Assassinio in prima classe

Murder Most Unladylike #3

by Robin Stevens

Daisy Wells e Hazel Wong sono in vacanza in Europa, sul mitico Orient Express. Sono determinate a evitare qualunque indagine, anche perché il padre di Hazel, che le accompagna, ha vietato tassativamente ogni attività investigativa. Ma dal momento in cui le ragazze salgono a bordo risulta evidente che tutti i passeggeri della carrozza di prima classe hanno qualcosa da nascondere. Quando poi la cena viene interrotta da un urlo agghiacciante e in una delle cabine viene trovato un cadavere, la premiata società investigativa Wells&Wong non può esimersi... Età di lettura: da 10 anni.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Crime, Historical, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction

Paperback

First published July 30, 2015

About the author

Robin's books are: Murder Most Unladylike (Murder is Bad Manners in the USA), Arsenic for Tea (Poison is Not Polite in the USA), First Class Murder, Jolly Foul Play, Mistletoe and Murder, Cream Buns and Crime, A Spoonful of Murder, Death in the Spotlight and Top Marks for Murder. She is also the author of The Guggenheim Mystery, the sequel to Siobhan Dowd's The London Eye Mystery.

Robin was born in California and grew up in an Oxford college, across the road from the house where Alice in Wonderland lived. She has been making up stories all her life.

When she was twelve, her father handed her a copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and she realised that she wanted to be either Hercule Poirot or Agatha Christie when she grew up. When it occurred to her that she was never going to be able to grow her own spectacular walrus moustache, she decided that Agatha Christie was the more achieveable option.

She spent her teenage years at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, reading a lot of murder mysteries and hoping that she’d get the chance to do some detecting herself (she didn’t). She then went to university, where she studied crime fiction, and then worked at a children's publisher.

Robin lives in England with her husband and her pet bearded dragon, Watson.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful tale featuring the plucky young amateur detectives from the 1930’s, this time Daisy and Hazel find themselves trying to solve a murder whilst taking a holiday on the famous Orient Express.

With Daisy’s love for crime fiction soon makes her wonders if the catalyst for this crime was inspired by the famous Christie novel from the previous year.
In fact this entry in the family friendly series is a real affectionate nod to that original Poirot classic.

It’s great to see the girls in a different location as they try to solve the case against all the odds, especially as Hazel’s father expressly forbids them from getting involved in anymore dangerous adventures.

These books are great introductions to the great crime fiction of the time period for kids, whilst there’s plenty for older readers to enjoy.
One element that I practically liked is the political backdrop across Europe at this time is also a very important part in which Stevens cleverly captures the feel of the era.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great mystery solved by Daisy and Hazel! I absolutely loved all the homages to Murder on the Orient Express and the crazy cast of characters, all with a great critic of xenophobia! It's been so great to see the girls in different locations, but I'm really excited for them to get back to their boarding school in the next book.

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can watch my interview with author Robin Stevens on my YouTube channel here, where we talk spoiler-free about the series: https://youtu.be/NZBWsJBsgRs

Definitely the best one yet! A beautiful homage to Agatha Christie, the third Murder Most Unladylike outing sees Daisy and Hazel solve a murder on the Orient Express. I loved the entire atmosphere and setting of this book - anything set on a train really and I'm happy! Another mystery where I wasn't expecting the outcome.

[rachel, x · Rating 4 out of 5]

#1) Murder Most Unladylike ★★★☆☆
#2) Arsenic for Tea ★★★★☆
#4) Jolly Foul Play ★★★★☆
#5) Mistletoe and Murder ★★★★☆
#6) A Spoonful of Murder ★★★★☆
#7) Death in the Spotlight ★★★★★
#8) Top Marks for Murder ★★★★★
#9) Death Sets Sail ★★★★★

➸ Trigger warnings for racism, antisemitism, misogyny, cheating (on-page), blood & gore depiction, dead body (on-page), emesis, and murder by knife violence (off-page).

▷ Representation: Hazel (mc) is Chinese; Daisy (mc) is a lesbian.

Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph

[Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite of this series yet. I wish that I could hang out with Hazel and Daisy every day and become a member of their detective society. Jolly good show Robin Stevens!

