Death In The Spotlight
Robin Stevens
Review by Gemma E McLaughlin
THIS review is a particularly interesting one as it allowed me to come back to a series of books that I have loved for a long time. I am forever grateful to Robin Stevens for creating The Murder Most Unladylike series and not only instilling in me a deep love of mystery and crime fiction, but also introducing me to crucial feminist values that I hold today. When I heard about book seven of the series (Death In The Spotlight) and that the eighth book is not far away I knew that I simply had to re-enter Robin Steven’s world.
The book is centred around Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, two girl around the age of fourteen who formed a detective society in their proper 1930s, all girls boarding school two years ago. Ever since they have found themselves in just the right (or wrong) place to solve various crimes, and at the beginning of the book, six murders. When the story begins the two are staying at the home of Daisy’s uncle in London to keep them out of trouble, which does not last as they are sent to play small roles in a production of Romeo And Juliet at the theatre. All seems to be normal as they join the cast but the longer Hazel and Daisy are there, the more they realise that most of the troupe hate the actress playing Juliet for some reason or another. It is not long before The Wells And Wong Detective Society has another Murder to solve.
We follow the two as they work to solve the case, learning countless, interesting secrets along the way and learning to become better detectives and people. While working on the case Daisy develops feelings for one of the other actors and a suspect in the case, Martita. This causes Daisy’s judgement to be occasionally clouded and leads to her snapping at Hazel, providing an important turn in the plot and both of their development as characters. As the book is set in 1936, Martita being a girl creates a personal conflict for Daisy that was well-written and painful for the reader.
Every moment of The Wells And Wong Detective Society’s latest case was filled with suspense, excitement, and of course, emotion. I think this book series is immensely clever, staying accurate to its time but keeping the allure of relatability throughout. Daisy and Hazel are amazingly well-developed characters that I have adored following for years and will continue to as long as Robin Stevens will continues to create. I recommend that anyone who has not already picks up the first book and I assure you, you will be as invested and entranced by each moment as I am.
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