Premeditated Myrtle-Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery #1

I have been a lifelong reader of mysteries. I remember reading Nancy Drew as a kid and I grew up watching Columbo, Murder She Wrote and Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett. I received this book and the following three from the publisher and after reading this one, I am totally in love with this series. 

The story centers around Myrtle Hardcastle. A twelve-year-old girl who is whip smart and wise beyond her years. She lives with her father, and her governess, Miss Judson, her mother having passed on earlier in her life. Myrtle has been spying on her neighbors and is convinced the lady of the house has been murdered. 

The book is set in 1893, a time when girl children, and children in general, were meant to be seen and not heard. However, Myrtle is not your typical child, let alone, a typical little girl. She is precocious, clever and does not have a filter. The cast of characters in this story is perfectly put together. From her father to her governess, the cook and a new addition to her family, the neighbor cat, Peony. I can tell the author did research in to detective procedures for the time. Of course, in the end, Myrtle is able to figure out who did it and save the day. 

I really love this series and cannot wait to dive into the next one. I have a twelve-year-old daughter myself and she will definitely be reading this series as well. Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me the first four book in this series.