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booklovingredhead's review
3.0
This book was okay. I liked the first book a lot more than this one. I also liked the layout of the first book better as well. I noticed that this book also switched font from time to time. I don’t if all of the books are like that or mine just came from a bad copier. All I know is that it made the book less enjoyable and more difficult to read. Due to this I had to take off a few stars. If I based it only on the storyline it would have gotten a solid four out of five stars. Portia still is a bad*** character who just keeps getting better with every page. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series and more of Portia’s story.
juliavdelft's review
4.0
This is the second book in the Portia Adams series. Portia, after learning more about her family, has to come to terms with it, form new relationships, and solve cases at the same time. The only problem I had with this book is that the ink was not printed very well so some parts were hard to read. Also, it at times feels disjointed, but it is a mystery book with separate cases and not so much a novel, so it's to be expected. I really recommend these books to anyone who is a fan of mystery, historical fiction (these take place in the 30s in London), and/or Sherlock Holmes. I can't wait till the next one comes out! 4.5/5
kpeninger's review
5.0
An excellent book, and in my opinion, it does better than the first of the series. I'm thrilled to see that Portia is finally not surrounded solely by men in her day-to-day life; the addition of Annie to the cast was a wonderful choice, and I'd love to see more of their friendship in future books. The mysteries, while still remaining fairly light in terms of depth, are interesting and are definitely puzzles for people to work out. I like the structure of the book, with three individual mysteries, even as there is a larger arc that weaves between all three of the stories (I do so hope we learn more about the fate of Howard in the next book!). I enjoy the ongoing themes of family and legacy, and I am definitely pleased that the major revelation from the first book doesn't push Watson and his importance in Portia's history to one side.
This was a great "development" book, with lots of relationships growing and changing, even as Portia grows more into her own. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, so I can see what direction the author takes the series. I am definitely recommending this series to my Holmesian friends, who will get a kick out of it.
This was a great "development" book, with lots of relationships growing and changing, even as Portia grows more into her own. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, so I can see what direction the author takes the series. I am definitely recommending this series to my Holmesian friends, who will get a kick out of it.
ilanderz's review against another edition
5.0
Thrice Burned is the second book in an ongoing series of mysteries featuring the brilliant young consulting detective Portia Adams, who comes by her gifts honestly as the granddaughter of not only the great Sherlock Holmes, but Holmes’ friend and chronicler Watson as well. It is a nifty conceit for a series, and author Angela Misri makes the most of it. Portia Adams is utterly believable as the direct descendent of the iconic detective and his sidekick, inheriting every ounce of Holmes’ gifts for observation and deductive reasoning, but leavened with Watson’s humanity.
As with the first book in the series (Jewel of the Thames), Thrice Burned consists of three casebooks, or mysteries, each told in the first person by Portia herself. Each casebook concerns itself with at least one mystery, each one carefully crafted. The clues are tantalizingly distributed, drawing the reader in, allowing them just as much fun as Portia herself has in trying to solve the mysteries. But there is much more on offer here than mere riddles. There are elements of historical fiction too, as each casebook is set in nineteen-thirties era London, England, featuring Scotland Yard Constables and street urchins and reporters and clergy men and plenty of other skillfully drawn characters, right down to their authentic clothing choices and distinctive accents.
Each casebook features a stand-alone storyline and a neatly resolved ending, but Misri is not satisfied to let it go at that. Like many a modern era television series, each episode builds upon the last, throughout both this book and its predecessor, from casebook to casebook. As in real life, Portia and her friends continue to mature and develop. Relationships are never straightforward. Portia herself, although gifted, is no superhero, suffering from the same feelings and emotional frailties as many young women her age. Misri delves into Portia’s inner life just enough to make her real, but not at the expense of the adventures and mysteries that are the real appeal of this excellent series.
Already top-notch from the get-go, Misri’s plotting and characterization improve with each casebook, increasing in complexity and depth. This bodes well for future books in the series.
