This was purchased for me as a Christmas gift and I read it in one day, I love a murder mystery or any book than can keep me second guessing. The issue I had with this was the book was not aimed for my age (25+), I haven't marked the rating down because of this as I know if I had read this when I was younger it would be one of the books that follows me around for my life as I would have been unable to part with it. The story follows Hazel and Daisy, the founding members of the Detective Society, who go to visit Cambridge for the Christmas break and end up trying to solve a weird series of unfortunate events of a student there which ends up with a murder. There is nothing too scandalous in this that may terrify younger readers and I think they would rather enjoy trying to figure out how this tale will end throughout the novel. Worth a read if you are or know a younger reader who likes mystery books.

I saw these books in Waterstonesand I immediately grabbed the book. I read the blurb and bought it for my daughter. She came home happily and was holding an other book that I had given her money for and it was another book of the series! It turns out she got a signed copy! Great book, interesting and my daughter just reads it. She won't even eat!

I really loved this book, it had a good blend of suspense and action with lots of surprises along the way. The characters have a nice amount of depth and the whole murder itself has a great degree of subtlety. I thoroughly enjoyed this; especially seeing many more teenage emotions from the younger characters such as Hazel and Alexander. However, that being said, there isn't very much mistletoe "action", the actual romance is pretty minimal.

The cozy fun murder mystery vibes(that sounds so wrong lol)are back with this 1! This was so great. Another location, visiting a family member at college at the women’s & mens college in Cambridge. We also get to visit with 1 “colleague” from the Orient Express (Alexander), & are introduced to his detective partner (George). I loved George’s character so much. Not only has Daisy met her match in this male version basically of herself lol, I love what he did for Hazel..without even realizing it probably. Not being “English”(that’s how it is said in the book) like Hazel, he has a more confident, defiant, proud approach to it that’s she has in the past when treated differently just for being from another country. As an example, there’s a part where a racist bigot is unhappy/angry that there are basically 4 non-English people in his presence/at his school, & he stares(going to quote book now):”rather accusingly, as though it was unreasonable of us all to be alive, & so close to each other. I felt embarrassed, as though I had made a mistake without noticing it - like eating with the wrong fork, or wearing the wrong sort of hat. Then I saw George's chin tip up again, & remembered that I had made no mistake at all. It really is not rude to exist, whatever anyone else says.” That’s my girl Hazel! There are even more examples throughout where George helps Hazel on this journey of hers of loving who she is, & where she comes from. It’s something to be dang proud of, cause Hazel rocks. She proves the effect George has had on her, & how much she rocks yet again when even though there’s a Chinese boy there she knows from home that she doesn’t like that much, & is 1 of the suspects -but she knows because he’s not English, once he’s accused, if they accuse him, there’s no taking it back. He won’t be listened to properly, or be able to defend himself. This is also set at Christmas time, so there’s even more added atmosphere with the holiday & the snow on top of the usual already amazing atmosphere the author creates. I had no idea whodunnit, & kept going back & forth-none being who actually dunnit lol. Daisy & Hazel’s friendship is so on point in this 1. I was so proud of Daisy too! She finally gave Hazel credit for figuring out the big break in the case! Lol & when Hazel is afraid a boy she likes will laugh if he knew, & Daisy says, “‘Why ever should he laugh?' asked Daisy, her face surprised. ‘You're Hazel. You're the best person I know. Don't I keep telling you so?’” My heart! That’s a lot from Daisy. You come to understand that’s just her, she doesn’t understand people on a feelings level, or emotions like that. I’ve actually grown quite fond of her. Still having the best time! Highly recommend! As usual, I read the BEAUTIFUL UK edition with cover by Nina Tara, but I also have the BEAUTIFUL US edition with cover by Elizabeth Baddeley.

Misteltoe and Murder is the Cambridge Christmas Murder Most Unladylike mystery, and one of the best in the series so far. Daisy & Hazel visit Daisy's brother Bertie for Christmas as he "studies" at Cambridge University. True to form, the girls sense secrets and trouble from the start of their visit; especially in the tense relationship between an heir and his younger, prank-loving brother. As accidents start to occur, Alexander Arcady, and his friend George Mukherjee, aka the Junior Pinkertons, confirm the girl's concerns, and there's a race to investigate the case of an heir in peril. However, all is not as it seems. And, when an unexpected tragedy strikes, the detectives team up to investigate. Obviously, the idea of a mystery set at Cambridge university is irresistible to me; especially when Daisy is reading Gaudy Night on the train. I love mysteries set in the colleges, and enjoyed seeing all the background to student life like the parties and the secret climbing club in this book. And the Christmas season adds an extra touch of glamour to the old city setting. What I think makes this particular Cambridge mystery so interesting though is the social detail Robin Stevens choses to focus on. She introduces issues like women's career prospects, and the state of female education at Cambridge. The series has always touched on the racism that Hazel has experienced and, with the introduction of George Mukherjee, and Alfred Cheng, Stevens is able to expand the representation of Asian and British-Asian experiences in the British, elite education system. And this book also doesn't shy away from the idea that characters we like can be complicit in prejudice - both Daisy and Bertie are incapable of confronting racism, and Bertie exploits a female student's need for money. It's great to see a historical mystery series that just keeps getting more invested in representing history as the diverse place that it was, and to honestly represent some of the social issues the heroines face more and more as they grow up.