How to Get Away with Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery# 2)

Each new revelation builds upon the prior discovery until the tense, wonderfully eerie climax on a ramshackle amusement pier. The sleuthing is heartwarming and funny, featuring strong women and girls, packed with characters who genuinely care about each other. A delightful heroine and an exciting mystery.

Bunce fully utilizes the story's classic mystery settings (the train, a grand hotel full of unusual guests, and a small town of memorable characters) as she spiritedly chucks red herrings at readers and Myrtle alike. Humor and wit make the narrative sparkle, and, happily, Myrtle is as irrepressible as ever.

Gr 5-8--Twelve-year-old criminologist Myrtle Hardcastle deeply resents being "banished" by her father to an English seaside town instead of being allowed to attend a forensics conference with him in Paris. The year is 1893 and young girls may be expected to become "Young Ladies of Quality," but Myrtle plans to pursue investigating. She is beyond delighted when a female investigator befriends her on the train, just in time for a priceless tiara to be stolen! When someone turns up dead and Myrtle's aunt is charged with the murder, Myrtle has no choice but to solve the case. Who stole the tiara and murdered Mrs. Bloom? Can Myrtle find out before Aunt Helena is shipped off to trial? Readers who enjoyed Premeditated Myrtle will rejoice in this second installment featuring the plucky protagonist, her beautiful and multitalented governess Miss Judson, Peony the cat, and a whole new cast of strong female characters. References to Scotland Yard and investigative techniques will delight young Sherlock Holmes aficionados. The advanced vocabulary will send even the most sesquipedalian readers scurrying to the dictionary. The descriptions of murder may be a touch heavy for some. VERDICT This deeply plotted sequel is an additional purchase for collections serving the most precocious readers who long for a fast-paced mystery where women shine.--Emily Beasley, Omaha Public Sch., NE

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Praise for Premeditated Myrtle:

A 2021 Edgar Award Nominee, Best Juvenile
A BookPage Best Book of 2020: Middle Grade
A Mighty Girl's 2020 Books of the Year

"A joyful thing to behold. Set in Victorian England, this mystery gleefully overturns sexist norms and celebrates independent women of intellect, with Myrtle Hardcastle leading the charge."
—Booklist, starred review

"Bunce crafts a truly captivating murder mystery, throwing in a delicious mix of twists, red herrings, and relatives excluded from the family fortune. Myrtle is an entertaining protagonist, not afraid to get her hands dirty, sneak into mansions after dark to find a clue, or call out sexism of men toward her scientific interests or the racism toward her governess. The book will make readers yearn for more of Myrtle's (mis)adventures."
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A saucy, likable heroine shines in a mystery marked by clever, unexpected twists."
—Kirkus Reviews

"[A] clever and lively Victorian English village murder mystery... Bunce does an excellent job of making Myrtle the lead actor but gives her a strong set of (mostly female) supporters."
—The Horn Book

"In the tradition of heroines like Flavia de Luce and Harriet the Spy, Myrtle is a fine example of the Victorian scientific female-smart, inquisitive and fearless. Written with a terrific mixture of humor and suspense, Premeditated Myrtle is a perfect read for any budding detective."
—Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Her Royal Spyness series