It's funny to think that I willingly paid money for someone to rip out my heart with this book.

Daisy & Hazel's final adventure is just as good as their other ones — gripping, exciting, and utterly immersive. Even though I pretty much figured out or had very near-correct guesses for the twists and murderers, the entire how-did-they-do-it kept me hooked, as did wanting to read more and more about Daisy and Hazel's adventures in Egypt.

Plus, all the additional Detective Society members — Amina, May, and Rose and the Junior Pinkertons + my faves made for a lovely ensemble. Super happy about all those kisses, antics, and detective collaborations.

As usual, Stevens did a phenomenal job of respecting new cultures and making sure we knew "little girls" were just as (and sometimes better) than adults.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes and you know I like them a lot bc I'm typing them all out by hand because my copy is a paperback.

"Wong Fung Ying, I'm saying this now. Things had better not just happen to you on this holiday." — LOL you gotta love Mr Wong's blind optimism but kudos to him for treating Hazel with the respect and trust she deserved in this book.

"I felt half exasperated and half — well, the way George always makes me feel, as though he has expanded my mind in a direction I'm not entirely grateful for." — I feel you, Hazel. Being aware of the shitty pasts and problematic aspects of beautiful things, esp art, is hella annoying.

Finally, the best quote in this book, possibly this entire series:

"And what's wrong with being a little girl? Hatsheput was twelve when she became queen of Egypt."
"I expect people complained about her too."
"I expect she chopped off their heads," said Daisy calmly. "Never underestimate a young woman, Mr Miller."

Detective Society Forever.

What an incredible read, I have adored this series from the start and the ending was no exception. Can not wait for her next books

Great characters and lots of respectful Agatha Christie references made this a really good read (even for a grown up) and I am now going to have to make time to read the previous eight volumes! And for anyone who has read the whole series there are new adventures planned featuring Hazel's irrepressible little sister May. I would recommend this book to readers from eight or nine upwards (there are, obviously, references to violent events as well as blossoming relationships but nothing graphic in either case).

I put reading this one off for a while knowing it was the last one in the series.
Really enjoyed it and did not disappoint.
I am going to have read the series all over again as I am missing the detective duo and investigations.

"Magic might not be real, but murderers certainly are. And murderers do not tend to stop until someone stops them."

Death Sets Sail is the perfect way to say goodbye to the Murder Most Unladylike series -- and to Daisy and Hazel. An ode to Poirot, the mystery will have readers hooked until the very end -- and it's the perfect way to step-up what Stevens is working on next.

I am so sad this series is now over -- I've been reading it for years. But what a way to go! I was wondering how the last novel could round everything off, conscious of the rumour that one of the girls would not survive this Egyptian case. It's a stunning conclusion, bringing overarching subplots and character arcs to a fitting conclusion, while Robin Stevens weaves a satisfying murder mystery as usual. With about forty pages to go, it hit me that this was the end, and I felt so gutted! I'm going to miss Daisy and Hazel so much, but am so pleased Hazel's sister, May, gets her own series that starts in WWII.

Reader, I sobbed.

What a finale. I’m going to miss these girls endlessly, but what an adventure to end on. Murder, first love, secrets, betrayal, death and everything in between. Hazel and Daisy have been a highlight of my reading year for a very long time and they'll stay with me always, I'm sure. I’m excited about May’s adventures in Robin Stevens’ new series in 2022.

This is the first Murder Most Unladylike title I've read, although it's the final one in the series. Jumping into a series at the end isn't ideal, but it didn't stop me enjoying the story, which rattles along most satisfactorily. Daisy, and especially Hazel, are likeable and immensely resourceful characters, and the lively plot is underpinned with a solid emotional base.
I'll definitely be encouraging young readers of both sexes to read this series, and the new one featuring Hazel's younger sisters, which I think is forthcoming...

I read Death Sets Sail in one sitting and when I had finished it I could form a single coherent sentence about it- past I LOVE IT.
It broke my heart. It patched it back together too, but Wells and Wong are forever changed and will never be the same set of schoolgirl detectives. It was witty and charming and clever and we even got a queer kiss! It is the perfect 21st century homage to Death on the Nile, taking all the essence of Christie and none of the 30s bigotry. It's the perfect ending to a brilliant series and I'm so excited to see what Robin does next.