[Mikołaj (Żółwie Książkowe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

OCENA: 3,5 ⭐️

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars. Scribd.com English text, and translation for Portuguese + audio in English from Google Translate.

Synopsys: "A murdered heiress, a missing necklace, and a train full of shifty, unusual, and suspicious characters leaves Daisy and Hazel with a new mystery to solve in this third novel of the Wells & Wong Mystery series.

Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are taking a vacation across Europe on world-famous passenger train, the Orient Express—and it’s clear that each of their fellow first-class travelers has something to hide. Even more intriguing: There’s rumor of a spy in their midst.

Then, during dinner, a bloodcurdling scream comes from inside one of the cabins. When the door is broken down, a passenger is found murdered—her stunning ruby necklace gone. But the killer has vanished, as if into thin air.

The Wells & Wong Detective Society is ready to crack the case—but this time, they’ve got competition."

[✧ hayley (the sugar bowl) ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

➳ 5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

i love this series so much…this book was so much fun! a lot of people have said this felt like murder on the orient express which i have not read but now i might have to because this was so good.

i just love daisy and hazel so so much and seeing their dynamic and they’re like my babies! definitely did not guess the murder correct and i love that. i enjoyed the new characters we got to meet this book and overall just had a great time being in this world ✨


୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's strange, sometimes, how books can make you long to read them and then freeze a little when you have them finally in your hands. And this was one: I love the work of Robin Stevens. I have adored Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic For Tea. The third in the series, First Class Murder, was something that I was viciously hungry to read - and yet, reluctant to do so. I think that's something that sometimes happens when books are this good, this continual level of good and wonderful writing and plots which hit all of your sweet spots and just make everything right with the world. You get scared that it can't last. You get nervous.

There aren't many contemporary writers I feel like this about. Susie Day is one as is Sita Brahmachari, and I suspect Aoife Walsh may become another.

Robin Stevens is very much up there on this list; a collective of some of the smartest and most exciting author voices working in contemporary children's literature today. And because of all of that, I was nervous of First Class Murder. I was nervous that it just might not be that good.

So. Let me tell you this before we go on. First Class Murder is just -well, it's perfect.

I love what Stevens does with her characters. I love that the further on she gets in the series, the more confident her writing feels and the drama becomes more dramatic and the humour becomes more stylish and heartfelt (The 'Hermes' moment is one such perfect example). I love that this series is turning into a such a powerhouse that can have jokes about the amount of times somebody vomits, with discussion of some incredibly dark and relevant issues. I love how the female characters in this book are so intensely multi-faceted and rich and capable; and I love how the adult characters, in particular Hazel's father, are drawn with such sympathy and truth.

I would give these books to the world if I could, because they're just a genuine joy all the way from the start through to the end, so instead I shall end with a small anecdote about a girl I met in the library once. I asked her what sort of books she liked. She told me that she liked Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. "Well," I said, "Do I have the perfect recommendation for you," and then we beamed at each other as fellow bookish folk often do.

This is the perfect book for that girl. It's also the perfect book for anyone who's wanting something that has strong and brave characters, a tightly choreographed and controlled dance of a plot, murder, trains, shenanigans and buns. Basically, it's the sort of book that I am and will continue to be slightly evangelical over.

(Also, these books are begging to be bought together as a series. Just look at those covers! My book shelves long for the three of them to be back to back!)

[eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5
New life goal, guess one of the murders right✌️

[Rocío Prieto · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Asesinato en primera clase" es una clara (y admitida) reinterpretación del clásico “Asesinato en el Orient Express” de Agatha Christie, que, casualmente, es mi obra favorita de la autora. La premisa es prometedora: dos jóvenes detectives, Daisy Wells y Hazel Wong, se enfrentan a un misterio de cuarto cerrado a bordo del mítico Orient Express. Además, se suma el elemento de un espía entre los pasajeros, lo que podría haber sido un giro interesante, pero al final me resultó más bien innecesario y algo confuso.

