliet) is the pure diva, who got the actor cast as Romeo replaced simply because ... ahem ... of the color of his skin.  Obviously, this made Simon (previously Romeo) upset.  Of course, Marita (formerly Juliet) was upset  well, since she was originally cast as the lead.  Then you have Lysander (Romeo), who has been flirting with Rose, but he becomes almost violently jealous when he thinks she is seeing someone else.  Third, Miss Compton (owner) and Inigo (director) both seem more worried about filling the seats in the theater than any of the actors.  Plus, we can't forget Annie (wardrobe), who talks incessantly about everything and anything, and Jim (stage door) who literally lives at the theater and manages to know every single person and enters and leaves the theater.  As with any real theater, the girls soon discover that the real drama is taking place behind the stage...

Stevens weaves a wonderful whodunnit after a body is discovered in a well deep beneath the stage.  The star of the show, Rose Tree (or, as she is sometimes referred to in the book - Miss Tree - go on, say those two words together and tell me Stevens didn't pick that name on purpose!), has been murdered, and the Detective Society is on the case!  At least, until Uncle Felix finds out, at which point he pulls them out of the theater, forbids them to return, and basically prevents them from doing any further investigating.  Yeah, right - like that's going to stop Daisy Wells!  At this point, the story becomes even more fun, with Hazel actually engaging in some very un-Hazel like activities (with the help of George and Alexander, of course) in order to uncover more clues that will lead them to the truth.  And when a second person turns up dead, Daisy and Hazel face a race against time to unmask a killer at the theater.  Stevens manages to write a perfectly dramatic scene at the climax, where death really does take center stage at the opening night of Romeo and Juliet.  To be honest, I could almost see this entire story being performed as a play onstage - it is perfectly written to be done!

Had this been everything to the story, it would have been darn near perfect.  But, unfortunately, Stevens added certain elements to the story that felt like nothing more than pandering.  I won't go into the details, but let's just say that part of it felt forced upon one character, and for others - well, this takes place in the mid-1930s, and people simple were not as open-minded about these things back then as they are now, so the reactions of people within the story just don't really fit with the time period.  I've seen this with other authors, who try to instill today's "values" in stories set in the past, and for me, that removes me from the fantasy of the story.  For this book, it felt too forced and more like a statement rather than an integral part to the story.  Had this been removed from the story, I would say this would have been my favorite book in the series - definitely the best-crafted mystery to date!

I'm glad we are seeing more of George and Alexander - I really do like these characters, and hope to continue seeing more of them in future books.  The four of them make a really good team of detectives!

RATING:  7 white threads caught on a ladder out of 10 for putting death in the spotlight and giving us a great theatrical murder mystery!

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!

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!

A Wells & Wong Mystery, Book 5 - Mistletoe and Murder

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are back again, ready to solve another murder. Of course, it wasn't their intention to become involved in yet one more murder investigation. But author Robin Stevens brings her two incorrigible young sleuths into a new mystery with the latest book in the Wells & Wong Mystery series.

Mistletoe and Murder begins only a month after the events of the previous mystery, Jolly Foul Play. Daisy and Hazel have been sent off to Cambridge University to visit Daisy's brother, Bertie, who is attending Maudlin College. The girls, of course, can't stay at the all-boys' dorm, so they are shuffled off to St. Lucy's College to stay with Daisy's Aunt Eustacia. During their stay, they are to remain under the watchful care of Bertie's friend, Amanda Price - but a deal has been struck, and as long as the girls don't get into any trouble, Amanda will leave them to explore Cambridge on their own, as she has other things to which she must attend (and those "other things" definitely play a large part of the mystery that comes their way!).

Also returning in this book is Alexander, that Junior Pinkerton who helped the girls with the Orient Express murder mystery, and he has brought along his fellow Junior Pinkerton, George (who turns out to be not English at all, much to Hazel's delight). So, when a new mystery presents itself, the competition between the Junior Pinkertons and the Detective Society begins in earnest.  Who will solve the mystery first?  Charles and Donald Mellings are twins living on the top floor of the dorm where Bertie is residing - Charles is the outgoing, well-liked twin, while Donald is a bit more reserved and tends to follow in Charles' shadow. But Donald is the older twin, meaning he will inherit his family's quite massive wealth on his twenty-first birthday. Which happens to fall on Christmas Day. Charles is none too happy about that, and he persistently pulls pranks on poor Donald, warning Donald that he will be taking part in his brother's wealth. When Charles turns up dead at the foot of the stairs, everyone in the dorm thinks it is simply a prank gone wrong. Daisy and Hazel and Alexander and George know otherwise. It's a new murder mystery - the girls' fifth and the boys' first! - and the Detective Society will have to team up with the Junior Pinkertons if they hope to solve this one.

