Robin Stevens

The second brilliantly plotted mystery starring Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong. Schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy's home, Fallingford, for the holidays. Daisy's glamorous mother is throwing a tea party for Daisy's birthday, and the whole family is invited, from eccentric Aunt Saskia to dashing Uncle Felix. But it soon becomes clear that this party isn't really about Daisy at all. Naturally, Daisy is furious. Then one of their party falls seriously, mysteriously ill -- and everything points to poison. With wild storms preventing anyone from leaving, or the police from arriving, Fallingford suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to be. Not a single person present is what they seem -- and everyone has a secret or two. And when someone very close to Daisy looks suspicious, the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth... no matter the consequences.

Arsenic for Tea

love these characters SO much. i didn't expect to get through this as quickly as i did.

fira

mighty dragon 

** spoiler alert **
           The follow up to Murder Most Unladylike and is a lot MORE fun than the first book.

I really love how it includes family problems even with one conflict that usually isn't shown up in middle grade books (cheating parents). I'm liking Daisy's character more and more now.

Schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy's home, Fallingford, for the holidays. Daisy's glamorous mother is throwing a tea party for Daisy's birthday, and the whole family is invited, from eccentric Aunt Saskia to dashing Uncle Felix. But it soon becomes clear that this party isn't really about Daisy at all. Naturally, Daisy is furious. Then one of their party falls seriously, mysteriously ill - and everything points to poison. With wild storms preventing anyone from leaving, or the police from arriving, Fallingford suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to be. Not a single person present is what they seem - and everyone has a secret or two. And when someone very close to Daisy looks suspicious, the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth . . . no matter the consequences. 'The second book in Robin Stevens' fabulous Wells and Wong schoolgirl detective series - think St Trinians mixed with Miss Marple. These are thrilling books for tween detectives who adore solving dastardly murders, jolly hockey sticks and iced buns for tea' Guardian 'A delight . . . The Agatha Christie-style clues are unravelled with sustained tension and the whole thing is a hoot from start to finish' Daily Mail 'A feelgood blend of Malory Towers and Cluedo . . . Stevens has upped her game in this new volume' Telegraph

A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery

Rose Stanley

Believeathon, Book the Second
Prompt: Nothing at all can tear them apart/They're one and the same, their own counterpart (read a book with siblings) (in this story we have two pairs of siblings: Daisy and her brother Bertie; and the mysterious probably-a-spy Uncle Felix and his sister, Daisy's mother Margaret)

Not me using Believeathon as an excuse to bingeread my new favourite series ; )

Even better than the first one - this story humanises Daisy a bit more, and I'm a sucker for a cosy country house murder. Our narrator (and Vice-President-cum-Secretary of the Detective Society) Hazel Wong continues to be an absolute delight.

Also, I salute whoever decided to give a book about arsenic poisoning a green cover and green sprayed edges. A very nice touch.

From the author of Murder Most Unladylike. Schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy's home, Fallingford, for the holidays. Daisy's glamorous mother is throwing a tea party for Daisy's birthday, and the whole family is invited, from eccentric Aunt Saskia to dashing Uncle Felix. But it soon becomes clear that this party isn't really about Daisy at all. Naturally, Daisy is furious. Then one of their party falls seriously, mysteriously ill - and everything points to poison. With wild storms preventing anyone from leaving, or the police from arriving, Fallingford suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to be. Not a single person present is what they seem - and everyone has a secret or two. And when someone very close to Daisy looks suspicious, the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth . . . no matter the consequences.

Arsenic For Tea

Giulia Pianta

Read for the 2020 Believathon III
Prompt: read a mystery book
Clue obtained: THE KEY

How DELIGHTFUL this was. I was in need of a pick-me-up, something fun, light and engaging that would keep me glued to the pages and drag my corpse out of the reading slump I found myself in.

And this was it. It was light but that doesn't mean silly or with no substance. On the contrary, this book also develops the characters of Hazel and Daisy and their very unusual friendship. It also portraits racism in the UK at that time really well and through Hazel we can see how harmful all the racist comments are.

The mystery is intricate and you keep guessing until the very end. I couldn't tell who did it until Hazel and Daisy discovered it, and while it does not compare to the complexity in Agatha Christie's mysteries (and rightfully so, this is for middle-graders and so can't be TOO complicated), it still surprised me, it was unexpected and once the culprit was revealed I pierced together all the clues and it did make sense.

I liked how the stakes were high this time, with the suspects being so close to Daisy and including her father, who she cares for very much. And this ties to another weak spot of mine: an isolated mansion. The chill I got when it was announced that they were flooded in! A cast of characters in an isolated mansion is an instant like for me.

After finishing this, I immediately purchased the next book and added it to my TBR for this readathon, I can’t wait to read it!

Nia C

Probably my second-favourite mystery in this series (First Class Murder is #1). I love how Stevens has created such delightfully spunky teen protagonists! And they're girls! And one of them is a person of colour! The next time someone tells you there weren't poc in England in the 20C that's why everyone solving (and committing) crimes is white, show them this series. Daisy & Hazel are sharp, brilliant girls and they're amazing at solving cases and each case is woven carefully, and it keeps you guessing until the very end. 

If you liked Malory Towers or St. Clares by Enid Blyton & Agatha Christie novels, this one is the perfect blend of those two genres. Middle-grade mystery fiction? Hells yeah. 

(Also perfect for those who loved the Famous Five & Secret Seven books like I did.)

Amy Juniper

I liked it, it just didn't keep my attention enough for me to actually finish it. A lot of adult drama although it was funny at times! But a DNF

Arsenic for Tea

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