My Impression: This is a series that just keeps getting better. Charlotte has found her footing and her confidence as Sherlock Holmes and her new hidden way of life. This book starts off just where the previous book left off and we are smack I the middle of danger and intrigue fr om the first page.

I was completely caught up in the investigation and couldn't wait to find out the next bit of information. Charlotte is one of my absolute favorite investigators with her clear and logical mind and her immense fondness for baked goods. I also find the relationship between Charlotte and Lord Ingram interesting. It's more complex than a straightforward will they/won't they and I really enjoy their interactions.

While this is a solid mystery I don't think this is an ideal series to start in the middle. There is a lot of character setup and background on the Marbles, Lady Ingram, and Moriarty in the previous books that would make this one much more enjoyable.

If you enjoy a good Sherlock Holmes retelling and love a smart and capable heroine as well as interesting side characters this is a series that should not be missed!

This was an atmospheric captivating story that made me want to say, “Elementary my dear Mrs. Watson.”

This is the third installment in the Lady Sherlock series... admittedly I was a little confused in the beginning, having not read the first two books in this Series... because from what I understand this book pics up where the previous book ends... eventually I got into the swing of it and was completely captivated, however I really would have appreciated it more had i more of the backstory.... I am such a character girl and Charlotte both baffled and intrigued me, I know I would have loved to get to know her better.... SO, I would strongly encourage you not to do what I did and start this book from the beginning!

This book had a little bit of everything murder, romance, secrets, family drama.... all set against the backdrop of Victorian England.... The tone and the language in the story really brought this period in history to life.... The book opens with Charlotte finding her illegitimate half brother, and there is a connection to Moriarty... The boy has something Moriarty Wants... The book goes forward from there... with the murder of Lady Ingram The wife of charlotte’s love interest.... Lord Ingram, of course is the primary suspect, so Charlotte takes it upon herself to solve the case... with Mrs. Watson by her side and in disguise as the brother of Sherlock Holmes Charlotte was an extraordinary and exceptional and maybe a little unconventional detective! I have to say my absolute favorite parts of this book were the interactions between Charlotte and Mrs. Watson, I also loved Charlotte in disguise, that was fabulous!

An engaging read that I’m sure any fan of this series will love... i’m hoping to read the first two books in the series before the next one comes out... and I’m pretty certain there will be a next one because it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger just called me Sherlock, or should I say just call me Charlotte!🔍

*** A big thank you to Berkley for my copy of this book ***

Happy Halloween!!! I am so excited to finally get to share my review of Hollow of Fear. I read this book with the book besties and we thought this would be the perfect day to celebrate such a fun mystery! This one is not chills, but it has tons of thrills—so don’t fear if you are someone who doesn’t like things that are too scary. This is the type of murder mystery that is perfect for some cozy-in-bed October reading. I absolutely loved this book!

About the Book

Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't.

Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.

With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram--and a number of malevolent forces...

Reflection

It is impossible to read this book and not feel delighted and in awe. Charlotte Holmes is a truly outstanding lead character, made all the more so because she isn’t the narrator, and we see her working only through the eyes of others. When we hit the conclusion to the mystery, all of her cryptic behavior and powers of deduction come to fruition and the path she leads us on to the solution is awe-inducing. To say I’m a fan of this series is a MASSIVE understatement.

I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and always have been. In fact, I am going to share a rare photo of myself and my sister and a distinguished employee of 221B Baker Street for your enjoyment. That is how much I love Sherlock Holmes! When I was in high school and college, The Hound of the Baskervilles was my go-to book if I was home sick.

I’ve always enjoyed the mental gymnastics of deductive thinking and forensic science that is Homes’ signature sleuthing style. To my absolute delight, Charlotte Holmes is every bit as intelligent and sharp-witted, and she has some alluring feminine wiles to go with it! The writing of this book is very authentic to the style of the original Sherlock Holmes books. I think readers will be delighted to find themselves immersed in Holmes’ mystery, and you may even forget that Holmes wasn’t a woman all along!

