In Robin Stevens’ fourth classic whodunnit mystery, a cold-hearted head girl has been murdered on firework night at Deepdean School for Girls. Immediately Daisy Wells and Heather Wong, aka The Detective Society, are on the case.
However, this instalment of the Detective Society also features more of Lavinia, Kitty and Beanie (Daisy and Hazel’s dorm mates) as domineering Daisy has promoted them to assistant detectives. From the very beginning they realise that this murder at Deepdean is different from last year’s because the murderer can be one of only five suspects – all of them school prefects! Most of the plot revolves around the secrets of the five prefects and the detective society realise that to eliminate their suspects they must discover their secrets.
As usual the book is packed with red-herrings, suspicious behaviour, bun breaks, midnight feasts and jolly japes. I love the way that Robin Stevens has written a series that combines the best of boarding school books like Malory Towers, and detective novels like Agatha Christie’s, and has created two brilliant protagonists who you can’t help but wish were in your gang at school. Although I must say that Deepdean seems like the most deadly school in England, I don’t think too many parents would want to send their children there!!
Overall I would say that every book in this series has been brilliant, and this one keeps you guessing right to the end just as the others have. If you like to read about murder, crime solving and secrets combined with humour and friendship then take a ‘bun break’ and read this five-out-of-five-star book!
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