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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
This book seemed like a checkbox of things I don't like: contemporary YA, a mystery, a romance...yet HERE WE ARE and it's killing me that I can't get the third book yet in the US.
Ellie Marney avoids all the traps and pitfalls I was expecting from this concept and instead of writes damn fabulous, wonderfully real characters. This book was a breath of fresh air. I definitely recommend it (and book 2).
Ellie Marney avoids all the traps and pitfalls I was expecting from this concept and instead of writes damn fabulous, wonderfully real characters. This book was a breath of fresh air. I definitely recommend it (and book 2).
Re-read, because I was on my way to Melbourne and it seemed like the Appropriate Thing to Do. Really well written and characterized mystery with a tingling slow-burn romance and a heart-pounding action climax. (A LOT of casual blasphemy, though, which made it hard for me to fully enjoy at times, but there's no question teens do speak this way and the majority of readers probably won't even notice it. Still, caveat emptor for those who do care about such things.)
I love Sherlock Holmes and when I heard about this series which is a young adult imagining of this character, I had to read it.
His name is James Mycroft and he is the boy next door with a troubled past and a brilliant mind. His Watson is Rachel Watts, a country girl at heart who is making a new life in Melbourne after her family's farm is repossessed.
This book has it all: romance, danger and twists. I loved everything about it from the humorous references to Sherlock Holmes's world, the character development-Rachel and James were really interesting and well developed, and the murder mystery element was riveting.
As I was reading this book I was admiring not only Marney's writing and the action on the page, but also that she came up with the idea. Sherlock Holmes as a character has been reinterpreted so many times and I love that now there is a young adult version.
The other character that must be mentioned is Melbourne. Marney makes my home city come to life in all its multicultural glory and I loved seeing it shine on the page.
Best of all the second in the series is being published June 2014 so not too long to wait.
His name is James Mycroft and he is the boy next door with a troubled past and a brilliant mind. His Watson is Rachel Watts, a country girl at heart who is making a new life in Melbourne after her family's farm is repossessed.
This book has it all: romance, danger and twists. I loved everything about it from the humorous references to Sherlock Holmes's world, the character development-Rachel and James were really interesting and well developed, and the murder mystery element was riveting.
As I was reading this book I was admiring not only Marney's writing and the action on the page, but also that she came up with the idea. Sherlock Holmes as a character has been reinterpreted so many times and I love that now there is a young adult version.
The other character that must be mentioned is Melbourne. Marney makes my home city come to life in all its multicultural glory and I loved seeing it shine on the page.
Best of all the second in the series is being published June 2014 so not too long to wait.
okay actually it turns out I can absolutely fall head over heels for the friends to lovers trope if it's done like Mycroft and Watts. That easy friendship and dependability sprinkled with a bit of angst and casual, playful flirting? *chef's kiss*
also AUSYA! so nice to see
also AUSYA! so nice to see
I've loved anything Sherlock Holmes for quite some time now. The BBC Sherlock, Elementary, and the RDJ films are favourites of mine, once I heard that there are a load of Sherlock inspired YA out there, I needed to get my hands on as many as I could. I've ordered Lock & Mori, and am hoping to get A Study in Charlotte when it's released. The Every series by Ellie Marney was available to request through my library, which I did, and here we go.
Rather than being about a relative of Holmes or Watson, or anything like that, the main characters in this book just have similar names. James Mycroft, and Rachel Watts - it's Sherlock's cleverer brother, and his friend Watts. Mycroft, is an extremely intelligent young man, with a turbulent background, who gets involved in his first sleuthing mission when he and Watts discover the body of their homeless friend. Also, the book is set in Melbourne, Australia, and I don't think I've read a book set in Australia, so that was a nice change of scenery. As they become more involved in the case, the dangers around every corner get closer and closer, until, like the synopsis says, they find themselves in an actual lion den.
I loved the humour in this book. There were some slang that I didn't really understand, but a lot of it seems similar to English slang, and that was definitely fun. Neither of the characters has really privileged, happy backgrounds. The whole reason why they are in Melbourne, living near each other, is because of hardship and suffering, and they didn't hide that. Rachel and James were actual, real people.
The plot was very well written, and thought out. When we first met the actual baddie, I thought there was something weird about them, but not sure what. I was guessing until the last minute what had happen, and would happen, and was shocked so many times. It was definitely a proper Sherlock retelling, with more of a unique twist to it, a la Elementary, rather than the BBC Sherlock.
The romance between Mycroft and Watts was hardly there, until the end. Even so, I shipped them so hard. It was a romance I could get behind, that felt right, and natural.