As with the first book in the series (Jewel of the Thames), Thrice Burned consists of three casebooks, or mysteries, each told in the first person by Portia herself. Each casebook concerns itself with at least one mystery, each one carefully crafted. The clues are tantalizingly distributed, drawing the reader in, allowing them just as much fun as Portia herself has in trying to solve the mysteries. But there is much more on offer here than mere riddles. There are elements of historical fiction too, as each casebook is set in nineteen-thirties era London, England, featuring Scotland Yard Constables and street urchins and reporters and clergy men and plenty of other skillfully drawn characters, right down to their authentic clothing choices and distinctive accents.
Each casebook features a stand-alone storyline and a neatly resolved ending, but Misri is not satisfied to let it go at that. Like many a modern era television series, each episode builds upon the last, throughout both this book and its predecessor, from casebook to casebook. As in real life, Portia and her friends continue to mature and develop. Relationships are never straightforward. Portia herself, although gifted, is no superhero, suffering from the same feelings and emotional frailties as many young women her age. Misri delves into Portia’s inner life just enough to make her real, but not at the expense of the adventures and mysteries that are the real appeal of this excellent series.
Already top-notch from the get-go, Misri’s plotting and characterization improve with each casebook, increasing in complexity and depth. This bodes well for future books in the series.
melissayabookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
It may have been partially because I had to stop reading this book briefly to get another one read, but this book seemed a little slower than the first book in the series. I also think that part of this feeling relates to the fact that even Portia felt this way at certain points, when she wasn't working on interesting cases or when the ones she was on had clues that weren't seeming to add up for quite some time.
That said, there were interesting additions this time around. First, the addition of Annie Coleson to the cast of characters and the tension Portia feels regarding Annie reporting on the cases she helps the police with and the feelings that Portia has for Brian, while he seems to only have eyes for Annie, her exact opposite. Next, the deep depression that Portia falls into and how this links her more closely to Sherlock Holmes' character. Will it only be depression or will she follow into his other drug taking proclivities if she doesn't get control over her emotional highs and lows. Also, I feel that the content of the cases this time around have slightly more adult content than was the case in the first book, and it's interesting how these polite and indirect characters, like Portia, refrain from stating what the profession of the ladies Portia helps in the third case initially so readers have to read between the lines about what it is they do.
Questions that I still have and/or directions that may be revealed in final book in the series: what's going on with Portia and Brian. If only Brian and Whitaker knew that Portia was going to the church, then does that mean W told the other reporter? Will Annie and Portia stay close? Will Holmes interact with Portia more often than a brief convo and a gift? What about those guys who were following Portia in Whitechapel? Is the person who may have been pulling the strings in the arson case and art theft one one-in-the-same? Will Portia be able to take them down? Finally, will Portia decide to become a lawyer and leaving her detective consulting behind or will she leave the law behind to be come a full time detective like Dr.Watson and Sherlock Holmes?
That said, there were interesting additions this time around. First, the addition of Annie Coleson to the cast of characters and the tension Portia feels regarding Annie reporting on the cases she helps the police with and the feelings that Portia has for Brian, while he seems to only have eyes for Annie, her exact opposite. Next, the deep depression that Portia falls into and how this links her more closely to Sherlock Holmes' character. Will it only be depression or will she follow into his other drug taking proclivities if she doesn't get control over her emotional highs and lows. Also, I feel that the content of the cases this time around have slightly more adult content than was the case in the first book, and it's interesting how these polite and indirect characters, like Portia, refrain from stating what the profession of the ladies Portia helps in the third case initially so readers have to read between the lines about what it is they do.
Questions that I still have and/or directions that may be revealed in final book in the series: what's going on with Portia and Brian. If only Brian and Whitaker knew that Portia was going to the church, then does that mean W told the other reporter? Will Annie and Portia stay close? Will Holmes interact with Portia more often than a brief convo and a gift? What about those guys who were following Portia in Whitechapel? Is the person who may have been pulling the strings in the arson case and art theft one one-in-the-same? Will Portia be able to take them down? Finally, will Portia decide to become a lawyer and leaving her detective consulting behind or will she leave the law behind to be come a full time detective like Dr.Watson and Sherlock Holmes?
prationality's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely, 100% adored this follow up to THE JEWEL OF THE THAMES. There's so much to appreciate in Misri's book--the evolution of the character relationships and motivations, the honest feelings expressed and for my part my unparalleled appreciation for how...hmm maturely several character dynamics are handled goes a long way to proving Portia's personality.
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