As for the mystery—well it has just enough salaciousness to feed the townsfolk. Lord Ingram is a sympathetic character. Trapped by his own selfishness in youth, and trying to follow through with his commitments. Only to then find himself the center of a murder investigation by a woman who is frankly deplorable. Then we have the disgraced Charlotte Holmes, who describes her own fall from grace with the intelligence and humility we’d expect from Lady Sherlock. She is a saucy character with the brain of a genius. In fact, I want to end my review with this quote (which I loved):

“The woman was a holy terror: the sweetest face, the pillowiest bosom, and a perspicacity that stripped a man naked in seconds.”

Thank you so much to Berkley for our partner copies!

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I kept hearing about this book, and it sounded so good! I enjoyed reading it!

What a clever, thoroughly delightful book!

At the outset, though, I wasn't so enthusiastic; set in Victorian England, with language and customs to match, I realized I wouldn't be able to breeze through this one as I'm accustomed to doing with other mysteries and thrillers. But a couple of chapters into it, I realized I didn't want to.

This is, for the record, the third in the author's "Lady Sherlock" series (and the first, but definitely not the last, for me). The star of the show, Charlotte Holmes, is a consulting detective in Sherlock Holmes fashion - operating a business at 18 Baker Street - with a Mrs. Watson as a helper when needed. Lacking the standard social graces of the times, she and her sister, Olivia, are estranged from the parents they "disgraced" and on their own (a third sister, Bernadine, is disabled and still lives at home but plays a role in this story as well). The Sherlock nemesis, Moriarty, gets frequent mention as an archenemy.

When a home construction disaster forces participants at a party there (Charlotte included) to relocate to the mansion of her friend and love interest, the handsome Lord Ingram, things don't quite go as planned. Early on, a young servant who's sent to fetch ice from the ice house makes a gruesome discovery: The body of Ingram's estranged wife, who's been missing for a time but thought to have run away of her own accord. Scotland Yard comes running, and the subsequent investigation points to Lord Ingram as the perpetrator. Charlotte, of course, is certain that he's innocent and, mostly disguised as "Sherrinford" Holmes, Sherlock's brother, puts her powers of deduction to work to unearth the real killer (even as she loses her usual "power" to chow down, especially sweets).

Along the way, there are too many twists, turns and sleights of hand and mind to mention, and everything is resolved in the end including Charlotte's appetite (well, almost everything; this is, after all, a series). Thus, I'm already yearning to read the next installment. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this one and introduce me to a wonderful series.

I absolutely love this series!! When I got to the end I had to go back and reread some things I did not see coming. This is a really good fun series.

I haven’t read book one or two of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Holmes series, but when I saw an ARC of The Hollow Fear it just sounded too fun to pass up. I was worried I’d miss out on a few details, but I figured I could take a hint from Holmes and piece together the gist of things to make this third installment just as great as if I’ve read the rest.

I had a little bit of trouble settling into this story, perhaps it was because I felt plunked into the middle of it having not read any of the previous books. Thomas does a great job of re-explaining backgrounds and giving extra information though, so I never felt lost, but I certainly didn’t feel as drawn in as I would have expected.

The overall tone was what I expected from a Sherlock Holmes-esque novel, strangely mixed with something out of a Jane Austen novel. I love both, but weaving them together was kind of strange at the start and there was a lot of concern with reputations and gossip and social status at the beginning, which I wasn’t anticipating and felt kind of dragged for me. I’m not sure if that was just in this book, as Charlotte underwent a scandal in the previous books, so maybe I just got off on the wrong foot, but I felt like the social standing aspect somewhat overshadowed the actual investigation work involved.

I did quite enjoy the moments where Charlotte zoned in on a person or situation to fully analyze and deconstruct the moment. That’s by far my favourite Sherlock Holmes quality, so I was pleased to see it often here as well. And I liked Charlotte in the role of Holmes; the female perspective was welcomed and enjoyable, even if she was dressed like a man most of the time. She very easily flitted through various characters to uphold the deceiving story that there is, in fact, a Sherlock Holmes.

Overall, I feel somewhat lukewarm about the story, though. It was well crafted and the twists were on par with a Sherlock story, but I think I got too caught up in the weight of society and Charlotte’s reputation to fully enjoy it all. Certain parts seemed repetitive and the characters never fully grew on me. Hard to say whether that was my own fault for jumping into the middle of a series though. I love the concept and what this book set out to do, it just didn’t fully convince me.

A new perspective on "Sherlock" that is fun and entertaining. Well-crafted and smart.