Did Donald push his brother down the stairs to end the intimidation regarding the inheritance?
Did Alfred get fed up with the racist remarks and get even with Charles?
Did Amanda really get a phone call about the accident, or was there more to it than that?
Did caretaker Moss, who was protective of Donald, finally have enough of Charles' pranks?
Did Michael grow weary of all the trouble Charles' caused in the dorm and put an end to it?
Or, God forbid, did Bertie commit this heinous act?

All of them have something to hide. All of them are keeping secrets, not just from the police, but from each other. And how does the secret climbing society figure into all of this? With only two days until Christmas, the Detective Society and the Junior Pinkertons have some quick investigating to do! Plus, with the girls not allowed to visit the boys' dorm without a specific invitation, the girls have to come up with new ideas every time to wiggle their way onto that staircase to investigate the crime - whether it is the idea of dropping off Christmas gifts, or bringing decorations to help make the dorm festive for the holidays, they always manage to find a way in.

Stevens once again comes up with a creative crime that keeps the readers guessing. I honestly thought I had it figured out - until a second murder takes place, and the very person I thought was the killer turns out to be the second victim! Talk about throwing a monkey wrench in my ideas. I am amazed at how fresh she keeps each mystery, yet manages to maintain consistency with the myriad of characters she is working with in the series. Additionally, I love watching the growth in both Daisy and Hazel, and the surprising build-up and revelations regarding Hazel's interest in Alexander (as well as the very surprising revelation regarding who Bertie likes) were all subtly played but important elements in the characters' growth.  Unlike Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the Dana Girls, and the Bobbsey Twins, who never aged over the decades of solving mysteries, Daisy and Hazel are growing older, and I'm enjoying the different perspective it gives them as they chase down clues to solve the crimes.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - the Wells & Wong Mystery stories are definitely books I would recommend for anyone who enjoys a well-written, engaging mystery!  I just hope Simon & Schuster will continue to publish the series (as there are more books that have been published in Britain, but I don't see any more forthcoming here in the States yet...)

RATING:  10 compacts to be used for fingerprinting out of 10 for proving that children's mystery series are still viable and fun to read!

A Wells & Wong Mystery, Book 4 - Jolly Foul Play

After an eventful summer (detailed in the previous two books, Poison is Not Polite and First Class Murder), Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong return to school, only to find the services of their Detective Society is once again needed - this time to solve the murder of a fellow student!

Robin Stevens' fourth novel in the Wells & Wong Mystery series takes the two aspiring detectives back to Deepdean school for girls to find that much has changed.  And, as is the case in the lives of real friends, it is not only the relationships at school that have changed.  Jolly Foul Play finds the friendship between Daisy and Hazel strained.  Daisy remains the same determined, often unemotional, quick-thinking, and unafraid of facing danger girl that she has always been; Hazel, however, has begun to change and grow, emotionally as well as physically.  Plus, her newfound friendship with Alexander (the Junior Pinkerton that Hazel and Dasiy met on board the Orient Express in the last mystery) has continued via correspondence, and Daisy seems none-too-keen on the idea that Hazel is sharing her attention with someone else.

But those feelings are put aside when the Head Girl is discovered dead on the night of the Guy Fawkes Day celebration, in what appears to be a horrible accident.  Daisy and Hazel, along with their newest members of the Detective Society - dorm-mates Lavinia, Kitty, and Beanie, quickly realize that it was not an accident at all, but a murder.  But who would want to murder Elizabeth Hurst?  Well, considering she was the most vicious, spiteful, hateful Head Girl that Deepdean has ever seen, just about everyone!

Stevens writes another great murder mystery, in which just about anyone could be a suspect.  Daisy and Hazel, when they aren't mad at one another, ultimately agree that the murder has to be one of the five prefects - the five Big Girls who oversee the girls in the lower grades (and, under Elizabeth's direction, have been none-too-kind about it).  Like everyone at Deepdean, each of the five Big Girls has a secret that they don't want revealed.  With Elizabeth dead, it would seem those secrets would be safe.  At least, until pages from Elizabeth's "Scandal Book" start showing up around school, making known secrets of the girls in the lower grades - secrets so devastating that one girl runs away!  Daisy theorizes that if they can discover the Big Girls' secrets, they can uncover the identity of the killer.

