Murder Is Bad Manners

good book

Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens has us solving a mystery in a boarding school for girls in the 1930s. Will Wells and Wong solve the case before the police are called? Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are our self-appointed Sherlock Holmes and John Watson of Deepdean, the school they attend. The girls have their own Detective Agency. Up to this point, all they've solved are small cases that aren't anything like solving a murder mystery. Daisy is the Sherlock Holmes of the duo and has a father that is a Lord. She thinks that she can solve the case without looking for other clues on all the suspects once she gets it in her mind that she has found the right one. Daisy, to me, seems like she needs to be put into her place at times. She acts as if she is doing Hazel a favor just by being in her presence. Other than that, Daisy makes an excellent investigator as she has the right mind for it, even if she has a one-shot mind when she thinks she knows who did it. That leaves Hazel as our John Watson of the duo, and she is from Hong Kong. Everyone at the school treats her differently sometimes because of it, especially after everyone starts coming up with rumors about why certain people are disappearing from their lives at the school. Hazel isn't too worried about them since she is just trying to solve the case with Daisy. If it weren't for Hazel, there wouldn't be a case for them to solve anyways. Hazel also needs to grow a backbone when it comes to telling Daisy that she is wrong. Of these two sleuths, I must say that I like Hazel. It also doesn't help that Hazel is even more like Watson as she writes the story as John did with Sherlock's cases. The Mystery Hazel Wong went to get her sweater from the gym where she left it last, only to stumble upon the body of her science teacher. She knew the teacher was dead and ran to find Daisy and one of their prefects, who thought they had lied, especially after seeing no dead body. So Daisy believes Hazel wouldn't lie about this and decides they must investigate who could have killed poor Miss Bell, the science teacher. That act opens up many things for these two girls. I loved how they embraced their roles as detectives and how it was shown across the pages. Ms. Stevens has done an excellent job of showcasing that even as eighth-grade girls, they are good detectives. I knew it had to be someone but I never, not even a little pinprick in the back of my brain, thought it was who it was. Four Stars Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens is the first book in what can only be a fantastic series from the one and only Ms. Stevens. All of the characters came through beautifully, and I felt terrible for Hazel when she had to deal with some of her dormmates. Overall, it was a great read, and I liked being sent through time to the 1930s to watch these two young girls solve their case. This is the first time I've read a book with a dead body in it for a middle grade read, but it works for this series. I am giving Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens four stars, and I'm recommending it to anyone who wants to pick up this series for themselves or a kid that they think would enjoy a terrific murder mystery at an English girl's boarding school back in the 1930s. All of these covers look fantastic. Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens. Until the next time, Karen the Baroness If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

I loved this book and I really recommend reading the whole series. It's perfect for 10 - 13 readers. Robin Stevens has an amazing way of writing especially when she talks about Hazel's feelings.

I don't normally read middle-grade or YA fiction (well, okay, Harry Potter), but after hearing Robin Stevens interviewed on a podcast, I was intrigued by her Wells & Wong series. There's nothing about this book that isn't just as grown-up as an Agatha Christie mystery. Yes, there's no swearing, minimal gore, and only the barest hint of any characters gettin' busy, but the themes and complications are thought-provoking, and the mystery is just as twisty and inspired as anything targeted at grownups. Stevens sets this series at a girls' boarding school in 1930s England, and the narrator, Hazel Wong, has to deal with racism and colonialist attitudes (which can be excellent fodder for discussion with your child, if they're of the right age). But it never feels preachy or heavy. The characters are well-drawn, and I didn't solve the mystery before Wells & Wong did. This is a fantastic book whether you're a middle schooler or a grownup. If you're a fan of British Mysteries (whether classics like Christie or newer authors like Faith Martin) or even just a fan of Veronica Mars, you'll be both delighted and thrilled by this book. I've just purchased the second book—the stack of twenty tomes on my bedside table is just going to have to wait.

What a great beginning to an amazing series of books.i love this series and I’m definitely re reading this series again.

I bought this book as soon as I heard of it because it’s a middle-grade murder mystery set in the 1930s and I can’t think of anything more perfect! I’m not even sure if he’s read it yet, but I loved it. First, let me mention the cover, because, hello, it’s lovely! I love the color scheme and the graphic style and the fun fonts. Had I seen this in a store, I never would have been able to resist taking it home with me that day. Hazel Wong narrates the story – this is her second year at Deepdean School and she is the secretary of the Wells and Wong Detective Society. Hazel is smart and a sincere friend to Daisy, despite Daisy’s tendency to take advantage of her friend and be a total prat at times (though at least Hazel is aware of this!) I wasn’t keen on Hazel being so down on her self-image, but it’s not hard to imagine an eighth-grader from China feeling like she doesn’t fit in with a bunch of English girls. Daisy Wells is headstrong, clever and smart, though she is careful to hide her intelligence because no one likes a brain and she often finds it useful to glide under the radar. She’s beautiful, popular and manipulative, especially with Hazel, but in the end, she proves that she values their friendship and Hazel’s devotion to Daisy brought me around to her side. The plot kept me guessing as we learn about the various teachers at the school and the alibis the girls seek out for them. In hindsight, if I’d really given it thought, I could have figured out who the murderer was, but I was content to ride along with the girls and no one jumped out at me until the story revealed it. I loved the 1930s boarding school setting (please tell me I’m not the only one who used to fantasize about boarding school as a kid) and it was interesting to read about some of the prejudices Hazel faces because of her Chinese heritage. I look forward to the next book in the series and I highly recommend this if you’re looking for a fun murder mystery (yes, murder can be fun? I mean, like, not real murder of course! But there aren’t a lot of gory details!) and an overall light, but engrossing read.

