Scan barcode
A review by annettebooksofhopeanddreams
Death in the Spotlight by Robin Stevens
4.0
I actually wanted to start this newest adventure of Hazel and Daisy yesterday already, but I decided that this would be an amazing read for a lazy Sunday afternoon after a long day and a short night. The last book in this series took us to Hong Kong and both characters grew and learn quite a lot over there. I was therefore curious to see how much of those changes would still be present in this book, back in London, England.
I was happy to see that especially Hazel, who've crawled a little out of her shell in her home country, clearly brought her character growth with her. She was still basking in the shadow of Daisy, but at times she showed that she was bolder and willing to take risks she previously wouldn't have taken. And the author did a brilliant job making it possible for Hazel to also step into the light in this book by having Daisy falling prey to the flu.
Stevens also did an amazing job describing the atmosphere behind the scenes in the theatre. I've done some backstage tours in old theaters and she really managed to capture the kind of labyrinth those buildings are and the many hidden nooks. On top of that she also incorporated the rivalry on stage, but also the pressure on actors and actresses and the discrimination people of color face in the theatre when, especially the more traditional, roles are cast.
I think that's in general one of the strengths of this series. The cases are gripping, but the author doesn't shy away from including the ugly parts of history, especially at this time with the second world war being just around the corner. Just like I still feel like Hazel and Daisy are growing and learning during every case and luckily they also grow into way better friends. Daisy still has a few steps to make concerning their friendship, but I don't doubt she'll get there!
I was happy to see that especially Hazel, who've crawled a little out of her shell in her home country, clearly brought her character growth with her. She was still basking in the shadow of Daisy, but at times she showed that she was bolder and willing to take risks she previously wouldn't have taken. And the author did a brilliant job making it possible for Hazel to also step into the light in this book by having Daisy falling prey to the flu.
Stevens also did an amazing job describing the atmosphere behind the scenes in the theatre. I've done some backstage tours in old theaters and she really managed to capture the kind of labyrinth those buildings are and the many hidden nooks. On top of that she also incorporated the rivalry on stage, but also the pressure on actors and actresses and the discrimination people of color face in the theatre when, especially the more traditional, roles are cast.
I think that's in general one of the strengths of this series. The cases are gripping, but the author doesn't shy away from including the ugly parts of history, especially at this time with the second world war being just around the corner. Just like I still feel like Hazel and Daisy are growing and learning during every case and luckily they also grow into way better friends. Daisy still has a few steps to make concerning their friendship, but I don't doubt she'll get there!