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  • Published: 20 October 2022
  • ISBN: 9780241429891
  • Imprint: Puffin
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 416
  • RRP: $32.99

The Ministry of Unladylike Activity




The start of a thrilling new Second World War mystery series from the number-one-bestselling and multi-award-winning author of Murder Most Unladylike.

1940. Britain is at war, and a secret arm of the British government called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity is training up spies.

Enter May Wong: courageous, stubborn, and desperate to help end the war so that she can go home to Hong Kong (and leave her annoying school, Deepdean, behind forever). May knows that she would make the perfect spy. After all, grown-ups always underestimate children like her.

When May and her friend Eric are turned away by the Ministry, they take matters into their own hands. Masquerading as evacuees, they travel to Elysium Hall, home to the wealthy Verey family - including snobby, dramatic Nuala. They suspect that one of the Vereys is passing information to Germany. If they can prove it, the Ministry will have to take them on.

But there are more secrets at Elysium Hall than May or Eric could ever have imagined.

And then someone is murdered...

  • Published: 20 October 2022
  • ISBN: 9780241429891
  • Imprint: Puffin
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 416
  • RRP: $32.99

About the author

Robin Stevens

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. 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 went to university, where she studied crime fiction, and then she worked at a children's publisher.

Robin is now a full-time author, and her books are both award-winning and bestselling. She lives in Oxford.

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Praise for The Ministry of Unladylike Activity

As funny, clever, and warm as we've come to expect from Robin Stevens, The Ministry of Unladylike Activity is such a delight

Louise O'Neill

Robin Stevens is Agatha Christie for children: her books have all the rich satisfactions, all the twists and pleasures and the enormous delights of instant mystery classics. I am always hungry for the next one

Katherine Rundell on the Murder Most Unladylike series

Emotionally involving, enjoyably logical and engaging . . . The sense of place, time and voice are carefully created, and whether you solve the mystery before May, Eric and Nuala or not, you will make the 400-page journey - despite deaths on the way - with a spring in your step

Nicolette Jones, Times

A new crew of resourceful children takes the helm . . . Meticulous, lightly worn research and sharp character observation

Imogen Russell-Williams, Guardian

The author of the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series is returning to what she does best, which is creating a fictional world full of child detectives, period details, sumptuous settings and, yes, murder . . . Spirited and fun, this is a must for young murder mystery fans

Bookseller

Expect excitement, intrigue, friendship and a puzzling mystery

Week Junior

Much superb Agatha Christie-style whodunnitry

Observer

This is an exciting book full of suspense . . . I give it 10/10!

Lizzie, aged 8, Nat Geo Kids

Rip-roaring stuff

Daily Mail

A fiendishly plotted, astutely observed novel that's equally perfect for avid Stevens fans and new readers. Absolutely thrilling!

Louie Stowell

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Robin Stevens shares her number one piece of advice for aspiring authors

We talked with author Robin Stevens about her new book, The Ministry of Unladylike Activity.