Robin Stevens

Forming a secret detective agency after discovering a shared talent for solving mysteries, two best friends at a 1930s boarding school tackle a first case when their science teacher dies and her body disappears. Simultaneous eBook.

Murder Is Bad Manners

Sarah Sammis

Until I can read the original Corgi edition, I'm going to give the author the benefit of the doubt and place the faults with the American edition.

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Ryan LaFerney

Murder Is Bad Manners (or Murder Most Unladylike in its original U.K. edition), the first installment of a series by first-time author Robin Stevens, is an appealing whodunit set in a posh English boarding school in 1934, featuring 13-year-old detectives and BFFs Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong. Teachers turn up murdered, and a not-so-secret string of affairs (both same- and opposite-sex) may have something to do with it. This book features clever and humorous writing and characters that shine and grow. You'll get invested not only in the "whodunit" plot but in the lives of the characters as well. This is the perfect mystery book for older children and pre-teens (and adults too!)

Kim Tyo-Dickerson

Fun and very satisfying murder mystery wrapped up in a boarding school story Hogwarts/Worst Witch style. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially watching the developing friendship and increasing respect between the very British and aristocratic Daisy and her chosen partner Hazel who is the Watson to Daisy's Sherlock and a complete "brain" (ie too smart to be popular) from Hong Kong. I am going to my library today to get the next adventure to read, I see why my students are clamouring for the next instalment in the series.

Melea Mullican

There were a lot of things I liked and a lot of problems I had with this book. Let's start with the good!

1. I really enjoyed the historical mystery aspect of the series. I think that even though the mystery was obvious for an adult, it would be very intriguing to a middle grader. Even though, I wasn't surprised it still kept me on my toes!

2. The atmosphere of Deepdean was great. It is a very strict English boarding school, and was exactly like i would have imagined it.

Now the bad....

1. Daisy is a horrible friend to Hazel. Heck, Hazel even says as much multiple times. (view spoiler)[ I kept expecting her to either tell Daisy off, find a new friend, or Daisy to drastically change her tune. Instead, they remained "friends" and Daisy's apology was basically, I'm sorry you were right...but I'm always right too!  (hide spoiler)] I don't think it sets a good example for the types of friends middle graders should aspire to have. I only hope this will have further development as the series goes on. 

2. The writing style was overly tell not show. I understand that as a middle grade novel, certain things have to be explained and not just eluded to. However, even for a middle grade it was a bit much. I would have like to be shown more and helped increase the atmosphere of the novel. 

I will likely try book 2 in the series before giving up on it. Hopefully with maturity in writing and more time to develop the characters, some of the issues I had will be resolved.

Murder Is Bad Manners

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