As usual, Thomas manages to keep me involved though wonderful mystery and intrigue. This novel follows the similar themes of her other books in this series. There is a challenge for Holmes to solve, and this time it is not for profit but for Mrs. Watson. The reader sees a bit more humanity and emotions in Holmes this time around. However, I feel that all the build up between Holmes and her childhood friend is a bit of let down after the previous novel. Imogen and Holmes seem to take a step back and I was so looking forward to see how they would move forward!

There's a good amount of hand waving around some of the "deductive" leaps that Charlotte takes in this entry of the series, but I didn't find myself caring particularly. It's enough that this is another fun, fast-paced story that adds a further bit of depth to these already compelling characters. I'm always interested to see where Thomas will take this crew next.

I absolutely love this series. I am not sure this book is as sharp as the others, but it is still good. The characters are really great and I am looking forward to where she is going to take some characters in the next book.

The Art of Theft was completely delightful. For those who haven't read the series before, it's the fourth entry in the Lady Sherlock series. "Sherlock" is a persona created by Charlotte Holmes, a young woman cast out of society after a shocking incident. Charlotte's intelligence is to be expected, but her sister Livia got a chance to shine in this book as well.

Charlotte, Livia, and Mrs. Watson (with whom Charlotte lives), as well as Charlotte's friend Lord Ingram and Livia's friend Mr. Marbleton all head to France, to undertake a heist in order to help an old friend of Mrs. Watson's. Highly recommended!

I truly adore this series. This one ended up in a very different place than I thought it would, and I enjoyed every minute. Art theft! A masked ball! A mysterious estate! As soon as I finished I was upset I couldn't immediately dive into the next one. It probably isn't necessary to read the others in the series first - there are a few mild spoilers you'd pick up from starting with this book, but you wouldn't be totally lost. But why deprive yourself?

Sherry Thomas continues her Lady Sherlock series with The Art of Theft.

from decription: Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, is back solving new cases in the Victorian-set mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of The Hollow of Fear.

And off we go in another adventure with Charlotte Holmes, Lord Ingram, Mrs. Watson, Livia, and other familiar characters.

It is unusual that a prospective client has an interview with Charlotte, and then decides not to engage the services of Sherlock Holmes, but the beautiful Indian woman who requested the interview doesn't believe "Sherlock Holmes" is suitable for the job she requires.

It turns out, however, that Mrs. Watson is an old friend of the mysterious woman, so Charlotte and friends end up in France in a dangerous escapade that turns out to be more than they bargained for.

The plot is concluded, but a twist at the end sets up the next installment. This is the 4th book in the series, and if you are looking for a good binge, start with the first one A Study in Scarlet Women.

Read in June; blog review scheduled for Sept. 19, 2019

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Historical Mystery. Oct. 15, 2019. Print length: 336 pages.

Sherry Thomas has created a version of Holmes that is so vibrant and real. I can relate to her even though I will never be as smart as she is. She's intelligent and knows her worth and helps other female characters see and appreciate their own worth. I love the relationship between Ash and Holmes. He appreciates her for who she is and finds her attractive even at Maximum Tolerable Chins. Each of Thomas's installments in this series has twists and turns I don't see coming and this installment was no different. Holmes may have gotten aleg up on Moriarty this time but it's short lived. I'm interested in seeing how or if Moriarty plays into the next book in the series with Inspector Treadles arrested on suspicion of murder. Treadles and his wife were sorely missed in this book, so I'm glad to see they will be back for the next. Highly recommend. I can't put this series down.

As soon as I began this book, I realized I must have missed a book in the series and had to pause to catch up. Once I had, I thought this book was thoroughly enjoyable. I thought this one was written much more clearly than some of the previous ones. I had no problems following the plot, twists, and red herrings. There were several surprises towards the end of the book that upped the tension without being totally unbelievable. All in all, a very enjoyable read.

I tried to read this book yesterday, but for some reason I couldn't get the print to show up dark enough for me to read on my Kindle. I tried adjusting my settings and still was unable to read it. I'm so bummed out about it, as i was really looking forward to this one. I will definitely be reading it when it comes out in Oct.

I have read quite a few contemporary novels reprising the Sherlock Holmes character---this was by far my favorite. I loved the feminist approach to "Sherlock" and Mrs Watson's character also had a fascinating "back story."

My only criticism of the book is that the reader who has not experienced other books in the "Lady Sherlock" series is disadvantaged. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional and I would have enjoyed their interplay more if I'd been exposed to their backgrounds in other books, or in a more substantive introduction to them in this book.

But, the plot was fun, the language lively and I will definitely look forward to reading another book in this series.
NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an engaging story. The plot was exciting, and the characters were interesting. Having not read the prior books in the series, there were elements of the story that went beyond me, but overall, it was an exciting and enjoyable mystery.