Unlike many children's mystery series, Daisy and Hazel and all of their friends (and enemies) age, mature, grow, and change, and it's refreshing to see how this aging and these changes affect their relationships.  These things definitely affect the way the girls react to things, as well as the way they interact with one another during the course of the investigation.  And while Stevens certainly integrates the girls' personal lives into the story, she never lets the reader forget for one second that the main focus is the murder mystery.  (It is also nice to see elements of previous stories intertwined into the current mystery, and how things that have gone before still have an affect on things now.)

With four solved murders under their proverbial belt, there's no doubt that the girls' trip to Cambridge, where they plan to meet up with Alexander and his fellow Junior Pinkerton, George, will lead to another murder to solve!  Can't wait to read that one!

10 burnt and chopped up hockey sticks out of 10 for proving the young adult mystery genre is still alive and kicking and doing quite well!

A Wells & Wong Mystery, Book 3 - First Class Murder

This series keeps getting better and better. Author Robin Stevens is getting a better feel of her characters as the series progresses, and with each book, it's easy to see that Stevens is becoming more comfortable with writing these murder mysteries. Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells have never come alive as much as they did in this book - and to see the characters beginning to grow (Hazel not only shows more backbone when it comes to Daisy, but she also begins to realize that she is becoming her own person and that she has to take a stand now and then when justice and fairness demands it) is thoroughly entertaining.

First Class Murder is an homage to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. The author admits in the acknowledgements at the back of the book that when her publisher suggested doing a book where a murder occurs on a train, her first thought was Christie's mystery. So, as a way of honoring the great mystery writer, Stevens has her two teenage sleuths take a trip on the Orient Express, as the bequest of Hazel's father. It is meant to be a vacation, a chance for Hazel and Daisy to get away from the events that had recently unfolded (in the last book, Poison is Not Polite) and for Hazel to try and influence Daisy to not be quite so focused on solving murders. Of course, fate has other plans when Miss Livedon, the undercover officer from the previous mystery, unexpectedly arrives on the train under an assumed name and ultimately reveals to the girls that she is searching for a spy who intends to turn over government plans to the Germans. She warns the girls to stay out of it, that it is none of their concern.  Daisy, needless to say, decides they simply must find the spy before Miss Livedon...

Until the murder happens.

Poor Mrs. Georgiana Daunt is murdered in her cabin, behind locked doors.  No one could have gotten in or out of the room, and yet she is found with her throat slit, her expensive necklace gone, and a train full of first class passengers who had motive to kill the poor woman.  Her husband, who was broke before her met her and has been using her money to fund his business.  Her maid, who is much more interested in Mr. Daunt and her lady's material possessions.  Her brother, who was left out their parents' will and has always held a grudge.  Her medium, who may or may not be real, who stood to inherit a considerable sum of money upon her death.  The Russian aristocrat, who claimed the ruby in Mrs. Daunt's necklace was actually her family's heirloom.  The magician who seems to be the only one with the capability of getting into and out of a locked room without any trouble.  Even Miss Livedon, who possibly discovered that Mrs. Daunt was the spy she was after.

In good ol' fashioned Agatha Christie style, Daisy and Hazel work their way through all of the suspects, narrowing it down one by one.  And with the help from an unexpected sidekick (the Russian aristocrat's grandson), they manage to work they way through a number of red herrings, exonerate a wrongfully accused suspect, and get the clues they need to solve the crime - but it leads to a rather unexpected solution!  By the end, both Mr. Wong and Miss Livedon have to admit that Wells & Wong make a pretty good crime-solving pair.

Oh, and in this book, we may not learn who "M" is yet, but we do learn who Wong Fung Ying is - but don't think I'll be revealing that secret here...

I'm relieved to see that Amazon has the fourth book in this series listed with a publication date of 2018, so I already have something to look forward to next year!

RATING:  10 forged birth certificates out of 10 for keeping young adult mystery series as they should be - fun, suspenseful, and engaging!

A Wells & Wong Mystery, Book 2 - Poison is Not Polite

Due to DragonCon and the tech week for the play I am currently in, I regretfully fell behind in updating my blog - I didn't stop reading, I just didn't have time to post my random thoughts on the books I've read - so I'll be playing catch up over the next week or so...

