In Myrtle Peril - a Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery #4

And so we return to the 19th century world of Myrtle Hardcastle with the fourth mystery in the Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery series.  This series has been very enjoyable to read, as author Elizabeth Bunce has crafted some extremely likable characters (some of whom I'd like to see more of!) and writes some intricate mysteries.  Being set in the 19th century, it's also nice to watch the characters go about solving the crimes the old fashioned way - no cell phones, no computers, no internet.  With all the technology of today's world, it's just to easy for the sleuths to become dependent on the tech to do the work for them.  But without it, Myrtle Hardcastle and her governess, Miss Judson, have to depend on their wits, their intuition, and their ingenuity in uncovering and deciphering clues. And that's what keeps this series so much fun to read.

In Myrtle Peril (and, yes, the puns in the titles are also part of the fun) opens with Myrtle facing the fact that her father is going to have to be hospitalized for tonsillitis.  Having lost her mother at such a young age (hmmmm, sound like another girl detective we all know and love, whose father also works in law?), Myrtle is frightened at the prospect of losing her father.  But Miss Judson and the family doctor repeatedly reassure her that he will be fine. But what about her father's latest case - finding out whether Sally Cooke is actually Ethel Snowcroft, the heiress to the Snowcroft fortune.  She was believed lost at sea with her parents years ago, but she has shown up in the care of one Mrs. Dudley, a very prim and proper woman determined to prove to the world that Sally is really Ethel.  The only clues to her identity lie inside the girl's locket - a lock of hair and a faded picture.  But when Mr. Hardcastle is taken away to the hospital for surgery, who is going to uncover the truth about Sally's real identity?  Why, Myrtle Hardcastle, of course!

But where's the murder?  After all, this series is all about young Myrtle and her governess solving murders.  Well, Bunce doesn't keep her readers hanging for long.  The night after his surgery, Mr. Hardcastle is adamant that he witnessed a murder in the hospital - the only problem is, there is no body, no weapon, and no one else saw or heard anything.  The doctor and nurses all insist Myrtle's father was under strong pain medication which made him see things that weren't there.  Even Miss Judson is willing to believe her employer may have only imagined or dreamed it.  But Mytle is not ready to give up on her father.  She may be questioning some things she found in his desk drawer (pamphlets for boarding schools and magazines advertising jewelry!), but if her father says he saw something, then Myrtle things he did.  So, now with two mysteries to solve, Myrtle sets about proving her father was telling the truth and searching for clues that will prove Sally Cooke is really the Snowcroft heir.

Bunce has crafted a well-thought-out mystery with this one - it even had me stumped!  I wavered between two of the potential suspects, but she surprised me with a rather unexpected twist near the end.  And I found it interesting how she keeps poor Myrtle distracted with so many things - her father's health, the boarding school pamphlets, the search for Sally's identity, trying to find out if someone really was murdered, and evading the overly strict and not-so-nice head nurse at the hospital.  And the further she delves into all of these mysteries, the more she begins to make the connections that ultimately lead her to the realization of how they are all connected.  Of course, that doesn't include the plot to have a bomb go off at the hospital's annual charity fundraiser - that's a whole different story unto itself.

Now let's talk about Mr. Blakeney (the solicitor-in-training) and his sister Genie (that pesky reporter who is a thorn in Myrtle's side).  Even though these are only supporting characters, they are so much fun.  I'm glad Bunce manages to wiggle them into her stories, but I would love to see more of them.  Especially Mr. Blakeney, and his quirky little way of always referring to Myrtle as "Stephen" (if you've been reading the series from the beginning, you know why!).  There's always future books!

RATING: 10 missing sketch pads out of 10 for keeping the plots fresh, the mysteries intriguing, and the characters growing!  Always looking forward to the next one!