Toppsta - Childrens Books – Reviews

Murder Most Unladylike Mystery Series

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    Murder Most Unladylike is a thrilling murder mystery series, written by Robin Stevens and starring schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong.

    When thirteen-year-old classmates Daisy and Hazel set up a secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls they are decidedly short of mysteries to solve. Bored of cases like the search for Lavinia’s missing tie, the girls are shocked but thrilled when Hazel discovers her first real crime – Science Mistress Miss Bell, dead in the gym. When the body goes missing the girls have to prove that the murder really happened and solve the crime before the police.

    Each book provides a fresh mystery for the friends to crack, full of twists, turns and red herrings. The girls solve crimes everywhere from the classroom to the theatre, becoming firm friends and overcoming the challenges of school life together, despite their different backgrounds.

    Set in the 1930s in a quintessentially English boarding school, the series has been described as “Agatha Christie meets Enid Blyton”. We love the period details: Daisy and Hazel even get a trip on the Orient Express, just like Hercule Poirot, in book 3 First Class Murder. Author Robin Stevens is a huge murder mystery fan and says that she always wanted to be Agatha Christie when she grew up. Her passion for whodunnits shines through in this award-winning young fiction series. The stories are charming and funny but also dramatic, gripping and hair-raising in parts - certainly not for the faint-hearted but readers will love solving the mysteries themselves.

    The books are ideal for ages 9 and over; you can read them in any order but we recommend starting with book one to get to know all the characters. If you love Cluedo, Malory Towers or Agatha Christie, give these books a try – they are amongst the best murder mystery books and Toppsta readers love them. Check out their rave reviews below and get stuck in. 

    All the Murder Most Unladylike Mystery books in order:

    Book 1: Murder Most Unladylike (2014)
    Book 2: Arsenic for Tea (2015)
    Book 3: First Class Murder (2016)
    Book 4: Jolly Foul Play (2016)
    Book 5: Mistletoe and Murder (2016)
    Book 6: A Spoonful of Murder (2018)
    Book 7: Death in the Spotlight (2018)
    Book 8: Top Marks for Murder (2019)
    Book 9: Death Sets Sail (August 2020)

    PLUS: 
    The Case of the Drowned Pearl: A Murder Most Unladylike Mini-Mystery (World Book Day Title 2020)
    Once Upon a Crime: A Murder most Unladylike Collection (A brand new short story collection Aug 2021)

    Additional Resources

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    Book 1
    Book 1

    Murder Most Unladylike

    The first marvellous murder mystery in the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series! 'Ripping good fun' The Times 'Plot... More

    (95 reviews)
    Review
    Book 2
    Book 2

    Arsenic For Tea

    The second thrilling mystery in the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series! 'A delight . . . The Agatha Christie-styl... More

    (46 reviews)
    Review
    Book 3
    Book 3

    First Class Murder

    From the author of Murder Most Unladylike. Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are taking a holiday on the world-famous Orient Ex... More

    (40 reviews)
    Review
    Book 4
    Book 4

    Jolly Foul Play

    Join Daisy and Hazel on their fourth mystery in the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series!'Ripping good fun' The Tim... More

    (55 reviews)
    Review
    Book 5
    Book 5

    Mistletoe and Murder

    The fabulously festive fifth Murder Most Unladylike mystery. It's Christmas, and the snow is falling in Cambridge, where... More

    (40 reviews)
    Review
    Book 6
    Book 6

    A Spoonful of Murder

    Shortlisted in the Children's Category in the National Book Awards 2018! It's the sixth murder mystery for The Detective... More

    (31 reviews)
    Review
    Book 7
    Book 7

    Death in the Spotlight

    Someone will take their final bow . . . The seventh thrilling Murder Most Unladylike mystery.Fresh from their adventure ... More

    (37 reviews)
    Review
    Book 8
    Book 8

    Top Marks For Murder

    THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER'This is that rare thing - a series that gets better with each book' TelegraphThe eighth brilli... More

    (21 reviews)
    Review
    Book 9
    Book 9

    Death Sets Sail

    *The number one bestseller!*The ninth and final novel in the bestselling, award-winning Murder Most Unladylike series.Da... More

    (21 reviews)
    Review
    World Book Day Title
    World Book Day Title

    The Case of the Drowned Pearl: World Book Day 2020

    A thrilling mini Murder Most Unladylike mystery, specially written and published for World Book Day 2020. ... More

    (24 reviews)
    Review
    Short Story Collection
    Short Story Collection

    Once Upon a Crime

    A thrilling new short story collection in the number-one bestselling, award-winning Murder Most Unladylike series. Featu... More

    (9 reviews)
    Review
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    Recent Reviews

    • Top Marks For Murder

      Top Marks For Murder

      Once again, another unhesitant 5-star review for the detecting adventures of Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong in another exciting, baffling and insanely cle...

    • Arsenic For Tea

      Arsenic For Tea

      by GracieH

      I liked this book because it is really intriguing and Daisy and Hazel are amazing at solving mystery’s. I love this book as I absolutely love mystery...

    • Death Sets Sail

      Death Sets Sail

      This book was just like the others in this series - unpredictable, entertaining, well-paced and convincing. Hazel and Daisy go on one final investigat...