Unluckiest Train Ever

First Class Murder, by Robin Stevens. Book three of the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries.

Going to be a short one this time, as I’m supposed to be wrapping presents! Also because it’s a mystery that I don’t want to spoil at all.

This book is something of a tribute to Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. I can’t say how similar the plot is, but it’s definitely set on the Orient Express, and there’s definitely at least one murder.

While in the previous book we got to meet Daisy’s family, this time we get to meet Hazel’s. Once again, I appreciate the attention to detail with the characterisation in this series. Meeting Hazel’s father also allows us to learn a lot more about her background and who she is as a person.

The other passengers are also a key element of the story of course, and lend a sense of time to the story. It’s 1935, and the origins and discussions of the characters really show it.

The mystery this time is especially puzzling, which I appreciate. There’s an element of How as well as the usual Who that needs to be figured out. Add in even more elements working against the protagonists and you’ve got a seriously entertaining story on your hands.

As I mentioned last time, I still prefer Arsenic For Tea to this one, primarily because of the excellent way that Daisy is portrayed throughout, but First Class Murder is a close second. Overall, a very solid mystery. Looking forward to the next one!

Well, I’m off to eat mince pies and have Christmas. Next review will involve politics. Exciting!

Further Murder

Arsenic for Tea, by Robin Stevens. Book two of the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries.

Continuing the adventures of Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, this book takes place the following Easter, during the school holidays. The girls and some of their friends from school are spending the holidays with Daisy’s family.

In fact, the story is less focused on the investigation right from the start than in the previous book. Instead, family interactions take point, such that every character is built up and developed over the course of the book.

Of course, not being at school removes some of the structure from the day, allowing more freedom to investigate. There are naturally still limitations around what a thirteen year-old can do in terms of investigation, and the fact that all of the possible suspects have been built up in terms of personality makes this book far more emotionally charged than the last.

As usual for a mystery novel, I’m being extra careful not to spoil anything, so I’ll stop there. I will say that something I’ve noticed (and enjoyed) in both books is a perfectly valid reason for the police not to become involved. This is something which is often handwaved in fiction with an explanation such as “Telling the police would reveal magic to normal people”, “The villain has them in his pocket”, or “They wouldn’t be any help anyway”. Obviously this doesn’t apply if the protagonist is part of the police. In this series, however, the justifications seem perfectly logical.

This is my favourite of the series so far (I’ve also read book three) because of the incredible character building that takes place. It’s especially apparent with Daisy, and the events of the book offer a real glimpse into her mind.

It’s been a short one this time, but I really don’t think I can say more without spoiling the plot. And there’s so much more to say! Character discussions and how observant a child can be are the things that spring to mind, but alas…

Overall, this book is great. I’d suggest reading Murder Most Unladylike first, of course, but this story probably doesn’t require it. You’ll miss out on a great book though, so why not!

Next up, book three! I wanted to read more, okay?

Summer Days

Foxglove Summer, by Ben Aaronovitch. Book five of the Rivers of London series.

Another series named after the first book, these books star PC Peter Grant as their main character. I’ll try to avoid spoiling the earlier books as usual, but as this is book five there will inevitably be minor issues.

Peter is a member of the Metropolitan Police, part of a division specialising in the weird, the unexplained, and the straight up magic. As such, finding out that the answer to a case is “murdered by jealous spouse” rather than “devoured by flesh eating ghoul” tends to be something of a relief.

What this means for the reader is that there is plenty of genuine police procedure, even though reports that make it into the official database tend to omit the ghouls. I think a good way to explain it would be that this is a fairly realistic crime series, but there just happen to be wizards.

In Foxglove Summer, PC Grant gets to leave London for a bit. The series plot takes something of a backseat in this one, to focus more on the specific case. There are still recurring elements, and some ongoing plots are continued or resolved, but after the tension of the previous book (Broken Homes) it’s nice to have a short break from… well, that really is a spoiler.

This particular case involves the search for two missing children, and perfectly captures the kind of atmosphere that entails. Grant’s involvement isn’t exactly orthodox, but it is very in character. I’ll leave the plot alone there, since there are a few separate mysteries in this one.

Magic in this series takes a lot of cues from traditional tales of spirits and wizards. One thing I really like is that nobody in the setting has really bothered thinking about magic as something that can be studied and defined, as it seems to follow a more emotive and instinctive path. Grant, on the other hand, refuses to leave well enough alone, and insists on experimenting with everything. Since the series is told from his perspective, the reader gets to share a little of the frustration at the lack of clarity, and satisfaction every time there’s a breakthrough. It’s a really clever approach, and one I thoroughly enjoy.

Overall, the novel is quieter than most of the others in the series, but solid enough for it. There are big spoilers in here for some of the previous books, so if you’re interested I’d suggest starting with Rivers of London. The series is pretty good, certainly worth a read if you’re into police novels and fantasy.

Next up, more murders!