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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
I like how this book mentioned the idea of this story which is Agatha Christies' orient express and Agatha her self, I like this as it doesn't copy Agatha Christies story it just uses the structure that there is a murder on a train which I like as you can see the difference between both story which makes the differences more noticeable and memorable to each story, but I like how the story has been kept similar to the original so it is not to far away from the original idea.
I really like the cause of why the train stops in this book to the original by Agatha Christie orient express as this puts more suspense as there could be a big risk for all the passengers.
I like the different location for the murders as it keeps the reader interested as you find new place and characters, this is shown with Mr Wong as we briefly hear about him in the first book but we don't full get to see him as a character. But I like how both of the girls have now had a story which has included one of their families as you get to see resemblance between the family and one of the girls but also development the girls personality for the reader as you get to see the relationship between the family.
I like how mrs vitellius is a previous character and you get to see character development and relationship between the girls and her.
I also like that the story always makes you think someone else did the murder to then surprise you when the truth is revealed.
I really like the cause of why the train stops in this book to the original by Agatha Christie orient express as this puts more suspense as there could be a big risk for all the passengers.
I like the different location for the murders as it keeps the reader interested as you find new place and characters, this is shown with Mr Wong as we briefly hear about him in the first book but we don't full get to see him as a character. But I like how both of the girls have now had a story which has included one of their families as you get to see resemblance between the family and one of the girls but also development the girls personality for the reader as you get to see the relationship between the family.
I like how mrs vitellius is a previous character and you get to see character development and relationship between the girls and her.
I also like that the story always makes you think someone else did the murder to then surprise you when the truth is revealed.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A fast, fun and thrilling homage to Murder on the Orient Express, complete with two schoolgirl heroines, a cast of sinister suspects, a stolen necklace, a spy ring and (of course) plenty of bun breaks!
The Wells & Wong books don't provide the most complex of murder mysteries or the most ingenious of plots but they are full of good, old-fashioned fun with some knowing winks towards the golden age of crime fiction. Bring on the next case for The Detective Society because I for one am eager for more Wells & Wong adventures!
The Wells & Wong books don't provide the most complex of murder mysteries or the most ingenious of plots but they are full of good, old-fashioned fun with some knowing winks towards the golden age of crime fiction. Bring on the next case for The Detective Society because I for one am eager for more Wells & Wong adventures!
Very sweet middle grade crime story, and well-narrated. It touches on racism and privilege well for youner readers, but the girls still feel too young for their ages, even for infantilised upper class girls.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
The third of Robin Stevens' Wells and Wong mysteries is set on the Orient Express, where Hazel's father has taken Hazel and Daisy in the summer holidays, hoping to take their minds off detecting. However, they quickly discover that there is a spy on board, and then, shortly after crossing the border into Yugoslavia, one of their fellow-passengers is murdered. Despite Mr Wong's attempts to prevent them, the girls are determined to discover who the murderer was. (It's very obviously and explicitly a tribute to Murder on the Orient Express, of course, although the actual plot isn't particularly similar.)
Like the others in the series, it's a lot less cosy than you'd expect it to be: the racism encountered by Hazel (and, this time, her father) is still present, and there's some very unpleasant period-typical antisemitism as well. To be honest, this one didn't grab me as much as the others, possibly because I worked out the identity of the murderer straight away (though I was wrong about how the murder was actually committed) and also worked out one of the subplots a long way ahead of the girls. Also, one of the things I really liked about the first two was the way they showed the effects of murder on a close-knit community, and made it clear that it wasn't just a case of solving a puzzle, unmasking the culprit and making everything alright again; although the train setting provides a similar closed environment, the connection between the passengers is only a temporary one and the emotional impact of the crime is therefore a lot less. It was still an enjoyable read, but I liked the first two a lot more.
