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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loved it! Gender bent Sherlock Holmes, I quite enjoyed this book.
I have a lot of issues with this book - some inconsistencies in characterization, the arc of the actually mysteries seems way off, the romance seems completely superfluous - but I also thought it was a fun read so I guess I’m inconsistent myself l.
I actually really loved this story. Charlotte is such a cool character. And her relationship with Lord Ingram!
Interesting twist to the Sherlock Holmes story.
The start was odd and I almost gave up but once I got maybe half way it improved.
Multiple POV at the start.
Ongoing relationship through out the series.
The start was odd and I almost gave up but once I got maybe half way it improved.
Multiple POV at the start.
Ongoing relationship through out the series.
Such a great take on the Sherlock Holmes oeuvre. Great for any fan of Laurie King
This is a really fun take on a lady Sherlock Holmes. I really like how Thomas wove in the things we know about Sherlock to make it believable and I look forward to seeing where this series goes - this book was a lot of set up for the character but now that it's done, the cases could be really interesting.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Cast of Characters
Charlotte Holmes, our main character who, like Sherlock Holmes of old, doesn’t have the usual emotions, is incredibly smart, and just wonderful.
Livia Holmes, the 3rd sister
Bernadine Holmes, the eldest sister with a severe mental disability
Lady Holmes
Henrietta, the eldest, not really a character
Inspector Treadles
Mrs. Alice Treadles (maiden name, Cousins)
Lord Ingram Ashburton
My favorite line: “When did you discover me for my mind, Ash?”
“From the beginning, Holmes. From the very beginning.”
The connecting thread of the murders is that Mrs. Marbleton found out about Mr. Sackville molesting Clara Sackville as a child and that Lady Shrewsbury and Lady Amelia knew about it. She gave them the choice of public denouncement or chloryl overdose. She burned down the house of I’ll repute and saved the children. She and Lady Sheridan, the mother of Clara Sackville, met when she returned to London. Lady Sheridan tried to kill Sackville but her illness stopped her.
Cast of characters continued:
Lady Ingram, married him for money but really married him for the connection to secret govt stuff he does for his brother. She works for Moriarty.
Bancroft, Lord Ingram’s govt brother who would like to marry Charlotte for his own benefit, but she’d have to give up being Sherlock. She told him he was the most boring person she’d ever met as a compliment.
Sophia Lonsdale, a girl dead 25 years, who fell from grace. Best friend to Clara Sheridan. She was ‘ruined’ by Mr. Sackville, but Lord Sheridan took the blame. AKA Mrs. Marbleton. AKA Mrs. Moriarty!!
_____ , a girl who committed a suicide and only Charlotte could deduce how. Carbon dioxide poisoning. She was molested by Mr. Sackville as a child. Same person as Clara Sheridan?
Mr. Roger Shrewsbury, the man Charlotte picks to deflower her
Lady Shrewsbury, his mother who gets murdered. Broadcast Sophia Lonsdale’s ruin as well as Charlotte’s. Along with Amelia Drummond discovered Clara with Sackville when she wasn’t even 11. Did nothing to protect her.
Lady Amelia Drummond, the woman who originally was going to marry Mr. Holmes. She gets murdered. Given the choice of owning up to letting Clara be molested or take Chloryl.
Mrs. John Watson, aka Joanna Hamish Redmayne, the widow who takes Charlotte in and they start the Sherlock business in earnest. Her “niece” is actually her daughter.
Mr. Sackville, the pedophile who gets murdered. Dies of chloryl overdose. Lived in Curry house. Visited London twice a moth for 7 years. A house of ill repute that used children in Lambeth. It was burned down and believed to be a bookmaker’s (bookie), but that was the place next door.
Hodges, Mr. Sackville’s valet who gave him arsenic to keep him from going to the place that used children. He wrote letters to the police about the horrific place but accidentally wrote down the house number of the bookie.
Becky Burtle, the girl who worked for Hodges. He was interested in her until he discovered she had passed puberty. Really the daughter of
Dr. Birch, the doctor who tried to save Sackville when the other doctor was out. Both their supplies of stricknine were tampered with.
Lord Sheridan, brother to Mr. Sackville. Claimed responsibility for the ruin of Sophia Lonsdale.
Lady Sheridan, masqueraded as Mrs. Broadbent, who Dr. Birch saw to after Mr. Sackville. Dying.
Clara Sheridan, daughter who died of “heart failure,” was molested by her uncle Sackville.
