Middle Grade Monday/Mystery Monday: Death in the Spotlight

This is book #7 in the "Murder Most Unladylike" mystery series, and while the series at least began as children's books, they are murder mysteries, and our main characters are growing up. I'm happy to see that they seem to have stopped renaming--and maybe "translating"?--the books for US audiences.

Title: Death in the Spotlight
Author: Robin Stevens
Publication Info: 2018, Puffin Books. 400 pages
Source: Library

Publisher's Blurb:
'The whole theatre seemed on edge. There was a feverish atmosphere seeping into every corner of the Rue, as though the whole cast was sickening. Daisy and I both knew that something was brewing.'

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are off to the beautiful Rue Theatre in London, where they will face an entirely new challenge: acting. But behind the theatre's glittering facade, the girls soon realise that there is trouble at the Rue. Jealousy, threats and horrible pranks quickly spiral out of control - and then one of the cast is found dead.

As opening night looms closer, Hazel and Daisy must take centre stage and solve the crime . . . before the murderer strikes again.

My Review:
As I mentioned above, this middle grade series is a pretty top quality cozy mystery series for any age. Robin Stevens knows how to put together a mystery, and how to create and develop characters. 

In the last couple of books I've been happy to see the girls getting somewhat more mature, and in particular, to see Hazel becoming more of an individual and less of a follower. She is learning who she is, and I think that the discerning reader can tell that (though Daisy would never believe it), Hazel is the more thoughtful and mature of the pair, though Daisy may have the quicker mind (maybe).

In this mystery, Daisy is truly in her element--her entire approach to life is theatrical, after all. So it's not surprising that it's Hazel who does the most growing, as she tackles something that is definitely not her natural approach to life. The theatre, of course, is a popular setting for mysteries, and with good reason. The natural propensity of actors to... act... makes the task of sorting out the truth all the more difficult for our young sleuths. That it makes it almost impossible for the police inspector makes it more fun and believable that the girls are allowed, more or less, to pursue their investigations.

Finally, as a marker of the girls' move into adolescence, we continue to deal with issues of human sexuality, in a completely age-appropriate way. Readers of any age can be rendered thoughtful by the reminder that (male, not female) homosexuality was illegal in England until much later than the setting of this book.

My Recommendation:
I think this is a wonderful series, and this a marvelous addition to it. Bearing in mind our lead characters are now about 15, I'd move the reading age for the book up a bit, to 11 or so (and up). Ultimately, I would put this series on the shelf next to any of the classics of the British detective novel.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of Death in the Spotlight from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”   

 

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2023

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