La historia tiene un ritmo ágil y es entretenida, perfecta para lectores más jóvenes o aquellos que buscan un misterio ligero. Sin embargo, para mí, el desarrollo de los personajes fue algo decepcionante. Daisy, con su aire de Sherlock, a menudo menosprecia a Hazel, y esta dinámica llega a ser un tanto incómoda de leer. Aunque entiendo que intenta reflejar la relación entre Holmes y Watson, en este caso no terminó de convencerme.

Por otro lado, no puedo dejar de mencionar que el libro se siente algo limitado en originalidad. Si bien el homenaje a Christie es evidente, esperaba que la autora aportara algo más novedoso al género o que explotara mejor las posibilidades del escenario. En cambio, varias partes del libro me dieron la sensación de estar leyendo un refrito juvenil del clásico, pero sin alcanzar la misma profundidad ni tensión narrativa.

Es cierto que no todos los libros juveniles envejecen bien para lectores más mayores, y este, en particular, me pilló en una etapa en la que no terminé de disfrutarlo. Seguramente lo habría valorado de otra manera si lo hubiera leído hace 15 años. Eso sí, reconozco que para el público objetivo esta historia puede resultar bastante atractiva. La ambientación del Orient Express tiene su encanto, y el final, aunque algo predecible, está bien resuelto. Por eso, creo que es un libro que podría recomendar a lectores más jóvenes o como una introducción ligera al mundo de los misterios clásicos.

[Veronique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daisy and Hazel find themselves on the Orient Express, and what better setting for a mystery! Once more, Stevens plays with the tropes of the genre to great effect. Lots of potential suspects, all contained in a small space with no escape. Our girls are hot on the case, although continually stymied by grown-ups wanting to keep them away from danger...

I’m not the targeted audience for these books, and yet, I do love them. I guess it is because of the continuing references to Christie’s work (and other Golden Age of Crime Writing authors), the nostalgic world of the 1930s, and our two heroines. In this instance, I particularly enjoyed seeing Hazel with her father and witnessing their changing relationship. And yes, I would LOVE to travel once on the famous Orient Express :O)

[Claire Fayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last! I solved the murder before Daisy and Hazel. I now feel like a real detective and want my own badge. And a bunbreak. Bunbreaks on the Orient Express are in a class of their own, as are the murders - an extra-tricky "locked room" mystery with the added complication of a spy, a jewel thief and a bungling official investigator.

The characters are a joy as always, especially Daisy and Hazel. Hazel has grown up a lot over the last two books and now she begins to realise it, leading to tension with Daisy, who can't quite allow Hazel to be an equal, and with Hazel's loving but over-protective father.

Super fun. Can't wait for the next installment.

[Elwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morde im Orientexpress sind ja nun eigentlich ein alter Hut. Aber hier ist es wieder so charmant erzählt und knifflig verwickelt, dass es einfach nur eine Freude ist mit den beiden Mädchen hinter dem Mörder herzuschleichen.
Alles auch wieder recht harmlos, britisch und nett auf die positive Art. Erstklassischer Wohlfühlkrimi.

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

agggtm x murder on the orient express
i adore these books and i can never tell where they’re going
the end shocks me everytime and i genuinely think that if you enjoyed a good girls guide to murder this is another series for you

[Maine Colonial · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow (was I drinking wine at the time?) I spent an Audible credit on this book without realizing it is a teen book or that it is in a series. Since I don't enjoy teen/YA lit, I didn't have high expectations, but the book turned out to be better than I expected as far as the whodunnit goes.

I wasn't crazy about the characterization, though. Hazel Wong is the daughter of a successful Chinese businessman from Hong Kong and has been sent to England to a girls' boarding school, where she's become friends with Daisy, your classic privileged, even spoiled, English girl. The story takes place in the 1930s, when Hazel and her father are often met with prejudice. Hazel and Daisy have formed their own detective club, in which Daisy fancies herself the Sherlock and Hazel the Watson. Hmm. The thing is, Daisy regularly disparages Hazel's abilities and ideas, while taking full credit for accomplishments that belong to them both or, sometimes, to Hazel. And Hazel meekly submits to being treated almost as Daisy's servant. I get it that the author is mimicking the Sherlock/Watson relationship, but it's annoying and creepy to see that played out in the circumstances of these characters.

