by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Myrtle Hardcastle solved the murder of her neighbor. The last thing she wants to do now is going on is take a seaside vacation with her Aunt Helena. However, Myrtle has no say in the matter, and so she, Aunt Helena, and Miss Judson board a private train headed to the English seaside.
However, Myrtle doesn’t have to worry about being bored on the train. Right away, Myrtle meets Mrs. Bloom, an insurance investigator on board the train to protect the Northern Lights tiara. And while an insurance investigator is a different type of investigator than Myrtle has always dreamed of being, she and Mrs. Bloom connect right away.
Shortly into the train ride, the priceless tiara is stolen, launching Mrs. Bloom into an investigation with Myrtle right on her heels. But the following morning when the train reaches the village of Eelscombe, Mrs. Bloom is found dead in the baggage car, murdered. To make things worse, Aunt Helena’s scissors are the murder weapon.
Despite Miss Judson’s instances that Myrtle not get involved in the investigation, Myrtle knows that she owes it to Mrs. Bloom to figure out who stole the Northern Lights and solve Mrs. Bloom’s murder. Besides, Myrtle didn’t want to go on this holiday anyways. Having to solve another case will keep the vacation from being boring.
How to Get Away with Myrtle is a fabulous follow up to Premediated Myrtle.
Just like in Premediated Myrtle, Myrtle has a fabulous narrative voice, and her footnotes and breaking of the fourth wall continue into How to Get Away with Myrtle. Her character voice is so fun to read.
Most of the side characters in How to Get Away with Myrtle are new characters, and Bunce does a nice job of developing them. I also loved the reappearance of Mr. Blakeney and how he got to play a part in the plot.
The setting of the story was developed well, giving it the perfect atmosphere of a rustic seaside village.
The mystery, like in the previous novel, is well done, keeping the readers on their toes. I had a hunch about who the culprit was, and I was partially right.
If you enjoyed Premediated Myrtle, you’ll thoroughly How to Get Away with Myrtle.
Cautions: two blasphemies; non-graphic mentions of strangulation, stabbing, and poisoning
Hailey Huntington 