This was one of the few series that I have started and didn’t care for but actually decided to go back and give another chance to because everything about this book series promised to be right up my alley! I was so glad that I decided to give it another go because I have fallen in love with the characters (especially Lord Ingram) and I have loved all the books so far!

Obviously when this one came up, I couldn’t WAIT to see what some of my favorite characters had been up to since the last book plus things are really heating up when it comes to the Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty rivalry. If you have not read this series yet, I highly recommend going back and reading the other books first. This series builds on a lot of back stories and inter personal relationships so if you don’t have that context then it makes it more difficult to appreciate the larger narrative.

This book was a great weekend read and I enjoyed this one, though perhaps not as much as some of the others in the series but it was still what I would consider a solid read and I am really looking forward to the next book in the series as this one left things on a high note and I am eager to see what happens next.

Summary
Charlotte Holmes comes face to face with her enemy when Moriarty turns to her in his hour of need, in the USA Today bestselling series set in Victorian England.

A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes’s doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty’s daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte’s longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte–or is it the other way around?

But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty’s disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte’s skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers? (summary from Goodreads)

Review
This book for me was the bridge book. The best way for me to describe this book is to use another literary analogy. This book felt like the Order of the Phoenix book of the series. The earlier books felt more like introduction to characters and established the relationships and Sherlock/Charlotte Holmes as the superior detective but then things take a darker more serious turn as the one true villain emerges and threatens to topple everything Holmes and her friends have created for themselves. It was a good bridge installment and one that was necessary but for me it felt like there was a lot going on but also nothing actually happening if that makes sense. There wasn’t really a murder to investigate and Holmes and Lord Ingram’s relationship seemed to stall when it was really picking up in previous books. Livia and Mr Marbleton are also in a weird place along with all the other characters in the series when it ends.

Things definitely felt unfinished by the end of this one and but that’s to be expected as clearly the next book in the series will answer a number of questions lingering in this one. But for me this one felt less action packed and more like setting the stage for something bigger to come similar to the Order of the Phoenix book in the Harry Potter series. It wasn’t bad by any means and in many ways I expected that this one would be a little less action packed than the other books in the series just based on the fact that Moriarty is the ultimate Holmes villain and as such requires more than just a single book to set up and resolve their plotline.

While this book might have felt a little less action packed than some of the previous books and even if I was hoping for more progress with Lord Ingram, overall I felt like it was a satisfying read and left me wanting more Holmes and more books which obviously is the intent! I am so excited to see how things unfold in the forthcoming books based on how this one ended. If you are a fan of this series this is no doubt you’re going to grab this one and devour it as I did, if you are new to the series, go back and read the other books and you will appreciate this one so much more!

Book Info and Rating
Format: 368 pages, paperback

Expected publication: November 2nd 2021 by Berkley Books

ISBN: 9780593200582

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: historical fiction, mystery, detective novel

In this sixth book of the Lady Sherlock series, Charlotte Holmes (aka Sherlock Holmes) gains an unexpected client. Moriarty, calling himself Mr. Baxter, secures her services to find his daughter, Miss Baxter, who seems to be in the clutches of a cult. Charlotte begins to investigate but is also justifiably wondering if she is falling into a trap. Accompanied by the loyal Mrs. Watson, Charlotte travels to the remote cult to try to find Miss Baxter and the truth. This book can be read as a standalone, but reading the series in order is recommended.

This is another installment that will delight the many fans of this well-loved series. The idea of a lady Sherlock Holmes is always intriguing, and now we get to see a female Moriarty as well in the person of his daughter. The battle of wits between Charlotte and Moriarty continues, and through it all Charlotte’s cunning is always on display. She is, of course, backed up by her group of loyal friends and her sister Livia. Charlotte’s forbidden romance with Lord Ingram goes further than ever before. There is a lot of sexual innuendo and implied sexual situations, but nothing too graphic. There is some well-done epistolary work in the form of letters and investigative documents. The mystery is compelling but moves a little slowly at times. That is made up for by a fantastic conclusion that you won’t see coming. Recommended for fans of historical mysteries and Victorian-era romances.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Historical Novels Review Magazine. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Book 6 in the Lady Sherlock series and I’m still as much in love with these books as the first book. What Sherry Thomas, who I’ve declared my favorite author ever, with this series is nothing short of incredible. The fact that I’m still so keen on this series is a feat in itself. Typically, I have a hard time following and finishing up book series. Suffice it say, I’m a big fan!