A suitably thrilling and mysterious final book in the Murder Most Unladylike series, with the perfect amount of character development to bring Daisy and Hazel's stories to a conclusion. Death Sets Sail allows for more Agatha Christie allusion, with chapter headings taken from her book titles, while the closing events echo another titan of mystery writing, Arthur Conan Doyle. The highlight, however, is the proper introduction to Hazel's little sister, May Wong, a delightfully cheeky and bright little girl and whose adventures in Stevens' new series I can't wait to read.

*WARNING: Buy tissues before starting this book!*

I was in NO way ready for this series to end, and yet it ended on the best book yet!

Robin Stevens created such a clever final murder for the girls to solve whilst, as always, making the characters seem so real at the same time.

I am still crying and struggling to form coherent thoughts so for now all I have to say is:
Detective Society Forever

Back to Death Sets Sail! I was SO thrilled to get an early copy of this and it didn’t disappoint at all – it had everything you could possibly wish for in a series finale, and more!

This book sees Daisy and Hazel spending their school holidays with new friend, Amina, in Egypt on a cruise down the Nile.

Now, I haven’t read any Agatha Christie, but I know Robin is a big fan and that this is at least in part something of a tribute to Christie’s Death on the Nile, so I suspect for those who have read that there’ll be plenty of easter eggs to find.

Regardless of whether or not you get the Death on the Nile references though, this is an absolutely brilliant murder mystery in its own right. As you’d expect if you’ve been following the series.

The setting is richly described and I loved the way its ‘foreign-ness’ took us back to Daisy’s trip to Hong Kong with Hazel in a Spoonful of Murder. Their differing reactions to the mummies (and the offer of a mummified finger or two!) was wonderfully in keeping with their characters and friendship.

I also thought Amina’s annoyance at the misunderstanding, exploitation and downright disrespect of her home and culture was a great point of view to bring to the book.

This (combined with the gloriously ridiculous but believable ‘cult’ The Breath of Life who all believe they are white British reincarnations of Pharaohs) would be a great way into discussing the way the British behaved historically around Egyptian digs, artefacts and their entitlement to them.

But it remains a great read even if you don’t go that deeply into it!

The Breath of Life are an absolutely stellar cast of suspects. Each suspicious and dislikable on their own awful ways and hilarious together – their ritual especially is utterly brilliant to ‘watch’.

Joining Hazel and Daisy on board are Hazel’s father and little sisters. May is just a joy to read – a mischievous, bold future detective in the making, and there’s some wonderfully touching moments between Hazel and her father too.

The Junior Pinkertons, George and Alexander are also booked on the cruise – entirely by coincidence of course and nothing whatsoever to do with Hazel!) and I love that our final Detective Society case is shared with them. Daisy and George’s bickering is as funny as ever, and as for Hazel and Alexander…

As ever there are plenty of red herrings and twists in the solving of the case. I’m always, a bit rubbish at working them out and I definitely didn’t see this one coming!

There is of course one other bloody enormous elephant in the room review for anyone who’s read the blurb – “only one of the Detective Society will make it home alive”! And you’ll get absolutely nothing about that out of me except that it makes for an inspired, emotional and perfectly fitting end to the series.

This was as funny, warm and clever as we’ve come to expect from Robin’s Murder Most Unladylike series. Daisy and Hazel were both on top form, but it was also clear how they’d grown since their first case.

This is a series I love to recommend, enthuse about and discuss with young readers at work and this is an absolute triumph of a finale.

Murder Most Unladylike has been an amazing and enjoyable middle grade mystery series, and I'm sad to see it come to an end. Fortunately, Death Sets Sail does justice to the series and ends it with a complicated murder mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie, which Hazel and Daisy rush to solve - and there's so many of the characters from previous books here, from the Junior Pinkertons to Hazel's family.

