REVIEW: Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

Never was there a book more charming and fun than Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens, this first in the Wells and Wong Mystery series.  It's funny, I was sort of teetering on the fence about whether or not I wanted to actually read this book as it is aimed at a slightly younger than YA audience. And then I kept hearing positive things about it on Twitter and suddenly I thought, 'oh, why not?' I am so very happy that I acted on that whim.

Because Murder Most Unladylike is such a lovely little book. I loved everything about it. From the upbeat cover, the fact that there is a MAP and a character guide at the start. I love the fact that this book is set in a boarding school in the 1930s. I especially loved the voice of our main character, Hazel Wong and her friendship with Daisy Wells. 

At the start of the book, we are introduced to both Hazel and Daisy and how they met and formed their Detective Agency, that up until now was only gathering clues and solving petty mysteries.  And then one day Hazel stumbles across the dead body of Miss Wells, the science mistress and Hazel and Daisy go into overdrive gathering evidence and suspects and in the meanwhile nobody else seems to realise that Miss Wells is even dead. 

Honestly, this book.  I completely fell in love with Deepdean School For Girls and with Hazel and Daisy.  I wanted to go back in time and attend this school, with these girls and to skip about and go on bunbreaks. BUNBREAKS. And I also really loved the way in which Hazel and Daisy go about solving this case. They put together a timeline of events, a suspect list, gather evidence and alibis and all in this clever and roundabout way by talking to the other students and teachers. It was all very interesting to learn of the different news and gossip about everyone involved in Hazel and Daisy's lives.  It also felt really believable that these two girls could achieve what they did in the ways that they did it.

I loved Hazel's character the most. I love that she's from Hong Kong and we see a little bit of the way she is treated differently by the other girls.  I also loved that she's a little plump and some of her comments and observations involving biscuits and buns made me howl with laughter and just love her that much more. Her friendship with Daisy is a complicated one and it was really interesting to see the formation of their friendship from Hazel's perspective and how that friendship is tested during this murder investigation. 

I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend that you read it. I'm so excited to read more in this series! Bring on the next Wells and Wong Mystery!

(This book is not published until the 5th of June, but do look out for it when it is published! You won't regret it.)