Murder Most Unladylike is a book that satisfies a child’s sense of adventure and thirst for crime. The heroines, Daisy and Hazel, are clever, witty and above all, detectives! Bet you couldn’t guess that. At Deepdean School for Girls, their science mistress is found on the gym floor… murdered! The girls have to use courage and determination to discover the killer that lurks in the school halls. Can they solve the crime?

I found this book very well thought out and on edge. The plot is captivating and hooks you on from the first page. A certain “Sherlock Holmes” theme is kept throughout, with the witty nicknames from the main detectives. I found the fact that the story is set in England in the 1930s, where everything was considered to be ‘fine and tickety-boo’ quite interesting and that it is also located at a boarding school for girls, where the pupils are expected to act ‘ladylike and decorous’ and not go looking for unthinkable things like murder. Of course that’s exactly what happens because that’s kind of thing that makes a great story!

The characters are quite relatable. We all know a person like Daisy, confident, clever and bold. I found her quite funny and a very aloof person as she only shows the actual her to the people she fully trusts e.g Hazel. She is extremely clever and definitely gives us Sherlock Holmes vibes because she thinks herself as the smartest hence the nickname. I find Hazel very interesting too because she seems the more anxious type but she is as smart as Daisy in my eyes. I understand why she is considered the more ‘Watson’ type but it’s very interesting how Robin Stevens makes two very different people work together so well in this kind of situation.

I would recommend this thrilling read to children from 11+. I also think that advanced readers of 10 could enjoy this too, however please keep in mind the fact that children this age could find the vocabulary and situation confusing which is why I recommend the older age group. All in all, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!
The Book Girl 📚