ONE OF THE BEST INSTALLMENTS OF THE SERIES
Miss Moriarty, I Presume is an edgier installment that brings Charlotte and her allies in face-to-face with the series notorious villain, Moriarty. And phew! It was wicked fun! To Charlotte’s surprise, Moriarty shows up at her doorstep seeking her help in finding his missing daughter. Charlotte and her friends realize that something is off and things are not what they seem. This book was tense and I was pretty much stressed throughout the entire thing. I’m not sure how Sherry Thomas does it, but she gets me so invested in every aspect of her stories. And I thought that this was up there in the cleverest mysteries of the series.

Of course, this series would not be as good as it was without the incredible cast of characters. Charlotte, as always, is a delight. I love that over the course of these books she’s grown but she’s also just quintessentially herself. Her interactions with Lord Ingram, Mrs. Watson, and Livia delight me. She has great relationships with them and I love seeing them all team-up to solve the case of the day.

MY SHIP IS SAILING
I’ve mentioned in my previous reviews of the Lady Sherlock books that I’m absolute trash for the romance in this series. Y’all, my ship is full-on sailing and I may have screeched like a banshee a time or two reading Miss Moriarty, I Presume. What’s brilliant about it is the fact that the romance is very much in the background, but Sherry’s got me HOOKED.

I would d-word for these two and I want Sherry to write me more scenes of them being domestic, and horny with their little erotic love letters. They just bring me so much joy because they are perfect for each other. All the Charlotte and her beau crumbs were simply the best. Though we got to see them all in love and as a blissful couple here, there were remarks made by Mrs. Watson that had me wondering about the future direction their relationship will take. I AM SCARED because I desperately need a HEA for them.

Finally, this book ended with such a big bang. I know we’re in for one epic ride in the next installment and I have no idea where the author is going, but I am for sure excited for it. Moriarty is sure to cause a lot more trouble and I can’t wait to see how Charlotte and co. take him down.

Sherlock Holmes has been done to death, and yet Sherry Thomas makes the worn grooves of the classic cerebral mystery seem shiny and freshly cut.

I love the acknowledgement of Holmes' sartorial frivolity—I, too, have never met a pattern I didn't want to layer over a different, wildly clashing pattern—and the way she and Ingram play off of each other is nothing short of absurdly pleasing. Naughty tea gowns, scandalous stockings, and suggestive cozies indeed.

The mystery, as ever, is multi-layered and complex, but laid out in such a way that the requisite train journeys, carriage rides, relation of who spoke to whom about what and when, and the painstaking business of gathering clues (or should it be clews?) is engaging, instead of stultifying.

Final thought: whenever I get to hear more about Livia and Stephen's little sea of misery, it's just /chef's kiss/. Love to have the addition of Marguerite and Myron to that mix.

I love the Lady Sherlock series, and Miss Moriarty I Presume is no exception.
All of the Sherlock retellings I read is that these books often make me feel a little dumb. In this book, in particular, I had a hard time following exactly what was going. This one had less of a mystery and got more into the Holmes-Moriarty feud. I think
What these books bring are fantastic characters. Charlotte Holmes is wonderful. I love how she continues to challenge the social norms of the time. As the series goes on, we see such a softer side of Charlotte; she’s been letting people in, and it humanizes her. I love how she wants to take care of her sister. How she and Mrs. Watson team up and have some to care for each other so much. And, of course, there is Lord Ingram. He and Charlotte are one of my all-time favorite couples. I particularly enjoy how realistic they are about their relationship. They know each other and their flaws.
I did find the story a little confusing. Part of that could have been my fault, but I did feel like there were quite a few very obscure clues. I understand this is Sherlock Holmes, but it seemed a bit of a stretch. However, this book moved the series over as a whole which I appreciated. I enjoyed this book but more for the characters than the actual story.

Not only the best cover of the series, but also the best read! This series keeps getting better and better. Thomas gives her readers a gift in every Charlotte and Ash scene. It's a pleasure to watch their blossoming romance. I"ve never shipped two characters so hard!

In this sixth installment of the feminist POV mystery series, Charlotte is commissioned by Moriarty to find out if his estranged daughter is alive or dead. She, Mrs. Watson and Lord Ingram visit the mysterious cult Miss Moriarty "aka Miss Baxter" has taken refuge in. They are soon all caught up in a twisted Moriarty family web of deception and forced to take desperate measures to extricate themselves and Miss Baxter from Moriarty's cross-hairs. Will Charlotte manage to stay one step ahead of Moriarty once again?

