Elizabeth C. Bunce

I loved everything about the book. Myrtle, the 12 year old lead, is inquisitive, persistent, fiercely opinionated and a wonderful role model for MY readers. The Victorian setting is deftly described by the author and not treated as a separate entity, but is skillfully woven into the story's events. The plot which centers on the mysterious death of an elderly neighbour has enough twists to keep readers interested and continually guessing. I especially loved the author's crisp and colorful show more style, her use of verbs to propel each scene forward, and her faithfulness to the science of the day which predates the use of DNA and even conventional fingerprint analysis.

A very satisfying read and a book I'd highly recommend for MY readers. show less

This is one of those books I feel might have been written specifically for me, as a reader! It was such a fun book to read, too. It's got a well-detailed nifty fantasy setting, interesting characters, nice twisty plot, mystery, adventure, magic! Oh, and several different strong female characters! I ate it up. And I want more! This one has really crawled into my heart and stuck with me, too. It's a world and characters I want to go back to. Fortunately there's a sequel on the way, so I can do show more just that. show less

Charlotte Miller and her younger sister Rosie are left in charge of the family’s wool mill when their father unexpectedly passes away. They’ve grown up hearing stories about the cursed mill but Charlotte has always dismissed them. Despite being an underage female heir, she’s determined to keep the mill, and her little village, running. But the Miller family’s bad luck gets worse and worse and Charlotte slowly starts to wonder if there really is a curse. Then one night an odd little show more man shows up in the mill, offering his services in exchange for a sentimental trinket, and Charlotte takes him up on his offer.

I really liked the first half of the book. Charlotte is feisty, if a bit too practical, and she’s creative in addressing the mill’s myriad problems. I wondered how the author was going to weave Rumpelstiltskin into the tale but she did it beautifully. The village of Shearing, like any self-respecting small town, is full of quirky characters. Most of them are just as loyal to Charlotte as she is to them. Everyone works hard and joins in the mill’s every success and setback. Or tries to.

Because Charlotte is ridiculously secretive. It annoyed me so much! She has a large, caring support system but she won’t discuss anything with anyone, much less ask for advice. She is young (maybe 16?) and apparently all the Millers are proud, but so much of the drama in the book could have been avoided if she’d just talked to someone. Her furtiveness gets worse throughout the book until she’s actively pushing everyone near her away. Had the audiobook been even one hour shorter, I don’t think all of this would have bothered me as much.

I largely enjoyed Charlotte Parry’s narration. Her tone perfectly fit the mood of every scene. My one small quibble is that Rosie, Charlotte’s sister, is supposed to be about 14 years old but her high, lisping voice made her sound about seven to me. It was startling when someone mentions that she’s getting to be “of marriageable age.”

My GoodReads friends have rated this book 4- and 5-stars across the board so this was probably just a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. Fans of fairy tale retellings should give this one a try. show less

I received a galley of this book through NetGalley.

Premeditated Myrtle is a middle grade mystery that abounds with wit, mayhem, and murder, the kind of book I would have loved as a kid and still adore at age 40.

Myrtle is the 12-year-old daughter of a British prosecutor who doesn't quite know what to do with a girl inclined toward morbid interests. Her medically-trained mother is dead. Her dearest friend and comrade is her governess Miss Judson. Myrtle is a but of a snoop, a girl who can show more hardly contain her glee when the mean girls try to pull a cruel prank by locking her in the town morgue.

I LOVE Myrtle. She is flawed and real, smart and sweet. She's the perfect lead for a mystery series like this.

The central plot is around the murder of her next-door-neighbor, an elderly woman obsessed with flowers. There are conniving heirs, not-so-helpful police, a false confession to murder, a cat who knows everything but can only meow--really, this is a not-short MG book packed with twists and turns. It's the perfect cozy read for MG readers and parents AND grandparents alike. For a comparative book (set in the same Victorian time frame in a small British town), look up the delightful The Body Under the Piano Aggie Morton mystery by Marthe Jocelyn. show less