Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity - a Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery #5

Well, it appears with the fifth Myrtle Hardcastle, another great series has come to an end.  It is always disappointing to be reading and thoroughly enjoying a well-written series, only to buy and read a book and discover by the end of the story that you have reached not only the end of the book, but the end of the series!  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, the Devil Quick mysteries, Aggie Morton Mystery Queen, the Curious Cat Spy Club, and so many others.  Now, I guess, I can add the Myrtle Hardcastle mysteries to this ever-growing list of finite series that has reached its conclusion.  Which is a real shame, as Elizabeth C. Bunce has given readers a truly wonderful young sleuth with Myrtle and her governess, Miss Judson, and while the ending to this story provides readers with a payoff that has been building since the first book, it still leaves the reader wanting for more!

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity takes Myrtle, her cat Peony, and the Hardcastles' cook on a trip with Miss Judson to a Scottish isle where the young governess has unexpected inherited an estate from an uncle she did not even know she had.  An estate that consists of a lonely, isolated castle on an island with very limited access by boat.  A castle that is home to Jessie Craig, the mistress of the hounds of Rockfforde Hall; Jessie grandmother Mrs. Catriona Craig, the head housekeeper of Rockfforde Hall; young Muriel, the skittish and superstitious maid; Dougal Alastair Manro (a/k/a "Mac"), Mrs. Craig's grandson and all-around handyman for Rockfforde Hall; and, oh yes, lest we forget, there is also the Grey Lady, otherwise known as the ghost that haunts the halls of the great manor!  Jessie and her grandmother are none too happy that the English crew have invaded their territory, and it is clear there is more to their animosity than simply cultural differences.  One of those happens to be the missing treasure - the Brooch o' Clan MacJudd, which could restore the family's heritage and set things right.  But the brooch has been missing for many decades, and with the condition of the castle and its grounds, it seems selling the property to a fishing company on the mainland might be the only way to go.  It's what the family attorney is pressing for.  It's what the overly friendly Lt. Smoot is encouraging the to do.  But it is exactly what the Craigs do not want to see happen.  And last, but not least, there's the question of whether Augustus Horatio MacJudd (Miss Judson's uncle) died of natural causes or was murdered.  Everything is in place for a fantastic gothic mystery!

Bunce creates a number of stressful situations for poor Myrtle in this book.  First, she must not forget her father's request to make sure Miss Judson does not become too attached to Scotland, as he wants her to come back home (perhaps something to do with the ring he has in that small box in his desk drawer?).  Second, she is determined to find out the truth behind Augustus MacJudd's death, which will not be easy with everyone in the house so distrusting.  Third, she is reluctant to admit that the strange noises, the eerie moans, and the glowing lights throughout the dark house are leaving her very unsettled.  Fourth, with no indoor plumbing whatsoever, she is appalled at the thought of having to use a chamber pot for ... well, you know.  And fifth, and probably most important, she must uncover the identity of the person or persons who killed the family's attorney!  Yes, a body turns up in the dried out fountain in front of the house, and with all the boats gone and no way off the island, and with no phone service to call for the police, Myrtle realizes they are quite possibly trapped with a killer in their midst!

There are any number of suspects, including a neighbor they have not seen, yet who has no problems setting traps in the woods to kill the innocent wildlife - would he also kill a man?  There is the enigmatic Lt. Smoot, who seems to appear just after any sign of trouble, and who disappears without a trace thereafter.  There is also the unseen Mr. Balfour, who is believed to have taken off shortly after MacJudd died; yet, did he really leave the island, or is he merely hiding, hoping to stake his own claim to the missing treasure?  And is Jessie truly without guilt - would she kill in order to take her believed rightful place as the heir to Augustus MacJudd?  And what life-changing secrets is Mrs. Craig keeping from everyone under that gruff exterior?  And, of course, there's Mac, who has the strength of several men and could easily end one's life if he so chose.  And who is the mysterious stranger that is hiding in the upper rooms of the house?

Such a wonderful mystery, so perfectly written, and so grandly filled with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.  Sure, this is a children's mystery, but the plot is definitely worthy of some of the top mystery writers of our time, including Agatha Christie herself!  I was so caught up in the story that I did not want to put it down until I was finished.

There were a couple of things that did catch my eye as I was reading, though.  On page 4, there is what appears to be a typographical error where Bunce is describing Mr. Hardcastle's latest client:  "Viscountess Snowcroft, was the source of more work than he could handle on hwwis own..." (p. 4).  "Hwwis"???  Not sure where the two w's come from, and while some of the Scottish words in the story have double letters, I do not thing this was an intentional spelling.  The second item is not an error, but more the smile that came to my face when I read the name of one of the witnesses to Augustus MacJudd's new will he made out right before he did.  Alan Balfour was the first witness, and the second was a man by the name of Dr. Paul McGann.  I mean, seriously - the fact that Bunce even specified him as a "Doctor" clearly defines this as an obvious nod to the eighth actor to play the time-traveling doctor of the famous British television show.  Doctor who, you ask?  Exactly!

I suppose if the series had to come to an end, this was definitely a powerful way to bring it to conclusion.  It just seems a shame to end Myrtle Hardcastle's sleuthing career, when she's only had five opportunities to show just how clever she is when it comes to solving crimes.  But, alas, as it plainly says on the last page of the story:  "Finis."   (Then again...)  Hope springs eternal!

RATING:  10 sgian dubhs out of 10 for a wonderfully gothic-filled mystery with secret passages, bumps in the night, and all the elements needed to make a superb story!