Honestly, I could see the majority of the book actually happening, it was that real! I'm glad that I have the ebooks of book 2 and 3 waiting on my iPad, as I'm going to start them as soon as I have time free between exams. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get these books, and definitely understand why they are so loved by so many people. I'd absolutely recommend this book, and probably the whole series, to anyone, but especially fans of Sherlock Holmes.
Rather than being about a relative of Holmes or Watson, or anything like that, the main characters in this book just have similar names. James Mycroft, and Rachel Watts - it's Sherlock's cleverer brother, and his friend Watts. Mycroft, is an extremely intelligent young man, with a turbulent background, who gets involved in his first sleuthing mission when he and Watts discover the body of their homeless friend. Also, the book is set in Melbourne, Australia, and I don't think I've read a book set in Australia, so that was a nice change of scenery. As they become more involved in the case, the dangers around every corner get closer and closer, until, like the synopsis says, they find themselves in an actual lion den.
I loved the humour in this book. There were some slang that I didn't really understand, but a lot of it seems similar to English slang, and that was definitely fun. Neither of the characters has really privileged, happy backgrounds. The whole reason why they are in Melbourne, living near each other, is because of hardship and suffering, and they didn't hide that. Rachel and James were actual, real people.
The plot was very well written, and thought out. When we first met the actual baddie, I thought there was something weird about them, but not sure what. I was guessing until the last minute what had happen, and would happen, and was shocked so many times. It was definitely a proper Sherlock retelling, with more of a unique twist to it, a la Elementary, rather than the BBC Sherlock.
The romance between Mycroft and Watts was hardly there, until the end. Even so, I shipped them so hard. It was a romance I could get behind, that felt right, and natural.
Honestly, I could see the majority of the book actually happening, it was that real! I'm glad that I have the ebooks of book 2 and 3 waiting on my iPad, as I'm going to start them as soon as I have time free between exams. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get these books, and definitely understand why they are so loved by so many people. I'd absolutely recommend this book, and probably the whole series, to anyone, but especially fans of Sherlock Holmes.
It was an interesting read by the end. I have to admit that I was afraid it would be too predictable as so many new YA "mysteries" lately, but no, this was a nice surprise. The characters were interesting, with good back stories, particularly for Watts and off course Mycroft. I particularly liked the fact that it was the mystery and not the romance that took the lead in the book. I might not go for the sequel though, but I have several candidates amongst my friends to pass this book around and get people to know about it.
Rachel Watts lives two doors down from the brilliant, troubled and eccentric James Mycroft, the most intelligent boy in school. What he has in abundance in the IQ department, he lacks in social smarts, and as his closest friend, it seems to be Rachel's job to try to keep him out of scrapes with other students at school (who he will frequently inadvertently or purposefully insult) or from getting suspended for breaking school rules. She also tends to bring him food, as he has a tendency to forget to eat when left to his own devices. While he lives with his aunt Angela, they barely speak and seem to have a mostly antagonistic relationship.
Mycroft, who likes to compare himself to his fictional namesake, Sherlock Holmes' older and allegedly smarter brother, has a passion for forensic pathology and frequents message boards online and writes articles, even occasionally consulting on cases, under the name Diogenes. Watts helps him proof-read and edit the articles. When the teenagers find "Homeless Dave", a man they regularly visit and bring food near Melbourne zoo, murdered not far from his local sleeping spot, Mycroft uses everything he knows of forensic experience to document the scene before the police arrive. He later persuades Watts to be his side-kick in earnest, determined to investigate the death that the police undoubtedly won't care much about, as the victim was a homeless nobody.
Rachel used to live with her parents and older brother Mike on a sheep farm in the country. Financial difficulties forced them to sell the farm and relocate to Melbourne, where Rachel's parents and brother work hard to make ends meet. Rachel wants to study agriculture and move back to the countryside, she feels uprooted and unsettled in her new urban surroundings. With her academic achievements, her family want her to go to college and get a proper degree, though. Previously home schooled and used to a solitary life, the bustling corridors of her new high school and the constant stress and noise of the city is making Rachel miserable. Having made good friends in Mycroft and the fierce Mai Ng, as well as Mai's boyfriend Gus, makes her existence more bearable, but she's still not happy in Melbourne.
