The Case of the Fickle Mermaid: A Brothers Grimm Mystery
Gretel (yes, that Gretel) has grown up and become a private detective in order to support herself and her lazy, food-loving brother, Hans (who no longer goes by Hansel). Gretel is hired by the captain of a cruise ship to discover what happened to several crewmen who disappeared during a voyage, after the sailors heard a mermaid sing. Gretel boards the Arabella, which is cramped, dingy, and light on luxury, but does feature excellent food – until the cook “Frenchy” disappears, immediately following the ethereal song of a mermaid. Gretel must sort through smugglers, charming captains, murderers, an arrogant duchess, an ornithologist, her brother’s former fiancée, and a full array of crazy characters to solve the mystery. Ferdinand, Gretel’s love interest from previous books, is conveniently aboard the rival cruise ship.
The setting is a mix of fairy-tale magic, 18th-century costume, and modern sensibilities. The mermaid is real, as is a water sprite that provides Gretel with clues in the form of rhyming puzzles. Gretel is a fun, outspoken, fashionably dressed and coiffed detective, and the mystery can be pieced together by a careful reader. Fans of the Detective Gretel mystery series will be pleased with this installment.
