Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are looking for a winter break reprieve in Sussex after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But nothing about their time off is proving simple, including Holmes and Watson's growing feelings for each other. When Charlotte's beloved uncle Leander goes missing from the Holmes estate -- after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring -- the game is afoot once again, and Charlotte throws herself into a search for answers. So begins a dangerous race through the gritty underground scene in Berlin and glittering art houses in Prague, where Holmes and Watson discover that this complicated case might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other.
Charlotte Holmes is back, and a simple holiday vacation takes a turn when her uncle disappears from the family home, leaving nothing but a cryptic message. As Holmes and Watson work to find him, they learn about a European art forging ring, and tangle - once again - with the Moriarity family.
I don't often buy hardback books, because they can be expensive and it's often something I can either wait for the paperback, or wait for a cheaper price on Kindle. However, I enjoyed the first book in the series so much, that I was waiting for this one when it was released. And, as with the first one, it's a rollicking good ride.
The two characters are struggling through their relationship, particularly after the events of the first book (no spoilers here). The reader does get a much better idea of the family dynamics at play in Charlotte's life as well, and it really isn't pretty. There is also some backstory of the events that led to the first book.
The ending here was totally unexpected, and heartbreaking (again - no spoilers!) in its denouement. I will be looking forward to book 3 to see how it will be possible to pick up the pieces.