James (who always goes by Mycroft) is English and lost both his parents in a horrific car crash that left him scarred both physically and emotionally. His aunt Angela is his legal guardian, but they may as well be strangers just living in the same house for all the time they spend together. Mycroft is constantly skirting the edge of having social services investigate his living situation, which while not idyllic, is at least better than a foster home. Mycroft loves mysteries and is a keen observer of everything around him. While fiercely intelligent, he's also low on social graces and frequently pisses off his class mates or gets into trouble with the school management. He's obsessed with finding out the cause of his parents' accident, and frequently emotionally unstable, with Rachel, sometimes aided by Mai and Gus, doing her best to keep him from getting beaten up or expelled.
Rightly surmising that the police are unlikely to expend too many resources on trying to solve the murder of a homeless man, especially one who appears to have been killed for sport, Mycroft insists that he and Watts need to do their best to figure out who's behind the murder. Rachel initially refuses, but is unable to resist the lure of the mystery or Mycroft's charismatic persuasion for long, and soon the two teens are using everything they know of forensic pathology to identify the killer of their homeless friend. Hunting killers is a dangerous hobby, though, and before long Mycroft and Watts are courting danger and find themselves in near-death situations of their own.
I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that there is also a romantic sub-plot in the book, which is very well done, for all that I'm not sure Rachel should involve herself with someone who is clearly not the most emotionally or mentally stable person (I speak from experience here, Watts). Both Rachel and Mycroft are very engaging protagonists and there is a good supporting cast in the book - Rachel's parents and Mike, her brother, as well as Mai, their loyal friend who more than once uses the legal knowledge she's picked up in school, and Gus, her sweet and funny boyfriend.
I really liked this book, and am going to do my best to track down an e-book store which will legally sell me the sequels online, so I don't have to wait for the US release of the next two books before I can read them.
Merged review:
March 2017: My review of this appears to have disappeared from Goodreads, which is just strange. I've reposted it.
June 2015
Rachel Watts lives two doors down from the brilliant, troubled and eccentric James Mycroft, the most intelligent boy in school. What he has in abundance in the IQ department, he lacks in social smarts, and as his closest friend, it seems to be Rachel's job to try to keep him out of scrapes with other students at school (who he will frequently inadvertently or purposefully insult) or from getting suspended for breaking school rules. She also tends to bring him food, as he has a tendency to forget to eat when left to his own devices. While he lives with his aunt Angela, they barely speak and seem to have a mostly antagonistic relationship.
Mycroft, who likes to compare himself to his fictional namesake, Sherlock Holmes' older and allegedly smarter brother, has a passion for forensic pathology and frequents message boards online and writes articles, even occasionally consulting on cases, under the name Diogenes. Watts helps him proof-read and edit the articles. When the teenagers find "Homeless Dave", a man they regularly visit and bring food near Melbourne zoo, murdered not far from his local sleeping spot, Mycroft uses everything he knows of forensic experience to document the scene before the police arrive. He later persuades Watts to be his side-kick in earnest, determined to investigate the death that the police undoubtedly won't care much about, as the victim was a homeless nobody.
Rachel used to live with her parents and older brother Mike on a sheep farm in the country. Financial difficulties forced them to sell the farm and relocate to Melbourne, where Rachel's parents and brother work hard to make ends meet. Rachel wants to study agriculture and move back to the countryside, she feels uprooted and unsettled in her new urban surroundings. With her academic achievements, her family want her to go to college and get a proper degree, though. Previously home schooled and used to a solitary life, the bustling corridors of her new high school and the constant stress and noise of the city is making Rachel miserable. Having made good friends in Mycroft and the fierce Mai Ng, as well as Mai's boyfriend Gus, makes her existence more bearable, but she's still not happy in Melbourne.
James (who always goes by Mycroft) is English and lost both his parents in a horrific car crash that left him scarred both physically and emotionally. His aunt Angela is his legal guardian, but they may as well be strangers just living in the same house for all the time they spend together. Mycroft is constantly skirting the edge of having social services investigate his living situation, which while not idyllic, is at least better than a foster home. Mycroft loves mysteries and is a keen observer of everything around him. While fiercely intelligent, he's also low on social graces and frequently pisses off his class mates or gets into trouble with the school management. He's obsessed with finding out the cause of his parents' accident, and frequently emotionally unstable, with Rachel, sometimes aided by Mai and Gus, doing her best to keep him from getting beaten up or expelled.
Rightly surmising that the police are unlikely to expend too many resources on trying to solve the murder of a homeless man, especially one who appears to have been killed for sport, Mycroft insists that he and Watts need to do their best to figure out who's behind the murder. Rachel initially refuses, but is unable to resist the lure of the mystery or Mycroft's charismatic persuasion for long, and soon the two teens are using everything they know of forensic pathology to identify the killer of their homeless friend. Hunting killers is a dangerous hobby, though, and before long Mycroft and Watts are courting danger and find themselves in near-death situations of their own.
