It's December 1940, World War II is underway and Britain is feeling the effects. Meanwhile May Wong is stuck at Deepdean School for Girls, frustrated at being trapped there as a result of the war and determined to do her part to end it. She wants to become a spy and prove to everyone that she isn't too young (ten but nearly eleven) to do what her elder sister, Hazel is doing. As Hazel wouldn't help her (and wouldn't even admit that she was a spy), May sets out to do this her own way. Finding a note in Hazel's handbag which gives details of training in London, she runs away from Deepdean and heads to the capital to attend the training herself. On the way, she meets Eric who also happens to be heading to the same place and so they arrive together, but the pair are instantly turned away amid claims they are too young. However, May is not to be deterred and, discovering new information on the back of the note from Hazel's bag, she decides that she is off to solve a mystery on her own to prove herself worthy. Dragging Eric with her, she heads to Elysium Hall in the countryside and the pair pose as evacuees. But is there more to this mystery than meets the eye? And can May and Eric get to the bottom of things before it's too late?
It's a well documented fact that I am a HUGE fan of the Murder Most Unladylike series and it was with more than a few tears in my eyes that I said good bye to Daisy and Hazel at the end of Death Sets Sail. I have to say though, that knowing something new was coming definitely helped to ease the pain. After two years of patiently waiting, I am delighted to say that I have been reunited with Robin's writing and have been able to immerse myself in a new mystery series.
We were first introduced to May in A Spoonful of Murder and then again in Death Sets Sail. Time has passed since then and she is now ten years old (but nearly elven as she proudly declares at the beginning of the book). She is very different to Hazel in that she is feisty and adventurous, which is what drives her on right from the beginning of the book. She isn't about to let her age stop her doing what she wants to do. Eric becomes May's partner in this investigation and he's quiet, thoughtful and seems to be able to stand back and notice things that are often missed by others. Finally, we are introduced to Fionnuala (or Fiona as her English family insist on calling her) who lives at the Hall and with whom May shares a bedroom. We meet her as May and Eric arrive at Elysium Hall and it is her diary entries, along with May's report, that provide the dual narrative of the novel. Fionnuala is clearly adapting to life in England after some major changes and this influences her character - I found her an intriguing person to get to know.
I have a weakness for books set in WWII so I was thrilled that The Ministry of Unladylike Activity is set during this time. Robin had clearly done her research and I loved reading the little details such as the description of the streets of London and the details of the Andersen shelter. The book touches upon some of the horrors of the war but does it brilliantly and in a way that is appropriate to the readers, giving them an insight into what people went through without scaring them - I highly advise you to read Robin's Author's Note at the end of the book. In addition, the country house setting added to the mystery perfectly and I found myself imagining myself wandering the hallways and hiding behind the blackout curtains as I read.
There are plenty of twists within the book that kept me guessing and I found the book difficult to put down. The Ministry of Unladylike Activity is the start of another stunning series and I, for one, can't wait for book 2.
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