I am 100% a mood reader and when I started this series I just wasn’t feeling it at all, which bothered me. By all accounts this should have been a series that I would love and I just didn’t when I read the first book the first time.
But I decided after reading one of the later books in the series, that I maybe hadn’t given this series the chance that it deserved. So I went back and re-read the first book and for whatever reason, found it much more enjoyable this time around.
So here I am on the third book in the series and I am 100% hooked on it. I think this is my favorite in the series so far. Even over some of the later books. I loved this one and couldn’t put it down!
Summary
Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, returns in the Victorian-set mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of A Conspiracy in Belgravia and A Study in Scarlet Women, an NPR Best Book of 2016.
Under the cover of “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don’t.
Moriarty’s shadow looms large. First, Charlotte’s half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte’s close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.
With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram—and a number of malevolent forces (summary from Goodreads)
Review
Lord Ingram is my absolute favorite. I mean, I like Charlotte just fine but Lord Ingram is such a romantic and I just love him. I was so excited that this book featured more about his life and his connection to Charlotte. Charlotte and Lord Ingram have had a complex and contentious relationship since their youth and getting to explore their relationship in a new way was so fun to read. I think the author really nails the tension between them as well as the chemistry in this book. I can tell she has written other romances because she does an excellent job with this one.
While I might have been hooked on the romance, the mystery was devour worthy as well! I love how the author really embodies the spirit of Sherlock Holmes in ways that many other novels just don’t. I think the goal with many Sherlock Holmes retellings is to make the hero seem more ‘human’ than he was portrayed in the classic stories. However, with this series, Thomas does a wonderful job at showcasing Charlotte’s oddities and remoteness. Initially I felt that the third person POV made it hard for me to connect with Charlotte but now that I am in three books into the series, I feel like that is the point.
That the reader doesn’t connect with Charlotte in a traditional way but rather be forced into exploring her character in a new way. It’s hard for me to articulate but I feel as though Charlotte’s character is very well done and true to the vision of the classic hero that Conan Doyle meant to create.
The mystery in this one was very complex and nuanced. I didn’t have any idea what direction this mystery was going to go until the big reveal and I was marveled at how Charlotte solved it and still can’t believe how this one turned out. There was also a part of the ending that just broke my heart. I won’t elaborate on that so as not to spoil anything but let’s just say I felt sorry for Lord Ingram.
If you like historical mysteries this is turning out to be a great series for me and I am really enjoying this one!
Book Info and Rating
Paperback, 329 pages
Published October 2nd 2018 by Berkley
ISBN0425281426 (ISBN13: 9780425281420)
Review copy provided by personal collection. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: historical mystery, detective novel
The Lit Bitch 