I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that there is also a romantic sub-plot in the book, which is very well done, for all that I'm not sure Rachel should involve herself with someone who is clearly not the most emotionally or mentally stable person (I speak from experience here, Watts). Both Rachel and Mycroft are very engaging protagonists and there is a good supporting cast in the book - Rachel's parents and Mike, her brother, as well as Mai, their loyal friend who more than once uses the legal knowledge she's picked up in school, and Gus, her sweet and funny boyfriend.
I really liked this book, and am going to do my best to track down an e-book store which will legally sell me the sequels online, so I don't have to wait for the US release of the next two books before I can read them.
Mycroft, who likes to compare himself to his fictional namesake, Sherlock Holmes' older and allegedly smarter brother, has a passion for forensic pathology and frequents message boards online and writes articles, even occasionally consulting on cases, under the name Diogenes. Watts helps him proof-read and edit the articles. When the teenagers find "Homeless Dave", a man they regularly visit and bring food near Melbourne zoo, murdered not far from his local sleeping spot, Mycroft uses everything he knows of forensic experience to document the scene before the police arrive. He later persuades Watts to be his side-kick in earnest, determined to investigate the death that the police undoubtedly won't care much about, as the victim was a homeless nobody.
Rachel used to live with her parents and older brother Mike on a sheep farm in the country. Financial difficulties forced them to sell the farm and relocate to Melbourne, where Rachel's parents and brother work hard to make ends meet. Rachel wants to study agriculture and move back to the countryside, she feels uprooted and unsettled in her new urban surroundings. With her academic achievements, her family want her to go to college and get a proper degree, though. Previously home schooled and used to a solitary life, the bustling corridors of her new high school and the constant stress and noise of the city is making Rachel miserable. Having made good friends in Mycroft and the fierce Mai Ng, as well as Mai's boyfriend Gus, makes her existence more bearable, but she's still not happy in Melbourne.
James (who always goes by Mycroft) is English and lost both his parents in a horrific car crash that left him scarred both physically and emotionally. His aunt Angela is his legal guardian, but they may as well be strangers just living in the same house for all the time they spend together. Mycroft is constantly skirting the edge of having social services investigate his living situation, which while not idyllic, is at least better than a foster home. Mycroft loves mysteries and is a keen observer of everything around him. While fiercely intelligent, he's also low on social graces and frequently pisses off his class mates or gets into trouble with the school management. He's obsessed with finding out the cause of his parents' accident, and frequently emotionally unstable, with Rachel, sometimes aided by Mai and Gus, doing her best to keep him from getting beaten up or expelled.
Rightly surmising that the police are unlikely to expend too many resources on trying to solve the murder of a homeless man, especially one who appears to have been killed for sport, Mycroft insists that he and Watts need to do their best to figure out who's behind the murder. Rachel initially refuses, but is unable to resist the lure of the mystery or Mycroft's charismatic persuasion for long, and soon the two teens are using everything they know of forensic pathology to identify the killer of their homeless friend. Hunting killers is a dangerous hobby, though, and before long Mycroft and Watts are courting danger and find themselves in near-death situations of their own.
I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that there is also a romantic sub-plot in the book, which is very well done, for all that I'm not sure Rachel should involve herself with someone who is clearly not the most emotionally or mentally stable person (I speak from experience here, Watts). Both Rachel and Mycroft are very engaging protagonists and there is a good supporting cast in the book - Rachel's parents and Mike, her brother, as well as Mai, their loyal friend who more than once uses the legal knowledge she's picked up in school, and Gus, her sweet and funny boyfriend.
I really liked this book, and am going to do my best to track down an e-book store which will legally sell me the sequels online, so I don't have to wait for the US release of the next two books before I can read them.
Merged review:
March 2017: My review of this appears to have disappeared from Goodreads, which is just strange. I've reposted it.
June 2015
Rachel Watts lives two doors down from the brilliant, troubled and eccentric James Mycroft, the most intelligent boy in school. What he has in abundance in the IQ department, he lacks in social smarts, and as his closest friend, it seems to be Rachel's job to try to keep him out of scrapes with other students at school (who he will frequently inadvertently or purposefully insult) or from getting suspended for breaking school rules. She also tends to bring him food, as he has a tendency to forget to eat when left to his own devices. While he lives with his aunt Angela, they barely speak and seem to have a mostly antagonistic relationship.
