User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
A missing tiara. Murder on a train. Aunt Helena arrested. Myrtle Hardcastle has to summon all the Exceptional Forbearance she can so she and Mrs. Judson can follow the clues and catch a killer. Along the way they explore a rickety old pier, do some beachcombing, avoid a local Duck Gang, and do some major fishing for evidence. The red herrings are hopping out of the sea left and right. And what if the murderer and thief are not one and the same? And I can't forget to mention her the intrepid Peony, the wonder cat who loves to travel and accompanies Myrtle hither and yon during the investigatoin. This is such a clever and engaging series. Myrtle's sassy asides to the reader make us all feel like we are on her team. The excepts from
Hardcastle's Practical Travel Companion at the beginning of each chapter give a tongue-in-cheek preview to the content ahead. This would be an enjoyable book for a mystery-loving parent, teacher, or caregiver to read with a budding mystery-loving kid. Can't wait to move on to Cold-Blooded Myrtle -- waiting for me on my Kindle. Hurray!
Rating: really liked it
Oh Myrtle, Myrtle, Myrtle.
She just keeps finding herself smack in the middle of a crime scene. What’s a smart, bored Young Lady of Quality stranded in a washed-up carnival town to do but follow the evidence to find out which of her fellow travelers is a thief and a murderer? This sequel was so much fun.
Writing/Humor: ★★★★
Pacing: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Mystery: ★★★★
This sequel to the Myrtle Hardcastle mysteries was even more fun than the first one, and to be honest could be read first—up to you as the reader!
Myrtle is such a great character.
Stuck in a time period where girls and women are usually confined to oppressive and restricted roles, Myrtle shucks tradition and decides to pursue her true passion: crime and science. In this latest installment,
things have seriously gone awry. Myrtle, her terrible Aunt Helena, her governess, and their cat, Peony, have all gone on a train trip to a far away seaside town.
The last thing they expect to discover is a dead body on the train—pierced by Aunt Helena's own shears. Can Myrtle solve the case and get to the bottom of it before it's too late?
Ah!
There's something so special about discovering a middle grade series that holds up for us adults, too. Not that there is any expectation for a book to do so—if it's middle grade, the MOST important thing is that is should resonate with its young audience. But isn't it nice when a book crosses those age boundaries and becomes something for all?
That's what I would say this series excels at doing.
Myrtle Hardcastle might be a 12 year old (with young moods and opinions) but her humor and situations appeal to all audiences. I loved watching Myrtle get to the bottom of the case in this one, too, and couldn't get enough of her adventures with Peony and the gang.
You go, Myrtle!
Thank you to Algonquin for my copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.Blog | Instagram
Rating: really liked it
I loved this book just as much as the 1st!! I’m addicted to these characters! Literally have become my perfect MG detective mystery story. Myrtle is still so amazing, smart, brave, determined, loyal, & just the best detective ever. Myrtle, Miss Judson, & the “horrible” Aunt Helena go on holiday. Her father wants her to get as far away from things to do w/murder after her last “case”. Little did he know he was sending her & the others right into another one! Lol Everything happens on a train, & then they stay at this little town that has its own little mystery/tragedy. Peony the cat is in this 1 even more, & I love that cat so much lol she’s definitely a special cat. I love it when she “talks” too! Even the little details like that all add up to the perfection of these books. We also see “Stephen”(if you’ve read them, you know who this is lol), & I was so happy! He is hilarious!! & so smart! Myrtle gets a friend her age that helps a little in this too(Clive) & I loved that friendship. There were quite a few twists, & I was quite surprised by them-loved them. This was such a humorous, fun detective mystery. This 1 also has the * after certain words, w/a Myrtle description at the bottom of the page. Lol still adore that. Highly recommend these books!! I can’t wait until the 3rd comes out! I selfishly hope that there will be even more after that one. 💜💜
Synopsis of 1st book: Twelve-year-old Myrtle Hardcastle has a passion for justice and a Highly Unconventional obsession with criminal science. Armed with her father’s law books and her mum’s microscope, Myrtle studies toxicology, keeps abreast of the latest developments in crime scene analysis, and Observes her neighbors in the quiet village of Swinburne, England.
When her next-door neighbor, a wealthy spinster and eccentric breeder of rare flowers, dies under Mysterious Circumstances, Myrtle seizes her chance. With her unflappable governess, Miss Ada Judson, by her side, Myrtle takes it upon herself to prove Miss Wodehouse was murdered and find the killer, even if nobody else believes her — not even her father, the town prosecutor.
