Murder Most Unladylike facts for kids
UK edition
|
|
| Author | Robin Stevens |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Nina Tara |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Mystery fiction, Children's fiction |
| Publisher | Puffin Books |
|
Publication date
|
5 June 2014 |
| Pages | 352 |
Murder Most Unladylike is an exciting children's mystery novel written by British-American author Robin Stevens. It was first published in 2014. This book is the very first adventure in the popular 'Murder Most Unladylike' series.
The story takes place in England during the 1930s. It follows two clever schoolgirls who set out to solve their first big murder mystery. The book is written like a detective's casebook, making you feel like you're solving the clues alongside them. It has been nominated for several awards, including the famous Carnegie Medal. In the United States, this book is known by a different title: Murder is Bad Manners.
About the Series
Since Murder Most Unladylike came out, the series has grown a lot! There are now eight main books and four shorter mini-books. Here are the main books in the series:
- Murder Most Unladylike (2014)
- Arsenic For Tea (2015)
- First Class Murder (2015)
- Jolly Foul Play (2016)
- Mistletoe and Murder (2016)
- A Spoonful of Murder (2018)
- Death in the Spotlight (2018)
- Top Marks for Murder (2019)
- Death Sets Sail (2020)
The Mystery Begins
The story is about two students, Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells, who attend Deepdean School for Girls. They are the only members of their secret Detective Society at school. One day, Hazel makes a shocking discovery: she finds their Science teacher, Miss Bell, lying dead in the school gym.
However, when Hazel quickly brings Daisy and a prefect back to the gym, Miss Bell's body has vanished! Because of this, no one believes Hazel. They think she might have imagined it or is telling lies.
The next day, everyone at school notices Miss Bell is missing. But the headteacher, Miss Griffin, tells them that Miss Bell has simply resigned. Daisy and Hazel, however, are not convinced. They know something is wrong.
Solving the Case
Determined to find out what really happened, Daisy and Hazel work tirelessly. They search for clues and try to piece together the puzzling events. They interview other students and teachers, looking for anyone who might know something.
Eventually, their investigation leads them to an old notebook. This notebook turns out to be the diary of a student named Verity Abraham. The diary reveals a huge secret: Miss Griffin, the headmistress, had spoken to Verity a few weeks earlier. Miss Griffin told Verity that she was Verity’s true mother, and that Mr. and Mrs. Abraham had adopted her.
In those days, it was a big secret for a headmistress to have had a child without being married. This secret could have ruined Miss Griffin's career. Verity was very upset by this news. Miss Griffin showed Verity proof of her birth and adoption. She asked Verity to join her as her daughter, but Verity refused, saying the Abrahams were her real parents.
At the very end of the diary, there is a final note. This note reveals who the murderer is and explains why they killed Miss Bell.
When the police arrive at the school, Daisy and Hazel bravely hand over the diary. The police officer understands everything. He then gathers everyone to explain the solution to the mystery, and the murderer is finally arrested.