Like the others in the series, it's a lot less cosy than you'd expect it to be: the racism encountered by Hazel (and, this time, her father) is still present, and there's some very unpleasant period-typical antisemitism as well. To be honest, this one didn't grab me as much as the others, possibly because I worked out the identity of the murderer straight away (though I was wrong about how the murder was actually committed) and also worked out one of the subplots a long way ahead of the girls. Also, one of the things I really liked about the first two was the way they showed the effects of murder on a close-knit community, and made it clear that it wasn't just a case of solving a puzzle, unmasking the culprit and making everything alright again; although the train setting provides a similar closed environment, the connection between the passengers is only a temporary one and the emotional impact of the crime is therefore a lot less. It was still an enjoyable read, but I liked the first two a lot more.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
First Class Murder is definitely one of the most complicated murders in the series. Everything seems impossible – until the very end when Daisy and Hazel think about the case a bit differently, and bring the criminal to justice. As this book had two mysteries to solve, (the murder and the spy), this made it eerily resemblant to Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (both books/film are amazing in their own rights, I just noticed some similarities when reading First Class Murder).
Throughout the book, the Detective Society are very limited in their detecting, as all around them are adults who are trying to steer them away from solving the case. But with the addition of one half of the Junior Pinkertons (Alexander Arcady), the Detective Society power through their first locked-room mystery.
Unlike the previous two books in this series (Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea), I genuinely had no idea who the murderer was until Daisy and Hazel worked it out. I loved it how nothing added up with the suspects – nothing quite fit into the puzzle of who the murderer was until suddenly, the girls thought of the mystery a different way and everything slotted into place. This was nice though, as when reading the previous two books in this seres, I do tend to try and mentally urge Daisy and Hazel to think the way that I am about the case!
I did have to read First Class Murder several times before I understood how the murder happened, as this is a very complex case. As this book was set in a completely new setting for both Daisy and Hazel, this heightened the confusion around the case. Because Daisy knew Fallingford and both girls knew Deepdean, this helped with their investigation as they knew how best to sneak around, detecting without being found. But as they were more exposed on the Orient Express (they had the sleeping car and the dining car to detect in), this made it questionable if they would solve the mystery before Dr. Sandwich convicted someone – whether they were guilty or not. Of course, I never underestimated the Detective Society’s abilities, but this case was very touch-and-go in terms of convicting the guilty person.
I highly recommend this book to any mystery-lovers or anyone who has enjoyed Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea. Each book in this series is a completely different mystery, yet similarities run through each book, which makes Murder Most Unladylike a very enjoyable series to read.
First Class Murder is definitely one of the most complicated murders in the series. Everything seems impossible – until the very end when Daisy and Hazel think about the case a bit differently, and bring the criminal to justice. As this book had two mysteries to solve, (the murder and the spy), this made it eerily resemblant to Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (both books/film are amazing in their own rights, I just noticed some similarities when reading First Class Murder).
Throughout the book, the Detective Society are very limited in their detecting, as all around them are adults who are trying to steer them away from solving the case. But with the addition of one half of the Junior Pinkertons (Alexander Arcady), the Detective Society power through their first locked-room mystery.
Unlike the previous two books in this series (Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea), I genuinely had no idea who the murderer was until Daisy and Hazel worked it out. I loved it how nothing added up with the suspects – nothing quite fit into the puzzle of who the murderer was until suddenly, the girls thought of the mystery a different way and everything slotted into place. This was nice though, as when reading the previous two books in this seres, I do tend to try and mentally urge Daisy and Hazel to think the way that I am about the case!
I did have to read First Class Murder several times before I understood how the murder happened, as this is a very complex case. As this book was set in a completely new setting for both Daisy and Hazel, this heightened the confusion around the case. Because Daisy knew Fallingford and both girls knew Deepdean, this helped with their investigation as they knew how best to sneak around, detecting without being found. But as they were more exposed on the Orient Express (they had the sleeping car and the dining car to detect in), this made it questionable if they would solve the mystery before Dr. Sandwich convicted someone – whether they were guilty or not. Of course, I never underestimated the Detective Society’s abilities, but this case was very touch-and-go in terms of convicting the guilty person.
I highly recommend this book to any mystery-lovers or anyone who has enjoyed Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea. Each book in this series is a completely different mystery, yet similarities run through each book, which makes Murder Most Unladylike a very enjoyable series to read.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
The ending was kinda short especially when they figured out who was the spy and at some points it was sorta confusing
funny
lighthearted
mysterious