With each new release in this series, I have recommended, gifted, and book-talked these titles to my family and friends and patrons.

I love Sherry Thomas' gender bending Sherlock twist. Sometimes the ways they hide Charlotte's identity seem to stretch the limits of belief, but I like the slow burn mystery and the ways Charlotte figures things out. This one had more emotional content in it, which I also liked. Can't wait for the next.

Sherry Thomas does it again with the 3rd installment of her Lady Sherlock Series. Each book builds on what's happened in the past and keeps you wanting more. In this 3rd installment she dons a hilarious disguise to do her detecting. Thomas' Charlotte Holmes may be my favorite Sherlock re-imagining.

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry ThomasThomas knocks another Charlotte Holmes story out of the park. I didn't love every beat but it was an entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson are at Lord Ingram's country estate. Well, the town just outside it. Charlotte is there hoping to be taken up on her proposition.

Unfortunately, a nearby house part has relocated to Lord Ingram's with two of society's most notorious gossips. And they, along with Charlotte's sister Livia are the ones to discovery Lady Ingram dead in the ice house. Though Treadles is one of the people investigating the case, his boss seems hellbent on making sure Ingram is hanged for the crime.

Another good addition to the series. I wish we had seen a little more of Charlotte's quirks but overall a pleasant read.



Four stars
This book came out September 2
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Charlotte Holmes is back and her latest case hits very close to home when her best friend, Lord Ingram, and Charlotte’s sister, Livie, find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery. At the end of book two, Charlotte discovered that Lady Ingram was an agent of Moriarty’s and that she had disappeared in the dead of night. Now she has turned up dead on the estate and all fingers are pointing to her husband. While Charlotte and her assistant, Mrs. Watson work the case, she is also maneuvering all the pieces in place to bring her sisters into her home and keep her stepbrother safe from Moriarty’s clutches. Can she beat Scotland Yard at their own game or will she have to sacrifice more than her virtue this time?

I thoroughly enjoy this series though this one failed to connect with me as the other two did. I found my attention wandering more then once while reading and I’m not sure why. Charlotte is Charlotte, intelligent, cunning, and focused but the tiny things this go around bothered me. She was much more secretive in here and as she is not the narrator, it was hard to get into her head. I found myself much more enchanted with Lord Ingram and Livvie. Ingram voices his regret over the tantrum that led him to marry his wife and enlightens us to the reasons why. Livvie continues to bloom and her love for her sisters is quite fierce when push comes to shove. The mystery flows in and out with a smoothness that belays Thomas’ talent though I felt lost at times and felt like I was missing something. The ending is quite explosive as Charlotte plays her hand and once again shows her skill to the world. Though I fear the romance remains far in the future, I look forward to book four.

Grade: C+

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas is the third book in the Lady Sherlock series featuring Charlotte Holmes.

Charlotte Holmes’s cover is nothing if not impressive: far more than being the great detective’s amanuensis, she is the embodiment of “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective” to her clients. Her supplicants think she speaks and acts on Holmes’s behalf, but Charlotte relies on her extraordinary skills of observation and detection to solve crimes, assisted by her staunch ally, the redoubtable Mrs. Watson. Charlotte Holmes’s reputation precedes her wherever she goes, like the evening when she meets the nemesis in the Sherlock Holmes pantheon.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance at last, Miss Holmes,” said the man. His fingers tapped against his walking stick. His voice, soft but confident, betrayed a hint of amusement. “My name is Moriarty.”

The Hollow of Fear is an intensely personal case for Charlotte. Her “dear friend Lord Ingram stands accused of the murder of his estranged wife.” Lord Ingram has known and cared for Charlotte since they were adolescents. He has the utmost respect for her.

The woman was a holy terror: the sweetest face, the pillowiest bosom, and a perspicacity that stripped a man naked in seconds.

It is common knowledge in society that Lord and Lady Ingram are estranged. The story is that Lady Ingram is residing in Switzerland for the sake of her health—a polite fiction that everyone accepts. But as Charlotte’s sister, Livia, and two aristocratic busy-bodies, Ladies Somersby and Avery, learn, Lady Ingram never left England.

At last they stood at the edge of the ice well and stared down onto Lady Ingram—Lady Ingram’s body—lying on top of the wood shavings.

