Premeditated Myrtle
“Maybe I couldn't call for an inquest, but I certainly found
Miss Wodehouse’s death suspicious.”
Myrtle Hardcastle is a twelve-year-old with an obsession with criminal science and a passion for justice. With her father’s law books and her mother’s microscope, Myrtle studies toxicology and observes her neighbours in their quiet village of Swineburg.
Though that quiet doesn’t last long when Myrtle’s next-door neighbor, Miss Wodehouse, dies, and Myrtle is sure she’s been murdered. With her levelheaded governess, Miss Ada Judson, Myrtle sets out to prove the crime, and bring Miss Wodehouse’s killer to justice.
This site earns commissions on purchases made through the following links:
Elizabeth C. Bunce
Algonquin
355 Pages
The theme of this book is taking matters into one's own hands, and not letting what other people think distract you from your own opinions.
This book is a work of historical fiction, and while the exact time period is not stated, it is most likely the early 1900s. It takes place in a quiet English village called Swineburg, the adventure bringing the reader and main character across the village.
The characters in the book are unique and likeable, with Myrtle’s curiosity and drive for justice and Miss Judson’s calm and patient demeanour. Myrtle may not be accurately written for her age, as she seems more involved and eager to solve real crime than other twelve-year olds are.
This book contains mentions of violence, poisons, and death.
I enjoyed reading this suspenseful book, and can’t wait to read the next in the series. It was fun solving mysteries alongside Myrtle in this quick-paced adventure, and the twists and turns made it almost impossible for the reader to predict. I enjoyed the combination of Myrtle's occasionally hardheaded passion and Miss Judson’s collected curiosity.
People who enjoyed reading Premeditated Myrtle may also enjoy The School for Whatnots, another book filled with mystery.
