After reading the first book in the series a few years ago, I didn’t care for it and didn’t want to continue the series. But I have been so bothered by the fact that I didn’t like it. Finally I broke down when the publisher asked me to read the fourth book in the series.
I really enjoyed the fourth book, a lot more than I was expecting, and finally decided that I needed to go back and read this series again from the beginning to see if maybe it was just the mood I was in at the time or if I truly didn’t love the first book.
Well I didn’t LOVE the first book but I enjoyed it more the second time around and was then excited to pick up the remaining books in the series so that I could get all caught up with the series in anticipation for the next book.
Summary
The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in the atmospheric second novel in New York Times bestseller Sherry Thomas’s Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.
Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.
Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.
In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body that surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London? (summary from Goodreads)
Review
This book was much better than the first book. I really enjoyed getting to know more about Lord Ingram and Charlotte’s friendship and Lord Ingram’s marriage. I found the characters to be more realized in this one and while the POV was still a little cumbersome, it was easier for me to read this one now that I have had a chance to become used to the narration style.
I downloaded the third book in the series immediately following this one and am over halfway through and really loving that one. I think so far my favorite has been book three but with this one, there was a lot of ground work laid out for the third book and the characters. I loved getting to know Livia more in this one and of course the Marbleton’s are repeat characters from book one which I thought was fun.
I have started to warm up to Charlotte more in this book. In the first book she was fairly unapproachable and hard for me to connect with but in this one, there was less about her ‘fall from grace’ and more about her family and friendships that made her feel more approachable and ‘human’.
Lord Ingram is my absolute favorite character. I love his staunch defense and protection of Charlotte and can’t wait to continue watching their relationship evolve and change in the rest of the series. This has been a fun series to rediscover and I am really excited to share my thoughts with you guys on the third book which I should finish in the next day or two!
Book Info and Rating
Kindle Edition, 336 pages
Published September 5th 2017 by Penguin Group (USA)
ASINB01NCU2EEP
Review copy provided by personal collection. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Genre: historical mystery, detective novel
The Lit Bitch 