title: Ministry of Unladylike Activity
text: # Ministry of Unladylike Activity
  
  The Ministry of Unladylike Activity is the first book in a new children's mystery fiction series by British-American author Robin Stevens.
  
  ## Plot
  
  The book is set in 1940, at the start of World War II, and the British government is setting up a secret agency to train spies, called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity. The protagonists are three new detectives from different backgrounds who find themselves caught up in two murders.
  
  ## Reception
  
  The book has won several accolades including:
  
  * Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week
  * Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year 2022
  * One of Waterstones' Best Children's Books of 2022
  * One of the Daily Mail's choice of 2022's children's books
  * One of the Irish Times' children's books of 2022
  * One of the Guardian's best children's books of 2022
  