Rating: really liked it
Myrtle is traveling by train for a holiday at the seaside, when a priceless tiara is stolen and one of the train passengers is murdered. The local police are incompetent, and only Myrtle and her irrepressible governess, Miss Judson, can solve the case and bring justice to the murderer. But how is a Proper Young Lady supposed to adhere to the Rules of Etiquette AND have the freedom to run around the beach solving crimes? Especially with mean Aunt Helena criticizing her every move.
I cannot describe how much I loved this second book in the Myrtle series!
One of the things that made me fall in love with this book is the incredible character development. I love how the main characters change their minds, discover new information, grow in their personalities and abilities, and suddenly realize that their relationships with other characters can be different.
I was fully invested in the character growth and the story from the very first page. The writing drew me in, and emotionally hooked me into the lives of the characters. Myrtle herself is a fantastic main heroine. She is energetic and emotional and incredibly intelligent. I absolutely adored her strong relationship with Miss Judson, and her evolving relationship with her Aunt Helena.
I was massively curious about every clue. I couldn't wait to read the next chapter and the next! I wanted to see how all the disparate clues could possibly come together to a rational conclusion. I was so pleased with the complexity of the mystery, and yet it all made sense in the end with everything explained and every loose end wrapped neatly in a bow. At one point, I thought that I had figured out who the murderer was, but I was completely wrong! I was genuinely surprised at the ending.
The secondary characters are wonderful as well, with the townspeople, train staff, hotel clerks, and local fishermen all playing their part. The setting of the beach, the hotel, the pier, and the ships all give a creepy or homey atmosphere to the story that adds so much to the action of each scene.
One of the things I really loved was how the history of the town was a big part of unraveling the murder mystery. Myrtle had to find out about the past in order to understand what was happening in the present, and it gave the story so much depth. Brilliant writing!
Another nice feature of this book is the gorgeous cover art, which gives little clues to the contents of the book with scissors, the pier, and a cat on the beach. All these things feature strongly in the plot, and I love how the artwork incorporates them.
I wish I could give this book 10 stars, and I look forward with extreme eagerness for the next books in the series!
Update: I forgot to mention how humorous the writing is! There is a lot of witty dialogue, funny aside comments to the reader, a jovial and charming solicitor, and these crazy ducks that terrorize the streets. It’s hilarious and wonderful!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.
Rating: really liked it
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
In How to get away with Myrtle (book 2 of the series), Myrtle and her governess and great aunt are going by train to a holiday destination by the sea. When on board the train a sudden disappearance of an expensive tiara sends Myrtle on another mystery. Not long after the tiara goes missing there is a murder and Myrtle gets thrust into discovering both crimes. When her aunt is arrested Myrtle knows she must do all she can to prove her innocence.
This book was yet again a book I couldn't put down. I did guess who the thief was about half way through but didn't piece other pieces of the puzzle together until the end.
This is a great adventure and mystery series that I cannot wait to read more of!
Rating: really liked it
I enjoyed the first Myrtle book, but this sequel was even better. Since the series world-building and early character development were out of the way, this book could be faster-paced, and it has a delightful twisty mystery. Even though this is a great book for its target middle grade readers, this will also appeal to teenagers and adults who are interested in historic mysteries and strong, iconoclastic female protagonists.
This book has everything. The setting is wonderfully vivid, and once again, the story provides convincing reasons for a twelve-year-old girl to get involved in a criminal investigation. I also appreciate how Myrtle, her aunt, and Miss Judson discuss the previous events, and are on their seaside holiday because the adults in Myrtle's life want to distract her from the recent murder that she solved. Books like these can often stretch credulity by putting their characters into similar situations again and again without dealing with the logistics of this, but this book makes it convincing.
The cast of characters is engaging and memorable, and even though I was able to accurately predict some aspects of the ending, other twists took me completely by surprise, and the main subplot mystery was also top-notch, providing a separate mystery thread while also tying into the main story. It fascinated me to see how well the author was able to place her red herrings, weave her mystery, and make person after person seem totally suspicious. This is very well-crafted, and the pacing is excellent. I read this over two nights, and didn't want to tear myself away.
The historical time period is also well-researched and convincing, and the author's inclusion of dialect worked well because it was both accurate and consistent, which are both difficult things to achieve. It gave a sense of the time and place without overwhelming the dialogue or distracting me. The author also writes with a strong awareness of what it was like for a Young Lady of Quality to live in a world that expected her to be prim, proper, and sheltered from all things exciting, interesting, or unpleasant. This book delved into these themes even more than the first, but I won't go into detail about this, because it would give away aspects of the story.
Myrtle is an excellent heroine, and this book is wonderful. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries, regardless of their age, and will eagerly look forward to new installments. There is no release date for the third book yet, but according to the back of this book, it shall be entitled
Cold Blooded Myrtle. I'm sure it will be another fantastic mystery novel to look forward to. In the meantime, if someone has enjoyed this and is looking for a read-alike, I would recommend the Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens, and Julie Berry's
The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place.I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
In Volume Two, what starts as Myrtle Hardcastle getting to assist "a real Investigator in the search for a jewel thief!" quickly escalates into Myrtle Hardcastle attempting to solve the crime of a murder!