[wikula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Z każdym przeczytanym tomem nabieram coraz więcej zrozumienia i miłości dla tych bohaterek. Staram się zrozumieć ich zachowanie (choć czasem głupie) jak najlepiej potrafię.
Przez tą książkę się płynie. Ma krótkie rozdziały, przez co cały czas powtarzamy sobie jeszcze jeden rozdział, i jeszcze jeden... no i dochodzimy do rozwiązania sprawy. Udało mi się przewiedzieć zakończenie, ale myślę, że dla docelowej grupy odbiorców może okazać się ogromnym zaskoczeniem.
Dorośli w niektórych momentach zachowywali się absurdalnie, ale przymykam na to oko, bo bawiłam się świetnie.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another rippingly good read from Robin Stevens, probably my favourite of Daisy and Hazel's adventures so far! I loved the Christie references and thought the mystery itself was brilliant.

[Prince William Public Libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

My summer reading review is about "First Class Murder," which takes place on a train in Europe around 1920. It is written by an English author. It is now one of my new favorites!

This story is about an English girl named Daisy, and her best friend, Hazel; they are on the Orient Express for a school holiday. Little did they know that their favorite thing, a mystery was just around the corner, or should I say across the hall. I think it is a great book and I think you should try it! 📚

- Payton, PWPL Teen Reader

Click here to find the book at Prince William Public Libraries.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a mystery story about two 14 year old girls who have to solve a murder on a train journey. The murder story is complicated with unexpected twists which was very exciting.
I like the suspect lists in the book. It gives a great overview on the clues. I also appreciated very much Daisy's guide at the very end. It is a very helpful glossary. The way Robin Stevens describes her story makes it easy to imagine the scenes.
The book mentions the Orient Express from Agatha Christie and I am keen to read it as well.

[Aleshanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der beste Fall bisher! Super unterhaltsam und spannend - weckt Erinnerungen an Agatha Christies "Mord im Orientexpress"

Ein wundervolles Buch, das meine Erinnerungen an Agatha Chriesties "Mord im Orientexpress" immer wieder wach gerufen hat! Die Geschichten ähneln sich schon sehr und es gibt einige Parallelen, was mich aber gar nicht gestört hat. Das ganze wird ja aus der Sicht von der jungen Hazel erzählt, die eine frische und äußerst unterhaltsame Art hat, diesen besonderen Mordfall zu Papier zu bringen.

Denn die Bücher sind ja sozusagen das "Fall-Buch" der beiden Detektivinnen Hazel und Daisy, die sich im Deepdean Internat in England kennen gelernt haben. Während Daisy die tapfere und neugierige Wortführerin ist, nimmt Hazel eher den zurückhaltenden Part ein, doch man merkt, wie sie immer mehr über sich hinaus wächst - und Daisy mittlerweile das Wasser reichen kann.

Die Erwachsenen sind ja gar nicht glücklich darüber, dass die beiden Mädchen dauernd in Mordfälle verwickelt werden und vor allem, dass sie auch noch selbst ermitteln. Deshalb sind sie dieses Mal mit Hazels Vater im Orient-Express unterwegs - er möchte die jungen Damen zur Raison bringen und verspricht sich einen erholsamen Urlaub, bei dem sie sich wieder auf das besinnen, was junge Mädchen in dem Alter eigentlich tun sollten. Er nimmt Hazel sogar das Versprechen ab, sich aus allem herauszuhalten, aber gegen das Ermittlungsfieber kann man wohl einfach nichts machen.

Zuerst werden wieder alle wichtigen Personen vorgestellt, die sich im Schlafwagen Kabine an Kabine einfinden - man behält auch gut den Überblick, denn auch wenn es viele Figuren sind, ist jede davon individuell und einprägsam. Besonders schön sind hier auch wieder vorne im Buch das Personenregister und die Grafik mit allen Beteiligen im Speise- und Schlafwagen.

