Ministry of Unladylike Activity

by Robin Stevens

1940\. Britain 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...**

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?