In this story, Myrtle, Miss Judson (governess), and Aunt Helena are heading down the train tracks to go on holiday. Even Peony the cat has gotten packed into the luggage, ready for some relaxation and vacation. Suffice it to say, by chapter 5, the situation becomes Extremely Interesting. When the police handcuffs come out, they're being slapped onto the wrists of one of Myrtle's own inner circle. Gasp!
The larger-than-life settings and atmosphere, alongside the immensely colorful characters, make the story jump to life in my head like a movie. It will capture the attention of even the most reluctant readers out there.
Myrtle's life seems to me that it must be similar to a young Agatha Christie's (fictionalized) life. The other girls back home don't call her "Morbid Myrtle" for nothing.
Many times sprinkled throughout the book I'll just happen to find a wonderful turn of phrase that will make me simply stop and smile (both inwardly and outwardly) at the wittiness of it... and it keeps happening, extending my pleasure of the story itself.
For fans of Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, and Flavia de Luce. Ages 9 to Adult (it has such an amazing and interesting plot, anyone could enjoy it.)
Rating: really liked it
In How to Get Away with Myrtle, while on a train headed to a vacation she doesn't want to participate in, Myrtle finds herself surrounded with the mysteries of a jewel theft and a murder! And her Aunt Helena is somehow involved! She makes it her mission to uncover the truth.
Myrtle is the ultimate combination of well mannered and willing to bend the rules. Her dialogue with herself and the other characters is sharp and witty while never being unkind. Aiming to find truth, Myrtle has to deal with some difficult realities along the way. But she always comes around to handling them with logic and grace.
Bethan Rose Young's narration is excellent and she deserves some kind of award for voicing Peony the Cat and her various exclamations. I also loved how the footnotes from Myrtle about different items were put into the story with the perfect inflection.
Rating: really liked it
I'm going to repeat all the former comments before me, of "wonderful book", and, "the plot was amazingly good!" because they are 100% true.
Sherlock and Agatha Christy fans can find these books the perfect "breaking in" for their children's journey in mystery's, or just their own wonderful late night reading.
Why is no one mentioning Blakely, though? Wasn't he superb?! And the murderous ducks!!
Rating: really liked it
I would have loved this as a kid! With such a sassy, smart, and determined heroine and Lemony Snicket vibes, I couldn't ask for anything more. Myrtle is an inspiration to young girls everywhere and what adventures she finds herself on! Can't wait for the next one.
Rating: really liked it
I love Myrtle!! The second in the series does not disappoint. Elizabeth Bunce continues to write intriguing characters who draw in the reader.
Even though this is categorized as young reader, I think anyone who loves Alan Bradley's Flavia series will find a similar enjoyment.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you to Edelweiss+ to have given me a free arc for an honest Review
I got a lot of the orientexpress and Sherlock holmes murder mystery vibes from this, but written in a juvenile style. This is the second book about Myrtle and The first one will be realesed on the same date as this one so i havent had the chance to read it yet. But I loved this one. Im not saying that considering i was given a free arc on this book. Im a very picky reader, ESPECIALLY when i hear someone talk about Sherlock holmes.
But i found this to be very witty and funny. Myrtle had a way of making things intresting and a way to explain the surrounding that made me want to read more. I also loved that it was set in the victorian time and that she, as a lady, wasnt allowed to have a job or an intrest in murder mysteries.
I dont know what i would do if i was only allowed to be a good looking piece in a room. I was made to be pretty like a doll but not speak and not work. It would sound like the most boring life ever. Myrtle do what she truly wants and what she is passionet about even if she sometimes takes a step back to make others in her surrounding happier.
I could recommend this book to adults just as much as Children. I sat smiling through most of the book and i found it very entertaining and not at all childish.
At this Point i want to read more about myrtle and will make sure to get my hands on the other book.
Read more at: https://elinsera.com/2020/07/10/how-t...
Rating: really liked it
A delightful read, like Murder on the Orient Express for twelve year olds. Funny, smartly written, perfectly paced and craftily full of well placed clues.
“He gave me a familiar look. ‘Anybody ever tell you you’re morbid?’
I almost smiled. ‘Frequently.’”
Just the right amount of morbid fascination, Victorian science and delightful eloquence makes Myrtle a loveable protagonist.
Rating: really liked it
Just as delightful as the first book. I cannot wait for the next one!!
Rating: really liked it
This was so much fun!! I am so glad there will be a third book in the series.