Someone patted Livia’s hand—she’d been clutching at Lady Somersby’s sleeve, with fingers that had been chilled to the bone.

“Well,” said Lady Avery, her voice low yet harsh, “I guess this place is as cold as Switzerland.”

Charlotte disguises herself as Sherlock Holmes’s brother Sherrinford Holmes to stay at Stern Hollow, the Ingram estate. It’s a convincing disguise, which she dons because she believes that only she can prove Lord Ingram is innocent.

The young man in the waiting room sported a thick but well-groomed beard, topped off with a meticulously pomaded handlebar mustache, the ends of which curled up nearly an inch.

Sherrinford is on site when Sergeant Treadles, a policeman with a personal relationship with Lord Ingram, and Chief Inspector Fowler of Scotland Yard appear. They know of Charlotte’s friendship—and more—with Lord Ingram. They ask Lord Ingram if he knows where she is and if they can meet with her. Ingram says that isn’t possible but references Sherrinford. Treadles is in quite a pickle. He knows the truth, but he also respects his boss’s moniker, “the Bloodhound of the Yard.”

But when Lord Ingram had made it known that Sherrinford Holmes was brother to Sherlock Holmes, who, as a fictional character, could have no flesh-and-blood brothers, he had announced to Treadles loud and clear that Miss Holmes was among them.

Had, in effect, asked him, out of friendship, to not breathe a word of her presence.

Because Chief Inspector Fowler was not the only one conducting a murder investigation at Stern Hollow.

Miss Holmes, despite Treadles’s unease at her unchaperoned attendance, was not there to engage in an illicit affair with Lord Ingram—or at least not only that—but to find out the truth of what had happened to Lady Ingram.

To say more would be to deprive readers of the pleasure of watching Charlotte, aka Sherrinford, at the height of her powers. Charlotte Holmes is a relentless pursuer of the truth, never allowing herself to be deterred by the discomfort of those closest to her. When a young colleague asks her if “it will be all right,” Charlotte muses that outcomes are often not tidy.

Charlotte understood enough of human emotions to know that the girl wished for reassurance, on the part of someone she trusted to get to the bottom of the matter. But if they’d learned anything from the debacle with Lady Ingram, it was that truth was sometimes no one’s friend.

That getting to the bottom of the matter could shatter bonds and upend lives.

Those closest to Charlotte sometimes inwardly accuse her of not understanding “the full spectrum of human emotions.” Charlotte knows that is not true—unfortunately, exemplary detectives often give those they love “the opposite of what they wished for.” The Hollow of Fear is an absorbing tale of detection, with a fascinating, iconoclastic woman at its core.

One if the most interesting mystery series that I have read. Love the Sherlock Holmes allusions, but have also come to love Charlotte for her own brilliance and personality. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Sherlock Holmesish books, historical fiction, or mysteries.

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas and featuring Charlotte Holmes, is the third novel in the Lady Sherlock series. Charlotte is an extraordinary detective who goes by the name of Sherlock Holmes in order to hide her gender. Her abilities to analyze, deduce and solve the mysteries presented to her are nothing short of amazing. Charlotte herself is also an interesting character. While she is very observant and focused, she is also aloof, unemotional and extremely intelligent.

In The Hollow of Fear, Charlotte, with the help of Mrs Watson, is called upon to solve the murder of her friend’s estranged wife, as well as clear her friend of suspicion. As with the two previous books in this series, there are twists and surprises that will keep the reader up all night.

As many other reviewers have indicated, I also recommend that the books in the Lady Sherlock series be read in order. It is a rich and clever series that just keeps getting better and better…and it has been good from the very beginning. I’m already looking forward to the next installment! Thank you, Ms Thomas, for giving me so many hours of reading pleasure!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This third book in the Lady Sherlock series left me with mixed feelings. For me the beginning was too slow and I kept waiting for the mystery to start. Then when it did I was hooked but it seems that there were things I just did not know. When the story went back in time to explain I hated that I had not know the plan behind the plot. The ending did leave the relationships open to future development as the series progresses. What I liked? I love the different characters and how they interact as they are true to their character's development and how Thomas weaves a very complex plot.

I enjoyed the latest in the "Lady Sherlock" series, but would advise readers to begin with the first book.