Es dauert auch ein Weilchen bis es zum Mord kommt, auch das kennt man aus den alten Filmen, aber dabei setzt die Autorin alles so schön in Szene, so dass man bestens vorbereitet ist.
Die Spannung steigt kontinuierlich und bis kurz vor Schluss kann man nur raten, wie das alles wohl abgelaufen ist. Wenn man "Mord im Orientexpress" kennt hat man wohl einen gewissen Vorteil, aber lasst euch überraschen, denn der Plan ist wirklich sehr verstrickt.
Daisy und Hazel haben alle Hände voll zu tun, unter den wachsamen Augen von Hazels Vater trotzdem ihre Ermittlungen durchzuführen. Sie werden dabei auch immer geschickter und das ganze immer aus der Sicht der Kinder mitzubeobachten und mitzuverfolgen macht wirklich großen Spaß!

Ich muss sagen, dass mir dieser Band bisher am besten gefallen hat - sei es weil ich mich sehr an Agatha Christies Mörderjagd erinnert hat, oder durch die erfinderische und spannend aufgebaute Spurensuche der jungen Mädels, die in einer wunderbaren Atmosphäre den Flair der damaligen Zeit widergespiegelt hat.

© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer

Ein Fall für Wells & Wong

1 - Mord ist nichts für junge Damen
2 - Teestunde mit Todesfall
3 - Mord erster Klasse

Die folgenden Bände sind momentan noch nicht übersetzt
4 - Jolly foul play
5 - Mistletoe and murder

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least the author admits (in the Afterword) that this is a rewrite of Murder on the Orient Express--if she hadn't done that I wouldn't be surprised if Christie's descendants slapped her with a lawsuit, since all of Agatha's books are still under copyright by the Christie conglomerate. But gosh I wish she could have come up with a better train mystery of her own! After all, Greenwood managed it in Murder on the Ballarat Train. Today's budding serial authors are a bit too lazy, and perhaps the younger ones don't realise that cut and paste and tweak is not originality.

A good enough lite read to pass the time on a stressful day, but we are back to the notes in Wong's handwriting--which when you're reading on an ebook reader, strains the eyes a bit, even trying to enlarge the font. That is saved by the ending, which I found much better than Christie's original. Then we have young Alexander, in 1935, using the protestation, "No way!", only about 60 years before that slang phrase became current. And this is the kid who went to an English public school? I think not. Too much California, not enough Oxford.

Get some ideas of your own, though, Stevens--do you really want to be famous for being a copycat with nothing original to bring to the table?

Three and a half stars.

[Maggie (Magsisreadingagain) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment in the Wells and Wong Mystery series sees Hazel and Daisy on holidays with Hazel’s dad, traveling across Europe on the Orient Express. In a wonderful tribute to Agatha Christie, Stevens has written a clever locked-room mystery, complete with jewel theft, murder, espionage and international spy rings. With help from a few of the other passengers, Hazel and Daisy solve the crime, before the adults and authorities can fit all the pieces together. Love this series, looking forward to the next adventure back at Deepdean School.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect homage to Christie's Murder on the Orient Express! The locked room mystery was solid, and I really loved how Hazel is growing as a character. I can't wait for the next book in the series to be published in the States!

[tswiftlover (cami) · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆ 4 stars!
⁀➷🔎 ”i always know it’s you. i would know you out of every person in the universe.” okay WAS i in a massive slump? yes. was it the books fault? ABSOLUTELY NOT. i actually read 3/4 of the book in two days if i’m being so honest, it’s just school took over my life so i haven’t been able to read whatsoever UGH. regardless, i loved this book, more than the last one actually! a locked room mystery was very interesting, and i can def see the characters already grow within the three books i’ve read. growing to love hazel and daisy more and more, fav sherlock and watson variants atm!!! the mystery itself, it was actually written so well??? i genuinely had no idea who it could be, and just when i thought i had figured it out, uhm no greatly proven wrong. these two 14yo teenage girls are doing it way better than i ever could LMFAO. ANDDD loving the addition of alexander arcady!!! HES SUNSHINE WRAPPED IN A HUMAN BEING I SWEAR? i reallyyy hope him and hazel end up together bc they have such adorable chemistry so far! otherwise, this book was a great mystery, def second fav out of the ones i’ve read in the series thus far!!! onto jolly foul play!

