The Ministry of Unladylike Activity

Book excerpt: The start of a thrilling new World War Two mystery series from the number-one-bestselling and multi-award-winning author of Murder Most Unladylike. 'Robin Stevens is Agatha Christie for children' - Katherine Rundell on the Murder Most Unladylike series 'Superb' - Observer 'Absolutely thrilling' - Louie Stowell 1940. The world 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 . . . Join May, Eric and Nuala in the first unputdownable book in a fast-paced, mysterious and adventurous new series from million-copy-bestseller, Robin Stevens.