Mycroft, who likes to compare himself to his fictional namesake, Sherlock Holmes' older and allegedly smarter brother, has a passion for forensic pathology and frequents message boards online and writes articles, even occasionally consulting on cases, under the name Diogenes. Watts helps him proof-read and edit the articles. When the teenagers find "Homeless Dave", a man they regularly visit and bring food near Melbourne zoo, murdered not far from his local sleeping spot, Mycroft uses everything he knows of forensic experience to document the scene before the police arrive. He later persuades Watts to be his side-kick in earnest, determined to investigate the death that the police undoubtedly won't care much about, as the victim was a homeless nobody.
Rachel used to live with her parents and older brother Mike on a sheep farm in the country. Financial difficulties forced them to sell the farm and relocate to Melbourne, where Rachel's parents and brother work hard to make ends meet. Rachel wants to study agriculture and move back to the countryside, she feels uprooted and unsettled in her new urban surroundings. With her academic achievements, her family want her to go to college and get a proper degree, though. Previously home schooled and used to a solitary life, the bustling corridors of her new high school and the constant stress and noise of the city is making Rachel miserable. Having made good friends in Mycroft and the fierce Mai Ng, as well as Mai's boyfriend Gus, makes her existence more bearable, but she's still not happy in Melbourne.
James (who always goes by Mycroft) is English and lost both his parents in a horrific car crash that left him scarred both physically and emotionally. His aunt Angela is his legal guardian, but they may as well be strangers just living in the same house for all the time they spend together. Mycroft is constantly skirting the edge of having social services investigate his living situation, which while not idyllic, is at least better than a foster home. Mycroft loves mysteries and is a keen observer of everything around him. While fiercely intelligent, he's also low on social graces and frequently pisses off his class mates or gets into trouble with the school management. He's obsessed with finding out the cause of his parents' accident, and frequently emotionally unstable, with Rachel, sometimes aided by Mai and Gus, doing her best to keep him from getting beaten up or expelled.
Rightly surmising that the police are unlikely to expend too many resources on trying to solve the murder of a homeless man, especially one who appears to have been killed for sport, Mycroft insists that he and Watts need to do their best to figure out who's behind the murder. Rachel initially refuses, but is unable to resist the lure of the mystery or Mycroft's charismatic persuasion for long, and soon the two teens are using everything they know of forensic pathology to identify the killer of their homeless friend. Hunting killers is a dangerous hobby, though, and before long Mycroft and Watts are courting danger and find themselves in near-death situations of their own.
I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that there is also a romantic sub-plot in the book, which is very well done, for all that I'm not sure Rachel should involve herself with someone who is clearly not the most emotionally or mentally stable person (I speak from experience here, Watts). Both Rachel and Mycroft are very engaging protagonists and there is a good supporting cast in the book - Rachel's parents and Mike, her brother, as well as Mai, their loyal friend who more than once uses the legal knowledge she's picked up in school, and Gus, her sweet and funny boyfriend.
I really liked this book, and am going to do my best to track down an e-book store which will legally sell me the sequels online, so I don't have to wait for the US release of the next two books before I can read them.
I flew through this book! I really liked the two main characters, Mycroft and Watts. I've already picked up the 2nd book. I don't want to give too much away. All I can say is that these 2 sleuthsters are probably going to be added to my book collection.
I have been looking to read this book for a long time and struggled to get my hands on a copy, and I'm glad that I finally did.
This is a pretty typical YA, but at the same time it inserts some refreshing narrative ideas and character diversity. Whilst it is definitely a typical YA novel, that's in no way a bad thing, it's a really satisfying YA read that slightly verges away from convention.
Personally, as a Melbournian I love reading stories set within my own city, with locations that I can very easily identify, so that's an added plus for me. I also enjoyed the slight Sherlock acknowledgment found within this story, its subtle and blunt all at the same time, but nonetheless I found it an enjoyable feature.
Overall this is a really satisfying read that is easy to sink into, and I'm very much looking forward to finishing the series when the rest of the books are delivered to me this week!
This is a pretty typical YA, but at the same time it inserts some refreshing narrative ideas and character diversity. Whilst it is definitely a typical YA novel, that's in no way a bad thing, it's a really satisfying YA read that slightly verges away from convention.
Personally, as a Melbournian I love reading stories set within my own city, with locations that I can very easily identify, so that's an added plus for me. I also enjoyed the slight Sherlock acknowledgment found within this story, its subtle and blunt all at the same time, but nonetheless I found it an enjoyable feature.
Overall this is a really satisfying read that is easy to sink into, and I'm very much looking forward to finishing the series when the rest of the books are delivered to me this week!