As a frequent reader of Sherlock Homes pastiche, I like the originality of the Charlotte Holmes character, who would probably be placed on the autistic/Asperger's spectrum: brilliant, aloof, focused and persistent, able to recognize patterns, observant of details, etc.

The background of Charlotte Holmes described in the first two books includes her resistance to the expectations of women during the Victorian era. Gender-flipping both Sherlock and Dr. Watson is part of the fun. Charlotte's detecting must be done under a male cover and her associate, who takes on the Dr. Watson role, is also a strong woman with a background that doesn't meet society standards.

The Hollow of Fear takes place shortly after the conclusion of the previous novel. Moriarity has been introduced and plays an off-camera role.

Lord Ingram, Charlotte's close friend, has said that his wife is in Switzerland, but when Lady Ingram's body is discovered in the ice house on his estate, the situation looks grim. Charlotte and Mrs. Watson must discover who wants Lord Ingram charged with murder...and why.

Inspector Treadles is placed in a difficult situation, Charlotte's appetite for sweets declines (a serious symptom of fear in Charlotte's case), the relationship between Lord Ingram and Charlotte changes, and the reason for framing Ingram is unexpected.

Start with A Study in Scarlet Women and have fun with this series!

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Historical Mystery. Oct. 2, 2018. Print version: 336 pages.

The Hollow of Fear, by author Sherry Thomas, is the third installment in the author's Lady Sherlock series. Charlotte Holmes is the main protagonist of this series. Since her intentional fall from grace, she has taken the mantel of Sherlock Holmes, the only consulting detective around. Her partner in crime is Mrs. John Watson who was good enough to take Charlotte in when everyone turned against her. Since her reputation is presumably ruined for good, Charlotte can't actually do any investigations as her self.

This would be a great time to explain that this series must be read in order. I also will say that the events of this books, definitely ties into what happened in A Conspiracy in Belgravia. Previously, Charlotte discovered that her friend Lord Ingram’s estranged wife was an agent of Moriarty and therefore a traitor to the Crown for which Lord Ingram is an agent. Since then, nobody has seen Lady Ingram.

That is until a corpse turns up at Lord Ingram's house after a serious of curious events which leads to an entire household of unexpected guests, including Olivia (Livia) Holmes. Pretty much as scripted, Lord Ingram becomes the main suspect in his wife's disappearance and apparent murder which brings Charlotte Holmes into the picture. But, not in the way that readers have seen her over the course of the previous installment.

Charlotte, as “Sherrinford” Holmes, has to discover what is happening and why Lord Ingram is being targeted. This means working alongside Inspector Robert Treadles, and his boss Chief Investigator Fowler. Fowler is a thorn in the side but it's not a bad thing. He is renowned for solving difficult challenges, but he's never encountered Charlotte before. As for Charlotte, she can't actually say that she is confident she will find the real suspect before her friend and possible lover is arrested for murder.

One of the curiosities of this series has been that the author has made Sherlock Holmes a fictional character who is really Charlotte who is a female. Then, she twists things by letting Charlotte dress up as a man so that she can help Lord Ingram clear his name. The curious thing is that there are a few people who actually do know who Charlotte's alter-ego actually is which makes for a really interesting and yes, twisted story.

I mentioned Livia before, and I'll finish my review by saying that events have led her to participate more and more in each story. This time out she has to deal with the dynamic duo of tricksters, spinsters, and busy bodies in Lady Avery and Lady Somersby who end up being just the worst sort of sods imaginable. She is also highly protective of her oldest sister who her parents try hard to hide from the public. That just doesn't cut it for Livia, nor Charlotte for that matter. Livia is also moving towards her own happiness, hopefully, even with her sisters blessing and encouragement. Let's hope so.

Recommendation: yes, I really do recommend this series. I love Charlotte as a character. I love her analytical mind. I love her relationship with Livia. I love that she really doesn't hold anger issues when it comes to her being a societal outcast without friends outside of Lord Ingram and Mrs. Watson. These stories are filled with surprises and twists and I will continue to read the next book in the series.

This is another incredibly clever, satisfying installment in the Lady Sherlock series — these are quite possibly my favorite mysteries currently being published.

This was the book I wanted to read, so in spite of being a couple of weeks early, I did. And in the end, I’m glad I did. Even if I found this entry in the series every bit as frustrating – as well as every bit as captivating – as the first two books, A Study in Scarlet Women and A Conspiracy in Belgravia.

