The Bachelor Girl's Guide To Murder by Rachel McMillian

Title: Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder
Series: Herringford & Watts Mysteries #1
Author: Rachel McMillan
Publisher: Harvest House
Published Date: March 1st 2016
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian
Page Count:222
Format: Paperback   

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Goodreads Summary: 
In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city's underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto's premier consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever--if they can stay alive long enough to do so. 

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 My Review:

I originally got this as an e-arc from netgalley and the publisher. I ended up reading a finished copy from the library.

"She no longer cared about propriety. She no longer cared to be one of those girls who married at a proper age, who had their lives figured out, who wouldn't be caught dead in trousers."

Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts balance each other out pretty well, and I can see the resemblance between Sherlock and Watson with them. But that doesn't take anything away from the story. In fact, besides Merinda being reckless most of the time when it comes to social things and dragging Jem along for the ride at the beginning, they completely stand on their own. At times I did notice myself Imagining this happening the Murdoch Mysteries world but I think that has more to do with it being in Canada and me not really knowing much about it, especially in the early 1900's.

"Since she wasn't going to be one of those girls, she could do exactly what she wanted. She could love whomever she wanted-- even if he refused to love her in return! As for her parents expectations and every young lady's etiquette guide, why expectations be hanged."

Jem having been disowned by her parents for not having settled down with a respectable young man is now working a job while following Merinda around trying to solve mysteries. Merinda is the instigator for most things at first it appears, and while she does seem to be the mastermind, she is also the one that has the funding for them to be able to live in such a nice place.

Then we also have the two men characters who encourage Jem and Merinda in their crime solving. First, we have Jasper a detective in the police force that helps them get access to certain things (plus he has a crush on Merinda that is almost painful to imagine after awhile).
Then we have Ray DeLuca a report for a small newspaper who encourages the crime solving due and even ends up helping them out along the way. Plus the advice he gives Jem when she is dating someone who is not good for her at all was perfect. I mean can we please have more men like these two in books? Kind, respectful of the ladies wishes, and encouraging or discouraging when it was needed.

"I don't care if you send him choclates laced with arsnic, so long as you keep him out of his office long enough for me to get what I need."

Let's get back to Jem and Merinda now. Jem being the more sensible one and also the one that was trained growing up to deal with social situations is also the one that has to go out and find out information and then report back to Merinda. While Merinda is at home trying to piece together all of the information that Jem finds along with what she assumes is happening. I also just want to give it up for Merinda convincing Jem to break the Morality Laws as much as possible, because while dangerous, really needed to happen! Plus women in pants, solving crimes in the 1900's is really something I want to read more of!! Or just women solving crimes in historical fiction in general and actually being successful in it.

"I don't belong with anyone, do I? A girl in trousers who follows Merinda Herringford around the city. But I need to be in your life.. I know that you'll need to chase your stories. That you don't want to be cooped up. Maybe I won't ever be the first thing in your life, but..."

P.S. Why can't romance be like this in every book? It happened naturally and never became the main focus of the book. Plus the characters stuck to who they originally were instead of changing suddenly which I've noticed happens quite a bit in Christian fiction.