Mrs. Marbleton, aka Sophia Lonsdale, on the run from Moriarty. Consults Sherlock in a fake pretense way. She came to town after returning to Britain two moths prior to see a dying friend. The dying friend had the diary of Clara Sackville.
Mr. Stephen Marbleton, the traveling photographer in the village where Mr. Sackville lived and died.
Ms. Frances Marbleton, the one who drove Mrs. Shrewbury in the cab the night she died. Mrs. Marbleton was in that cab and gave her ultimatum.
Lady Avery and Lady Sommersby, the biggest gossips with all the information
Charlotte Holmes, our main character who, like Sherlock Holmes of old, doesn’t have the usual emotions, is incredibly smart, and just wonderful.
Livia Holmes, the 3rd sister
Bernadine Holmes, the eldest sister with a severe mental disability
Lady Holmes
Henrietta, the eldest, not really a character
Inspector Treadles
Mrs. Alice Treadles (maiden name, Cousins)
Lord Ingram Ashburton
My favorite line: “When did you discover me for my mind, Ash?”
“From the beginning, Holmes. From the very beginning.”
The connecting thread of the murders is that Mrs. Marbleton found out about Mr. Sackville molesting Clara Sackville as a child and that Lady Shrewsbury and Lady Amelia knew about it. She gave them the choice of public denouncement or chloryl overdose. She burned down the house of I’ll repute and saved the children. She and Lady Sheridan, the mother of Clara Sackville, met when she returned to London. Lady Sheridan tried to kill Sackville but her illness stopped her.
Cast of characters continued:
Lady Ingram, married him for money but really married him for the connection to secret govt stuff he does for his brother. She works for Moriarty.
Bancroft, Lord Ingram’s govt brother who would like to marry Charlotte for his own benefit, but she’d have to give up being Sherlock. She told him he was the most boring person she’d ever met as a compliment.
Sophia Lonsdale, a girl dead 25 years, who fell from grace. Best friend to Clara Sheridan. She was ‘ruined’ by Mr. Sackville, but Lord Sheridan took the blame. AKA Mrs. Marbleton. AKA Mrs. Moriarty!!
_____ , a girl who committed a suicide and only Charlotte could deduce how. Carbon dioxide poisoning. She was molested by Mr. Sackville as a child. Same person as Clara Sheridan?
Mr. Roger Shrewsbury, the man Charlotte picks to deflower her
Lady Shrewsbury, his mother who gets murdered. Broadcast Sophia Lonsdale’s ruin as well as Charlotte’s. Along with Amelia Drummond discovered Clara with Sackville when she wasn’t even 11. Did nothing to protect her.
Lady Amelia Drummond, the woman who originally was going to marry Mr. Holmes. She gets murdered. Given the choice of owning up to letting Clara be molested or take Chloryl.
Mrs. John Watson, aka Joanna Hamish Redmayne, the widow who takes Charlotte in and they start the Sherlock business in earnest. Her “niece” is actually her daughter.
Mr. Sackville, the pedophile who gets murdered. Dies of chloryl overdose. Lived in Curry house. Visited London twice a moth for 7 years. A house of ill repute that used children in Lambeth. It was burned down and believed to be a bookmaker’s (bookie), but that was the place next door.
Hodges, Mr. Sackville’s valet who gave him arsenic to keep him from going to the place that used children. He wrote letters to the police about the horrific place but accidentally wrote down the house number of the bookie.
Becky Burtle, the girl who worked for Hodges. He was interested in her until he discovered she had passed puberty. Really the daughter of
Dr. Birch, the doctor who tried to save Sackville when the other doctor was out. Both their supplies of stricknine were tampered with.
Lord Sheridan, brother to Mr. Sackville. Claimed responsibility for the ruin of Sophia Lonsdale.
Lady Sheridan, masqueraded as Mrs. Broadbent, who Dr. Birch saw to after Mr. Sackville. Dying.
Clara Sheridan, daughter who died of “heart failure,” was molested by her uncle Sackville.
Mrs. Marbleton, aka Sophia Lonsdale, on the run from Moriarty. Consults Sherlock in a fake pretense way. She came to town after returning to Britain two moths prior to see a dying friend. The dying friend had the diary of Clara Sackville.
Mr. Stephen Marbleton, the traveling photographer in the village where Mr. Sackville lived and died.
Ms. Frances Marbleton, the one who drove Mrs. Shrewbury in the cab the night she died. Mrs. Marbleton was in that cab and gave her ultimatum.
Lady Avery and Lady Sommersby, the biggest gossips with all the information
Solid 3.5. Started out a little slow for me but picked up around the halfway mark. Decent read, nothing extraordinary but entertaining.