And yes, that’s a hint. This is a series where you really need to read them in order. Holmes’ situation in this series is so singular that the reader really needs to start from the beginning for it to make the sense that is required. Particularly as the case in The Hollow of Fear is directly related to events that took place in A Conspiracy in Belgravia – even more of those events than at first appears.

By this point in the series, we are well acquainted with Charlotte Holmes and her lucrative masquerade as her invalid “brother” Sherlock. Charlotte has found a rather unique solution to the restrictions placed on genteel Victorian womanhood by arranging to have her virginity rather publicly taken by a married man, making her a scarlet woman and removing herself from her parents’ household and restrictions.

She’d rather be disowned than respected. Which does not mean that she does not still care for her family, or at least for her two sisters, Livia and Bernadine. Bernadine, the oldest sister, has been kept away from society since she was a little girl. Based on the descriptions of her behavior, it seems as if Bernadine has a severe form of autism – but of course that was not recognized at the time.

To their unloving and extremely profligate parents, Bernadine is an embarrassment and an expense they would rather dispose of.

Charlotte, as we have learned to know her better, quite possibly has Asperger’s Syndrome. She certainly has some of the hallmarks of the syndrome, notably the high intelligence, the hyper focus on one particular topic, and a considerable amount of difficulty with social skills.

Livia is the closest to what their society classes as “normal”, but she also has no desire to rescue her parents’ terrible financial situation by marrying someone who will stifle her creativity. It is Livia in this Sherlock Holmes pastiche who is the author of the stories.

The case in The Hollow of Fear is a complex one – and it is a case that both strikes close to home and reaches towards the halls of power. In A Conspiracy in Belgravia, Holmes discovered that her friend Lord Ingram’s estranged wife was not merely a mercenary bitch, which was already well known, but was also an agent of Moriarty (of course there’s a Moriarty) and therefore a traitor to the Crown for which Lord Ingram is an agent.

At the end of that story, Lady Ingram supposedly flees to the Continent, but at the beginning of this story her corpse is found on Lord Ingram’s estate, stuffed rather unceremoniously into the icehouse.

Of course Lord Ingram is the prime suspect in his wife’s murder. Not just because police always look at the spouse first, but because Lord Ingram has so very many motives to want his wife permanently out of the picture.

Including the exceedingly well known fact that Lord Ingram is in love with Charlotte Holmes.

But it will be up to Sherlock Holmes, with the assistance of a host of both real and imaginary relatives, to unravel the trap that Lord Ingram has so obviously been placed in. Without revealing either her own identity or the secret workings that caused this mess in the first place.

Escape Rating B+: I always have mixed feelings about the books in this series. The author has done an excellent job of conveying just how restricted women’s activities were at this particular period, and how much difficulty Charlotte has in working her way around those restrictions.

The advent of “Sherrinford” Holmes in this story was a fascinating way of working around the conundrum this time – as well as the creation of quite the character in his own right.

It takes a bit of time for the “case” to truly begin in this one, and those opening chapters don’t move at nearly a fast enough pace. At the same time, they are absolutely crucial for setting up the scenario and getting all the clues in place for the main event – which is a doozy.

This is a case where, in the end, nothing is quite as it seemed. The switch between the events as they appeared from the outside and the reveal at the end felt a bit abrupt, but once the story switches from what everyone “sees” to what is happening under the surface it all falls into place quite satisfactorily.

But while it is all going on, the author does a good job of ramping up the tension. The situation, particularly for Lord Ingram, seems bleak. We expect that “Sherlock” is going to save the day, but not even Charlotte herself is willing to promise that all will be well. Like the characters in the story, particularly Livia Holmes, we find ourselves hoping without any certainty that all will be well.

That there is so much that cannot be revealed because it will unmask governmental secrets just adds to the tension. We know Ingram is innocent, but we don’t know whether it will be possible to prove his innocence when there is so much that absolutely cannot be told.

The reveal of the villain at the end is a surprise to the reader and many of the characters as well. And it does a beautiful job of setting up the possibilities for the next story in the series. There are at least two more books coming, and as much as the descriptions of just how much Charlotte has to work around and how appalling difficult many women’s situations are, I can’t wait!