Cream Buns and Crime

March 1, 2024
Stevens and her fictional characters offer some background to the collection of A Murder Most Unladylike books. Stevens' nine-book series is a satisfying and highly successful combination of English boarding-school tales and traditional detective stories, all set in the 1930s. This entertaining companion title includes an invitation to would-be detectives; suggested reading, mostly from the adult world, for mystery aficionados; and four new, interconnected short stories. Readers will encounter instructions on how to set up their own clubs for finding and solving mysteries from Stevens' characters, including Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong of the Wells & Wong Detective Society (who were first introduced in 2015's Murder Is Bad Manners), and George Mukherjee and Alexander Arcady of the Junior Pinkertons (the girls' friends from Weston Boys' School). The author and her characters take turns narrating the short stories, sharing tips and tricks for detection, and they offer a short history of detective novels. Hazel introduces crime-writing queens Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham; Daisy writes profiles of her 10 favorite fictional detectives, including Inspector Alan Grant, Father Brown, and Nancy Drew; and Stevens shares her favorite mysteries and their influences on the stories she wrote. Readers will also enjoy learning more about spies, codebreaking, and famous unsolved cases and trying the recipes for food mentioned in earlier books. Altogether, this is jolly good fun. Fans will be thrilled and encouraged to go on exploring the worlds of mystery reading--and solving. (quiz answers, glossary) (Mystery. 10-14)

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April 1, 2024

Gr 4 Up-A short story companion to the popular mystery series. At Deepdean School for Girls, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are solving mysteries once again. In this book, they encounter some "mini mysteries" while offering tips, tricks, and tales from the Detective Society. The book opens in 1936 with the introductory text appearing on a typewriter, intriguing readers and setting the tone that this is a legitimate artifact revealing true tips and detective secrets. Readers are given a thorough guide on how to set up their own detective society, the basics of sleuthing, information about special cases and the world of spies, and how to crack unsolved mysteries. Readers are encouraged to choose detective society members well and have them pledge to discover truth and justice. The book even includes instructions on how to make a fingerprint kit. VERDICT Fans of Enola Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Stuart Gibbs will love this engaging text that is a blend of mystery fiction and gumshoe how-to.-Lisa Gieskes

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2024
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Established supersleuths Daisy and Hazel are eager to help other young readers become detectives, too. The resulting compilation is one part instruction manual, two parts mystery story, a dash of history, a smattering of recipes, and a lot of fun. Daisy opens with a tidy tutorial on forming a detective society (a good name and secret handshake are crucial), and Hazel pops in with several case files--all gripping mini-mysteries--showcasing their skillful snooping. There are how-to guides on lifting fingerprints from crime scenes and effective eavesdropping, plus extensive encoding techniques for sensitive transmissions. For those looking to learn about literature, Hazel offers a crash course in favorite female mystery writers, while Daisy makes a case for her top-ten fictional detectives, and the author herself adds chapters on the history of detective novels and particular books that have inspired her. It's all enormously entertaining, serving either as an engaging appendix to those already familiar with the girls' exploits or as a delightful introduction to the detecting duo and the concept of crime novels. Hand-scrawled notes, typewritten case files, and even enticing recipes make for an immediately immersive environment, and the cheeky, chatty tone is as inviting as it is instructive. A captivating compilation sure to make an instant investigator out of anyone.

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