After the disappointment of the first book, I can say that the second mystery in this series did head in the right direction.  Poison is Not Polite takes Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong on another adventure to solve a murder - only this time it's a bit more personal ( and written in a bit more appropriate manner for the audience at which it is aimed).

The author, Robin Stevens, returns Daisy home for the holidays, with Hazel tagging along to share in Daisy's birthday celebration. The Wells' sprawling countryside estate is well-worn, and with its countless rooms, unkept grounds, and Shining-like garden maze, it quickly becomes clear that not only is the Wells family not quite financially well-off, but things are not all what they seem to be.  The girls are introduced to Daisy's new governess, Miss Alston, who has come to tutor Daisy and Hazel over the holidays.  While she comes with the highest recommendations, little is known about her.  Then arrives Mr. Curtis, a supposed friend of Daisy's mother, who seems a bit too interested in Daisy's mother, as well as all of the antiques throughout the estate. Then, there's the arrival of Daisy's Uncle Felix and her Aunt Saskia, both of whom have their own eccentricities.  And lest we forget, Daisy and Hazel's classmates, Kitty and Beanie, show up to join the celebration, as well as Daisy's brother, Bertie, and his best friend, Stephen.

Stevens provides a rather large, well-rounded cast of characters, each with their own quirks and many of whom clearly have secrets they are doing their best to keep hidden.  As with any good murder mystery, one of the participants dies under peculiar circumstances right in the middle of Daisy's 14th birthday party, and it once again falls upon Daisy and Hazel to solve the crime.  Only the Wells and Wong Detective Agency grows a bit with this book, as their friends, Kitty and Beanie, join in (albeit rather reluctantly on the part of Beanie).  Mr. Curtis, who was pretty much despised by everyone in the house except Daisy's mother, is murdered.  Poisoned, to be exact.  Poisoned in a room full of people, with everyone watching.  Stevens provides the age old questions - who did it, why did they do it, and quite frankly, how did they do it in full view of everyone in the room?

Thankfully, the author avoid using the swear words that were so prominent in the first mystery, and other than the hinted affair of Daisy's mother with Mr. Curtis, there is no sexual subtext within the story.  Instead, Stevens provides a well-plotted murder mystery with a revolving number of suspects.  The interaction she creates between Daisy and Hazel throughout the story is like a roller coaster - particularly when Hazel forces Daisy to confront the fact that her own father may be the murderer, and later when Hazel must face the fact that she is going to have to doubt one of the people in the house that she has placed her trust in.

As with the previous book, the police inspector arrives near the end to make an arrest, and Daisy puts on a show to reveal who the true murderer is, thus once again earning the respect and thanks of the inspector that Hazel finds to be so attractive and engaging.  And as Daisy walks through the steps of the murder and all of the events that occurred thereafter, the reader is left to realize that it was all right there all along.  While it is still a bit off-kilter to have such young teenagers solving actual murders, this second book in the series definitely handled it a lot better than the first.  Hopefully, further books in this series will maintain this level of storytelling and writing, which is about the only way it's going to keep my interest.

RATING:  7 shiny silver police badges out of 10 for removing those elements that don't belong in a children's mystery series and building upon the friendship between Daisy and Hazel, taking them in the right direction.

A Wells & Wong Mystery, Book 1 - Murder is Bad Manners

I had high hopes for this book, I really did.  The premise was right up my alley - two young girls at a boarding school who stumble across mysteries that must be solved.  A new, updated version of the Dana Girls.  Yes, I was aware that the "mystery" they were going to be solving was who murdered one of their teachers, but so long as it wasn't overly graphic and bloody, I was okay with that.  It is even set in the British countryside of the 1930s.  So far, so good.

Then, I picked it up and started reading it,  Written in first person from the perspective of young Hazel Wong, this first mystery gives readers a pretty good idea of both Hazel's character and her friend, Daisy Wells.  Hazel is the out-of-place Chinese girl who has come to England with a lot of pre-conceived notions about British girls and schools.  Likewise, the girls at Deepdean School (and for some reason, every time I read the name of the school, my mind automatically wanted to read it as "Deadpan School" - go figure) have  a lot of misconceptions about Hazel and her culture and background.  The interaction between the school girls was actually pretty well written and, for the most part, what I would picture to be typical of young teenage girls.  The teachers, and their behavior - well, that's a whole 'nother story.