[Subashini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three books in and these are proving to be reliably fun and clever middle-grade/YA mysteries. I enjoy being in Hazel's head and this is an homage to Christie's Murder on the Orient Express that hits all of the right notes. I just found the cast of characters somewhat excessively annoying in this version; it really shouldn't matter, but it got to the point where I was hoping that all of them would perish in some unfortunate way (except for the Junior Pinkerton).

[Ghazal_Ra · Rating 5 out of 5]

انقدر موقع خوندن این مجموعه خوش میگذره به من که نگم براتون😎🤭
.
جنایتی دور از شان یک بانو (جلد سوم:جنایت درجه یک)_انتشارات پیدایش

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look, I know that I took a huge risk when buying this entire series without having read a word of it. I like a certain kind of risk-taking I guess, however, I am really really enjoying this series quite a lot. I did read some mixed reviews, so I was a little afraid how it would turn out, but it totally works for me. And I know I don't have a high standard. I rate entertainment and not objective quality, but still. I'm now kinda glad I have the rest of the series already.

What I love most about this series, and this book too, is that the steps our main characters take are so incredibly logical. Yes, sometimes they're a little quick when jumping to conclusions. And not rarely they're jumping to the wrong ones. But it's not just randomly shouting or judging. They do look for clues, they do try to figure out what has really happened and why it has happened. It's therefore not unrealistic that they do figure things out in the end.

And I really loved this case! Normally I'm not a big fan of stories taking place in closed compartments, especially trains and boats, but in this case there were quite a lot of interesting characters, all with their own agenda and motivations, and the first class compartment of the train was also an interesting enough environment. I also really like how clues towards the solution are planted quite early and yet only make sense when you have the entire story!

This book also adds another layer that I found quite interesting: Politics. Although none of these topics is made too heavy, they are discussed. It's quite clear the second world war is in the making and the bombing of the track near Belgrado was also quite clearly a political thing. And of course there was the Russian aristocrat who had fled the revolution. I have to admit that especially the latter was portrayed a little black and white in this book, but I'm probably the only one slightly bothered by that.

I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in the series next week!

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM

Un homenaje estupendo a Asesinato en el Orient Express en clave más infantil/juvenil. He disfrutado inmensamente de la ambientación a bordo del vagón de primera clase del tren y del elenco de personajes y sospechosos que nos presenta la autora, así como de la forma en que las chicas han llevado la investigación y han resuelto el misterio.

Sin duda, en esta tercera entrega vemos una evolución tremenda sobre todo en el personaje de Hazel, nuestra narradora, que cada vez acepta más lo mucho que le gusta investigar y decide que resolver crímenes y lograr justicia para las víctimas es más importante que obedecer las estrictas normas de su padre en cuanto a lo que debe ser el comportamiento de una señorita.
También vemos de forma mucho más evidente que Hazel es toda una detective por derecho propio, pese a serlo de forma diferente a Daisy. Pero eso es lo genial del equipo que forman, que ambas se complementan y rellenan los huecos allí donde falla la otra.

Me ha parecido muy interesante la aparición de otro detective de corta edad, en este caso un chico americano que forma parte de Los jóvenes Pinkerton. Me intriga mucho cómo se irá relacionando su relación con las chicas, porque se intuye que volverá a aparecer en el futuro, y tengo muchas ganas de verlo, porque me gusta lo que aporta a la dinámica.

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me back to when I was a kid reading Nancy Drew mystery books. It is set on the Orient Express and although there is a murder it is not anything like the book by Agitha Christie.

Hazel and Daisy are very likeable characters. They clash just enough to make the story interesting. And they get into some fixes that are for sure going to help solve the mystery but at the same time get them in trouble with Hazel's father, who has made Hazel promise not to do any detective work on this holiday.

Daisy is very much the leader of the pack because she reads mysteries she thinks that she knows all about murders and spies. She tryes to solve it on her own but knows that she needs to have Hazel along to help her out. By the end of the book, Hazel isn't so much dependant on Daisy to figure out parts of what is going on.

Having not read the other books in the seris I still liked it alot. It kept me incaged and wanting to keep on reading even when I had to put it down to go to bed or my lunch break at work ended. It is written for middle aged children but I think that even an adult would enjoy reading it.