A Spoonful of Murder: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery

Wow. Robin Stevens really is on fire with this series. While "Mistletoe and Murder" is still my favorite; this is a mom's opinion and my daughter prefers this last installment, which we had preordered because she wanted it so badly. What makes this book stand out is not just it setting, but how it deals with the theme of cultural difference. There are no easy answers here, no sugar-coating of otherness. In fact, it turns out that what Hazel takes for granted as just the way life is in Hong Kong - the co-existence of the legal wife with a concubine within one household - turns out to be source of much tension and conflict (I won't reveal more to avoid spoilers). Among the dead bodies and kidnappings, there is an interesting portrait of the immigrant's experience: the feeling of belonging and not belonging at the same time; an interesting achievement for a murder mystery. Stevens also breaks with the loving mother convention that so much children's literature espouses (unless the children are orphans, of course) and it turns out that Chinese parents can be as emotionally distant as their English counterparts. What I miss here (but I am the mom) is the mother's voice: she really does not get the chance to explain her motivation and her relationship with Hazel does not really change in any way. I think this plotline had some undeveloped potential. But brilliant in all other ways!

Quick to ship. Was a gift for my niece.

Intriguing and eventful Robin Stevens has once again delivered a culture inclined masterpiece. I really enjoyed the suspence and myster.

This book is exceptional! The murder and mystery in this book is great, you never know what will come next. Everything is so unexpected. This book is great for tweens and teens especially although it is a good book for everyone. Sometimes with books it takes a while to get hooked, first off I wasn't really interestedd but after a couple pages I couldnt put the book down. This book series is AMAZING!

In this, the seventh book in the "Wells and Wong" series, our two amateur detectives – Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, both fourteen – are in for a completely different change of scenery for their latest case. After Hazel receives the news that her grandfather has passed away, she's requested to return home to her family in Hong Kong. Not wanting to go without her best friend, Daisy is invited as well. Soon enough the girls have arrived at the fabulously lavish estate owned by Hazel's father, where a surprise waits in store: Hazel has a half-brother! Her father's second wife has given birth to an infant son, and now Hazel feels insecure about her place in his affections. But there are stranger events on the horizon: a murder and a kidnapping. With the Wong house in chaos, Hazel and Daisy band together in order to find the culprit behind the disappearance of her little brother, knowing that Hazel herself is a suspect. There are plenty of potential master-minds behind the terrible crime, but it'll take all of their ingenuity to solve the mystery in a country where their every move is closely watched. "A Spoonful of Murder" is the first in the series to take place well outside Europe, and Robin Stevens clearly did her research in order to make 1930s Hong Kong as accurate as possible: the architecture, the culture, the food and fashions are all carefully described and brought to life through Hazel's first-person narrative. It's clear she takes Hazel's background seriously, and to have a young East-Asian protagonist in a genre that's usually reserved for precocious English/American kids is truly something special. One of the most interesting components of Stevens's series (more so than the mysteries themselves!) is the complex relationship between Daisy and Hazel. As with Sherlock and Watson, Daisy is more logic-driven, while Hazel is more intuitive and understanding of human nature – but this time around, it's Daisy who finds herself "the sidekick" while Hazel takes centre-stage. In her own country, Hazel can speak the language and understand the customs, and it's a lot of fun to see Daisy out of her element for a change! In all, this is another strong instalment in what has been a great series of mystery stories, with strong characterization, twisty plots, and a great premise. I've read all of them in one prolonged go, so it's going to be a long wait until the next one comes out!

Man I love this series so much. Each book just made me more attached to the characters. The writing is amazing. I can almost hear Daisy’s dialogue, with her amazing way of speaking, clearly in my head. The plot & location of this 1 was SUPERB. It was so nice being on Hazel’s home turf for once. We’ve seen her father before, but this was completely different & incredible. Hazel really shined while at home. She became the focus, & Daisy was NOT used to being ignored lol. It was good for her though. The whole story of this 1, & the connecting parts of the whole bigger mystery/crime were blended together effortlessly, & came about at a brilliant pace. Things that we learn even more about with Hazel’s family, her culture, Hong Kong itself..just gripping, & so engrossing. Was so shocked at the outcome. Daisy & Hazel may seem so different with their very different personalities, but now having books at both girls homes..you see how alike in many ways they & their lives/families are in some ways. HIGHLY recommend of course! BEAUTIFUL cover by Nina Tara too!💜

Although the retired women are not officially detectives, they try to solve the reason for the death of a friend. I was put off immediately by the titles of the chapters…I was trying to determine what they meant instead of just enjoying the novel…the characters are quirky and down to earth…although the story moves slowly, the journey is delightful…this book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review…leave off the titles…

My granddaughter (12 yrs) was thrilled with the book. She has a number of books by this author.

I love the Wells&Wong Mysteries, always unexpected. Keeps you guessing. The sudden plot twist is surprising, love the ending. I enjoy Hazel's authority, patiently explaining the ins and outs of Hong Kong life. I think it's fantastic how informative these books are, explaining quite historically accurately about the time Hazel&Daisy lived. Knowing more about Hazel's life explains a great deal about why she felt so out of place in England. It's good to have a book more about Hazel.

Great books! Daughter loves the mystery themes. Great collection of books.

Meine Tochter hat seit zwei Jahren Englisch in der Schule und kam gut mit dem Buch zurecht. Die Geschichte fand sie spannend.

My 11-year-old daughter and I have read the entire series up to this book and this one was our favourite so far. We laughed a lot at Daisy and found the case very interesting. It was an incredibly enjoyable book.