About This Book:
Learn more about Daisy and Hazel’s detecting process and unravel three brand-new mini-mysteries in this “jolly good fun” (Kirkus Reviews) short story companion to the Murder Most Unladylike series for “fans of Enola Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Stuart Gibbs” (School Library Journal).
Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are famous for the murder cases they have solved—but there are many other mysteries in the pages of Hazel’s casebook, including the macabre Case of the Deepdean Vampire, the baffling Case of the Blue Violet, and even their very first case of all: the Case of Lavinia’s Missing Tie.
Packed with these brilliant new mini-mysteries and peppered with Daisy and Hazel’s own detecting tips, tricks, and facts, this is the perfect book for fans and budding members of the Detective Society.
*Review Contribute By Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
The lighter side of mysteries
What worked:
The opening pages of the book find Daisy explaining how young readers can start their own detective agencies. The tone of the book reflects Daisy’s pompous arrogance as she insists that she’s always right and her way of doing things is the best. Hazel is Daisy’s assistant in the series and Daisy reluctantly allows Hazel to add a few thoughts. Some of Daisy’s ideas are relevant to solving cases while others (like choosing an agency name) are light-hearted, extraneous suggestions. It may surprise readers when other characters from the series and the author narrate different portions of the book.
The book includes thoughts related to history, solving and writing mysteries, and other topics related to the series. It shares how the author gets started with writing mysteries and where she finds inspiration. Interestingly, she says the first real-life mystery detective didn’t appear in history until the early 1800s and the 1930s were the golden age of mystery writing. Readers will recognize references to authors like Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Edgar Allen Poe as well as fictional detectives like Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, and Sherlock Holmes (Daisy’s favorite). There’s a section talking about famous spies around the world and another part shares several unsolved cases like Jack the Ripper.
Readers will find short stories mixed in throughout the book about cases that are shorter and less intense than the murders typically found in the series. There’s the first case solved by Daisy and Hazel concerning who stole a classmate’s tie. Alexander, a good friend of Hazel, talks about a case where he works with George to find out who attacked the mailman and why they were searching for a specific letter. The last case is told by another classmate about someone stealing food from the kitchen. These cases help break up the informational sections of the book and make it more entertaining.
What didn’t work as well:
The book jumps around covering a wide range of topics that may be hard to follow for readers new to the series. The pages dedicated to bakery recipes seem out of place although they have a small relevance to the books.
The final verdict:
This book is a more light-hearted addition to the Detective Society series and touches on historical and literary connections to mysteries. The short sections on various topics will appeal to young readers since they don’t need to stay focused for long. It’s perfect for reading for short periods of time and the overall book moves quickly. It’s an enjoyable book to read and I recommend you give it a shot.