Murder is Bad Manners features a cast of teachers who are pretty over-the-top and stereotypical.  There's the crazed angry teacher who yells at everyone.  There's the resident lush who can't seem to be sober for anything.  There's the buff "Prince Charming," who has all the teachers and students swooning.  There's the overly strict headmistress.  There's the flamboyant French teacher.  There's the nervous nelly who jumps at everything.  There's the gruff handyman.  There's the dry and boring minister. And then, there's the two female teachers who are clearly implied to have had a lesbian relationship until that "Prince Charming" I mentioned a moment ago sweeps one off her feet, creating a tift between them.

Now don't get me wrong.  I, of all people, have no problem with gay and lesbian relationships.  Not in the least.  However, it seems very out of place in the story.  It doesn't really hold any purpose in the story, just as the fact that it is mentioned two of the girls at the school were caught canoodling in the coat closet.  There was no purpose in that as well.  Except ... well, to be honest, the manner in which the relationships were addressed made it seem as if the two teachers and the two girls were oddities.

For example, on page 9, when Hazel describes her first understanding of the situation:  "You see, before this semester, the whole school knew that Miss Bell (our science teacher) and Miss Parker (our math teacher) had a secert.  They lived together in Miss Parker's little apartment in town, which had a spare room in it.  The spare room was the secret.  I did not understand when Daisy first told me about the spare room; now that we are in the eighth grade, though, of course I see exactly what it must mean.  It has something to do with Miss Parker's hair, cut far too short even to be fashionable, and the way she and Miss Bell used to pass their cigarettes from one to the other during our bunbreaks..."  Taking into consideration that this story was set in the mid- to late- 1930s, I could see that such a relationship would need to be secret.  The only problem is - for the purpose of this story, the women's secret is completely irrelevant.  Leaving me to wonder - why even mention it at all?

Very early in the story, Hazel stumbles upon the body of the dead teacher, only to find it is gone when she brings back someone to see it.  Daisy believes her, though, and the two girls set out on a quest to solver their very first real mystery.  The mystery itself - the who, the why, the how, and the when - is actually well-crafted and pretty closely borders on being an adult murder mystery.  There is eventually a second murder, and when the girls uncover the final clue that leads them to the solution, they find that it all ties back to the death of a young student at the school a few years back.

Now, remembering this is a children's book, targeted for ages 10 and up (per the front flap of the dust jacket), it is pushing the limits a bit involving the murders and allowing girls who are are just entering their teens to be running around solving the crime.  It pushes it further, though, with the vulgarities used in the text.  I know, I know - some will say that the villains in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books cursed.  Yet, the authors were careful enough that they wrote, "He cursed under his breath, knowing he had been outwitted by a teenager" or some such.  The reader never actually saw the curse word.

Not so in this text!   Damn!  Hell!  Ass!  All of these words are taken in stride, even spoken by the children at times.  Yet, surprisingly enough, the one word that causes Hazel to flinch is the term "bloody."  "I'm just so bloody tired," the teacher says on page 195, to which Hazel writes, "It was the first time I had ever heard a teacher swear ... [her] saying bloody gave me the most dreadful shock."  Clearly, this must be a cultural difference.  At least, I can only assume so.  In watching British television, I hear the word so often, I just assumed it was slang of some sort.  Perhaps they hear the words damn and hell and ass so often from us, they don't think of them as vulgarities.  Regardless, and call me old fashioned, but I don't think the explicit use of vulgarities serve any purpose in a children's book, other than to lead them to the mis-belief that using those words is acceptable.

Moving along, I will give the author credit for providing a very tense and exciting conclusion to the story.  The murderer is revealed very dramatically, with the help of the police Inspector, as Hazel and Daisy watch from behind a heavy curtain.  The girls are victorious in solving their first real mystery, and while the Inspector plays along with them as they reveal to him everything they have seen and done leading up to the revelation, the author does allow him to show a little respect to the girls for a job well done.

This is a British series that is being re-published here in America (the first three books are already out overseas, but the second book in this series does not get released here until April), and the titles are being renamed here in America.  This first book, in Britian, was titled Murder Most Unladylike, and the second book was titled Arsenic for Tea, while the American version coming out in April will be titled Poison is Not Polite.  I will likely get the second book and give it a shot to see if there is any improvement; however, if the vulgarities and the senseless sexual references continue, it will likely be the last one I buy in the series.

RATING:  5 disappearing bodies out of 10 for at least providing a well-developed murder mystery, albeit in a story that should have been aimed at an older audience.