A great murder mystery for tweens and teens. (and grown ups too!) I was kept guessing until the end! While there are some grown up themes addressed (murder, scandals, jilted loves), Robin Stevens stay true to the youthful perspective of Hazel, and stays age appropriate. Suspense! Drama! Pranks! Definitely a fun book!

3.5 stars. I knocked off one full star for the use of the word “Oriental” to describe humans from Asia. The word is correct for the time period of this book (1930’s). But the book was first published in 2014-2015. The polite terminology is Asian. Two middle grade students at a boarding school have started their own “Detective Agency”. Students Wells and Wong are best friends. Wells is a blonde haired, blue-eyed beauty. She is from a titled family and very self-assured. For the first third of this book, I wasn’t crazy about her as a character. She acted very entitled and self-centered. Wong is a middle-grader who was enrolled in the boarding school part-way through the school term. She is the daughter of a wealthy Asian family. Her father has always loved everything British and decorates their home to mimic English homes. He also insisted that his family and house staff learn the English language. Coming from Asia and moving to England in the 1930’s made Ms. Wong an oddity who isn’t readily accepted by her new schoolmates. However, Ms. Wells soon grows to appreciate how smart the new student is and they become best friends. This is the first in a series entitled A Murder Most Unladylike. It reminded my of old black and white movies I used to watch back in the 1960’s. I am looking forward to reading book two very soon.

One of the best books ever written! Undoubtedly one of my all time favourites. Thrilling mystery with an unexpected plot twist! I'd recomend it to 10-15 year olds. You should definetly read it. Join Hazel and Daisy on their first detective mystery and see if you can find out who is the murderer of Miss Bell, Deepdean Science mistress...

Originally published at http://solittletimeforbooks.blogspot.co.uk/ It took me weeks of hearing how charming and fun and utterly wonderful Murder Most Unladylike is before I caved and requested it from NetGalley – it’s just not something I would pick up myself. I am so, so glad I listened to my Twitter feed! A middle grade murder mystery set in a 1930s all girls boarding school brings too things to mind immediately: Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton – two things I bypassed completely in my childhood. They never appealed to me and now having read Murder Most Unladylike, I have no idea why. I think I missed out. I love the strong sense of place of a boarding school, the subtle differences of a familiar environment set eighty years ago, the intense friendships forged and how easy it is to sneak out in the middle of the night to investigate a murder. The novel was set out in a way that suited the story perfectly. It was segmented into developments of the Case of Miss Bell as the book itself is Hazel Wong writing up their investigation as the Detective Society Secretary. I really liked the handwritten suspect list which was updated every so often with new evidence, alibis, motives and ruling outs. I especially liked this set up as Hazel is the sidekick in the operation for the most part of the novel, and yet it’s her that’s telling the story. Daisy is the President of the Detective Society and she calls the shots. I have to admit that I ended up really disliking Daisy at points during the novel. Daisy and Hazel have a very unequal friendship, and though it’s not malicious or purposeful on Daisy’s part, I hate the way she pushed Hazel around and disregarded her opinions and feelings. I’ve been the sidekick in a lot of friendships and I know how horrible it can be – it made me react irrationally strongly to some of the exchanges between the girls! But both girls are such strong characters, each with different skills and personality traits to lend to their investigations which made them a brilliant detective duo. The strength of character extended the whole cast of the novel, especially the teachers. Each was so distinct and played really strong roles in the hunt for Miss Bell’s character – it’s a great way to explore one of those things that was fascinating in primary and middle school – The Secret Lives of Teachers. It’s made me start to wonder all over again what my favourite teachers were up to... Murder Most unladylike is witty, charming and so much fun and I can’t recommend it enough. I’m so glad book two, Arsenic for Tea, is coming out in January.

Une très bonne idée que cette série pour aborder un nouveau genre littéraire tout en état attrayant et accessible aux jeunes lecteurs. Mon fils s'est passioné pour l'intrigue et a littéralement dévoré ce livre. Il commence le numéro 2. Bon achat.

My daughter is really enjoying this book. Book came in excellent condition and actually arrived earlier then expected, got it in time for Christmas!

El libro lo elegí de una lista de lectura obligada de mi nieta de 14 años para el verano. A ella le gustan los libros de misterio y como este libro ocurre en un internado de niñas y yo estuve interna en Barcelona a su misma edad y me lo pasé muy bien pensé que que sería que le gustaría y acerté!