A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock, #1)

by Sherry Thomas

USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down in the first novel in this Victorian mystery series....
 
With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
 
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.

But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

An NPR Best Book of 2016

Reviewed by Hillary on

5 of 5 stars

Share


I have to admit when this showed up in my mailbox and I read the synopsis for it I had my doubts. I mean Sherlock Holmes as a woman. Hmmph. I am not too crazy about Victorian era lit either.Most of it is too damn snobby for me. I decided to take a chance on this book, and I am so glad that I did. For one I loved Charlotte Holmes. I guess I can relate better to people who have been kicked out of polite society than I can with people that carry that large yolk around their neck. Charlotte was a bit of an odd duck in the beginning, but she grows over the course of the book. I enjoyed seeing how she developed over the course of the story. I could relate to her penchant for food as I am the same way. Now I want me some plum cake!

I was never one that was any good at solving mysteries so of course, it came as a twist to me. I read from other mystery lovers that it was boring. If you are like me and you can't see something right in front of your face, then the mystery aspect of this has a giant twist. I thought it was brilliant.

The main character in this book is Charlotte, so we see her grow a LOT in this book. I was sad that the other characters remained the same. They did not have the same growth arc as Charlotte did. However, this is the first book in a series, so I am hoping in following books we get more of the other characters. I really would have liked to get to know them better. There is a budding romance that is illicit in the book, and I am hoping that in the next book that they get together.

One of the things that I had trouble with is keeping everyone straight. Like who is related to who, who slept with who, etc. I wish that there was a diagram explain how everyone is related. I had to go back and re-read some parts to make sure I had my people straight, but that is the only quibble I had with this book. This book has sexual abuse in it so if that triggers you then you might not want to read this book. It is not graphic or anything, but I know some people are extremely sensitive.This review was originally posted on Adventures in Never Never Land

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 October, 2016: Finished reading
  • 25 October, 2016: Reviewed