Monday, November 23, 2015

2015 book 269

Robin Steven's Arsenic for Tea
The second book in Stevens' Wells and Wong mystery series (after A Murder Most Unladylike) is just as charming as the first, but ramps up the tension with its plot--Hazel accompanies Daisy to Daisy's family home (manor? fancy house, anyway) for the holidays/Daisy's birthday, and when a most unpleasant guest is murdered, a bunch of relatives are suspects. This series reminds me of what I liked about the earlier Flavia de Luce books, but already is willing to expand its horizons much more than that series ever was. Plus the characters are a lot more fun and slightly more realistic. It's not too hard to guess the end, but Stevens lays it all out nicely and does keep some red herrings in the mix--and anyway, this IS aimed at a younger audience, but manages to entertain this adult as well. A-.

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