This is the fourth instalment of the ‘Murder Most Unladylike’ series by Robin Stevens, and sees the intrepid Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong back at Deepdean School at the start of a new academic year. I presume that this series is aimed at a young adult, or possibly even pre-teen, and probably predominantly female, readership, but I have enjoyed reading them along with my goddaughter, who does fall within than demographic.

To be fair, I felt that this was the weakest of the four that I have now read, but the competition has been strong, and this volume was still highly entertaining. I don’t propose to offer much of a plot synopsis as condensed into a few stark sentences, the storyline would look rather ridiculous. However, I have always enjoyed stories set in school or university, and once through the school gates I found no difficulty in suspending disbelief.

Robin Stevens has done a marvellous job pitching the tone of the story. There is no gratuitous goriness, but the story does acknowledge that serious crimes have been committed, and does not attempt to gloss over the clash between right and wrong. This novel is set in 1835 (one of the senior girls in the school is a highly accomplished sportswoman, and is a contender for inclusion in the squad for the 1936 Berlin Olympics), and there is passing reference to the political currents of the time.

Ms Stevens also addresses issues of racism, although not in a blatant manner. Hazel is Chinese, and is subject to stereotypes that were current at the time. As the stories are narrated by her, she is able to describe how hurtful these are.

I am looking forward to my goddaughter and I tackling the next in the series ( )

I really enjoyed this, more than the previous books in the series. The character development, especially for Hazel, was very good; I'm enjoying seeing her maturing, and realising that she doesn't have to do everything Daisy wants, whilst still maintaining a close friendship with her. I also liked that some of the other girls played a bigger role in this book, which I think adds something too. The mystery itself kept me guessing and there were quite a few twists along the way; and although I read these books more for the characters than the mysteries, this aspect was also enjoyable. I don't think I'll wait so long next time before picking up the next book...

(I listened to the audiobook narrated by Katie Leung, which I also recommend.) ( )

This review and others posted over at my blog.

The more of these books I read, the more I love this series. I know they’re hitting US shelves a few years behind the UK releases, but I hope this series continues for a long time!

Once again, Stevens impressed me with her blend of murder, mayhem, mystery and mawesome female characters. I love how Daisy and Hazel’s friendship has continued to grow and change over this series. As the girls get older, they don’t always see eye to eye and they have to learn how to maintain their friendship while being true to themselves and their changing interests.

I’m partial to Hazel because we’re reading the series through her documentation of the mysteries the duo is solving. Yet, Hazel has a good understanding of Daisy. Even when the two are fighting, Hazel makes an effort to stop and see things from Daisy’s point of view. I think that’s an important message for younger (and older) readers – if you want to keep a strong friendship, you need to take the time to understand and work with your differences.

Plus, there’s murder! Ya’ll know I like my middle-grade dark. I like that Stevens doesn’t shy away from the dirty details in her cases. Now, these books aren’t graphic by any means, but these are teenage girls solving murder cases and confronting killers. There’s always a sense of adventure and danger, but without it being brutal or gruesome. I also love how seriously the girls, especially Hazel, take the cases. For Hazel, solving mysteries isn’t a lark and often they weigh on her.

“…knowing who the murderer is does not make them a different person, but what they have done somehow overlays who they are and turns them quite horrible.”

Now, on to the plot! This book has mega Mean Girls vibes – I’m not sure if it was intentional but I’m here for it! Elizabeth and her nasty crew are ruling the school, making life miserable for all the younger girls, while the adults remain oblivious. The negative attitudes of Elizabeth and “The Five” start to wear on the girls, making everyone negative and paranoid. There’s even a Scandal Book full of rumors and some nasty truths about the girls in the school. Much like in Mean Girls, we learn that The Five aren’t as happy under Elizabeth’s rule as they seem. They become the main suspects in her murder and I loved watching The Five develop through the eyes of Daisy and Hazel as they uncover their secrets.

This book deals a lot with the toxicity of rumors and secrets. It also delves deeper into the friendship of Daisy and Hazel, as well as their friendship with their dorm mates, Beanie, Kitty and Lavinia. I enjoyed seeing the other girls become stronger characters and get involved in the cases. Beanie is super adorable and definitely my favorite of the three. She has some great moments in this book and she’s definitely the embodiment of a caring spirit.

Stevens addresses the difference between male and female friends and the importance of understanding that your friendship with one person can be different than with another, yet neither needs to be lessened by the other. Hmm, there’s probably an easier way of saying that, but I can’t think of what it is right now. So here’s this quote from Hazel:

“…I really saw how I could be both Daisy’s friend and Alexander’s. I could be honest with both, but I did not have to give them the same part of myself.”

There’s also a bit of lesbian rep in this book, which was a pleasant surprise. It’s one of the many sub-plots and I was glad to see it included. I’m curious to see if we’ll get more rep in the future.

So far, I’ve loved every book in this series and I don’t expect that to change. It’s definitely one I’m going to want to re-read. I don’t think I’ve mentioned it before, but there’s also a vocabulary list in the back of each book (courtesy of Daisy), which I appreciate as someone who is from the states and also modern times. I like to see vocabulary lists in middle-grade books even if I don’t use them – it’s important to encourage younger readers to look up words they don’t know and expand their terminology!

I highly recommend this series if:

+ You love middle-grade mysteries and want a new Sherlockian duo
+ You’re looking for a series where you can watch the characters grow
+ You enjoy books that explore topics like changing friendships, family drama, and loyalties, with a healthy dose of murder thrown in ( )

The girls are back at Deepdean for a new term and the new Head Girl, Elizabeth Hurst who is a well known bully, fond of secrets and good at using them to get her own way. None of the girls are surprised when she ends up dead and now the school is in chassis and Daisy and Hazel have to find the culprit and try to ensure that they don't get away with it.

The story is getting a bit stretched in school but it's entertaining. ( )

Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells have returned from their eventful summer holiday on board the Orient Express and it’s time for another school year at Deepdean. However, if our doughty detectives were hoping for a bit of a break from intrigue, they’re to be disappointed. When the school’s widely-loathed Head Girl drops dead during a fireworks display, murder is swiftly diagnosed, via the discovery of a bloodied hockey stick. Plenty of people have a motive to murder Elizabeth Hurst, who has been making everyone’s lives miserable, but who could possibly have had the opportunity? And who could have made it past the Five, Elizabeth’s eternal companions? Unfortunately the school’s trials are only just beginning and, to make matters worse, there is unrest at the heart of the Detective Society itself, as Daisy and Hazel’s friendship faces its greatest test yet...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/03/22/jolly-foul-play-robin-stevens/ ( )