As usual, the pace is fast, the suspects are slippery, Daisy demands perfection and everyone gets involved in solving the mystery. It is difficult to go into details without spoiling anything, but it's such a good story - and there's plenty of Egyptian things that Amina teaches to Daisy and Hazel. Pharaohs and famous sites, and of course a notorious river Nile cruise.

I highly recommend Murder Most Unladylike series to everyone - it is one of the best middle grade series at the moment with such a diverse and ever expanding cast of characters and fascinating settings. I'd gladly read even more about Hazel and Daisy's adventures!

I can’t believe we’ve arrived at book nine of Daisy and Hazel’s adventures already, and that this is it. Due in August 2020, I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to read it early...and, boy, is it a treat!
Death Sets Sail really is a homage to Agatha Christie, with the girls taking part on a cruise on the Nile as they are invited on holiday with school friend, Amina. Along with the boys from the Pinkerton Agency, Daisy and Hazel quickly get caught up in the activities surrounding a mysterious group of wealthy individuals who all believe themselves to be reincarnations of Egyptian leaders. When one of their group is murdered, we have a quick confession and everything seems straightforward.
Nothing is ever so simple. The girls - with a little help from Hazel’s amazing little sister who is, most definitely, a voice to watch - are not convinced the sleepwalking murderer story is wholly plausible. With their usual spirited and wholly intuitive approach to detection, Daisy and Hazel are determined to crack the case.
From the outset we’re alerted to a truly shocking fact. This looms large and overshadows every single advance in the investigation. As we moved towards this moment I felt genuine horror that we might actually have to face this, and there would be no last-minute reprieve or a twist we weren’t expecting. When it finally arrived I was a little surprised that we had waited so long and wondered why Stevens had organised things as she did.
Not wanting to spoil anything for anyone reading this I apologise for sounding so cryptic.
So, it really is over. I’ve loved this series and watching the girls develop as characters as they learn about their world. Each book has its charm, but I think this really does go down as my favourite because of the possibilities it leaves open for me to create my own ideas about the future for those involved.

I can't believe this is the last detective society book but oh my goodness, it's a wonderful end to the series. Reading about Daisy and Hazel growing up has been a joy and to see them solve mysteries on top of mysteries was thrilling. I genuinely read the whole book in one sitting and audibly gasped throughout (there might even have been a couple of years).

This ninth and final novel of detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong (sniff, I don’t want it to end) takes place in Egypt which is entirely appropriate when you think of the Agatha Christie inspired section names and where the detectives and their friends spend most of the book. Travelling on the SS Hatshepsut should be a chance to learn history about the country, but when a mysterious group calling themselves the Breath of Life board – a company who believe not only in reincarnation but that they are the living embodiments of famous pharaohs – and their leader is found dead, the Detective Society is thrust into action. But with danger from unexpected sources, who can they trust? I don’t want to give away any of this fab book’s plot but suffice to say, all Detective Society admirers will adore it, absolutely adore it.

I thought I was prepared for the last book in the Wells and Wong series, but I wasn’t! The final instalment was as tightly plotted as all the previous books in the series and I love how Daisy and Hazel have grown as people. The setting was also brilliant here, when our detective societies find themselves on a cruise down the Nile.

A dramatic and action-packed ending to this series. I love the Egyptian setting, and the homage to Agatha Christie. Each one of these books has been a highlight of my reading for the last few years, and I feel very emotional to have reached the end. Though I hold out hope for a continuation of Daisy and Hazel's journey as grown ups.

Spoiler free review.

Death comes to sail is, in many ways, a love letter: to the murdery mystery genre, to agatha christie, to readers, and, most of all, to its heroines. It takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, and I was grateful for the ride.

The mystery itself is probably the best constructed of the series and it really did feel like reading a Golden Age Crime novel - I kept reading well into the night to see what happened and I.did.not.see.it.coming.

Hazel's emotional journey was also fascinating - she's grown up, and whilst she realizes that she /is/ a heroine in her own right with or without Daisy...she /wants/ to be with Daisy. That's such a lovely place to end this series: hazel has found herself, and that allows her to truly choose Daisy. I cry!

A perfect ending to an incredible series full of adventure, intrigue and amazing friendships. Love Wells and Wong!