I was on the edge of my seat with this one. The main plot moves quick and Livia has a side plot tracking clues from her love, Mr. Marbleton that was just as fun. The ending will leave you desperate for book 7. The game is now truly afoot! This is the Lady Sherlock read you've been waiting for (especially if you love the Charlotte/Lord Ingram romance)! Dive in!

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. In what is her most dangerous case yet, Charlotte Holmes is hired by none other than Moriarty himself. His daughter has possibly gone missing, and he needs Holmes to infiltrate the community that his daughter had been living in for years. While Moriarty cannot possibly be called a loving or devoted parent, he had not heard from his daughter in months. With her found family around her, Charlotte must dive deeply into a closed community, and try to discover the truth about Moriarty and his daughter.
While not quite as complicated a mystery as some of the previous titles, this book definitely has some of the highest stakes within the series. Moriarty is creepy without going overboard, and the action sequences are well done. I would definitely recommend reading this as part of the series, not as a standalone, because there are key characters and plot points that are best understood through the lens of earlier books. I am heartily looking forward to the next book.

What a consuming read!

To come face to face with her nemesis Moriarty is not what Charlotte expected. Moriarty, using the pseudonym Mr. Baxter turns up with Mr. Marbleton to engage Miss Holmes. To be asked to rescue Moriarty’s daughter from a group of occultists in Cornwall—Hermatists is quite the shock. Apparently Moriarty had forced her to return to him but that was short lived. She had returned to the commune with certain obligations. It seems Miss Baxter has been leading Moriarty quite the dance. Engaged to six unsuitable men in fifteen months, he gave into her imploring as he didn’t want to be seen as her ‘jailer.’ Moriarty’s solicitor has not been able to see ‘Miss Baxter.’ Needless there are some alarming aspects. So many things afoot! Just what is Charlotte going to discover. Apart from the fact that Moriarty is able to exercise an hypnotic quality. Pertinent in these days of seances. Miss Baxter’s situation is indeed problematic. Moriarty is endeavoring to control his daughter as much as he controls Marbleton. The irony of Mr. Marbleton’s situation is not lost on either Charlotte or Marbleton. And others have suffered as Moriarty extends that power. As we become well aware.
Charlotte’s sister Livia is fearful of Moriarty’s visit and struck anew by her love for Stephen Marbleton, a man in service to Moriarty. Charlotte is convinced Marbleton has left a message for them. She is desperate to find out what. Livia takes on some of this enquiry.
Lord Ingham becomes involved of course and his and Charlotte’s relationship ratchets up a knot or two. I was in stitches over Charlotte’s rather salacious letters to Ingham. And her knitting! Oh my, she’s deliciously wicked!
Livia has always annoyed me but in this instance I was awed by her determination. She’s coming out of her shell.
Chock full off intrigue, double blinds, red herrings, and quadrupled excitement, this Lady Sherlock episode is a grand statement indeed!

A Berkley penguinrandomhouse ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Miss Moriarty, I Presume? is a fun and exciting addition to the Lady Sherlock series. Charlotte Holmes is one of my favorite characters in recent years. She’s smart, intuitive, loves to eat and seems unconcerned what people (other than those closest to her) think of her. I love that author Sherry Thomas makes me chuckle at something Charlotte has done or thought. The mystery is secondary for me. She and her team find themselves with an intriguing assignment in their latest case. It was interesting but what I really loved was finding out what was new for Charlotte, Lord Ingram, Mrs. Watson and all the rest.

Recommended to fans of historical mystery. I know this is book 6 but I encourage readers to begin with book one and have fun getting to know Charlotte. I can’t wait to see what Sherry Thomas has in store with this group in the next book.

I really enjoy the author's twist on the original Sherlock Holmes and Watson characters. Charlotte is intelligent and logical to the extreme, devoted to her friends and sisters, and her taste for ridiculous dresses always makes me smile. Mrs. Watson is a perfect foil for Charlotte. She's warm and caring with plenty of good common sense and lots of connections. Thomas excels at creating atmosphere and interesting, flawed, and complicated characters. I enjoyed this book quite a lot - especially the second half.

However, I'm not a big fan of the nemesis style villain - especially when their villainy spans over several books - so I'm a bit tired of Mr. Moriarty. Especially when I don't quite understand why Mrs. Watson in particular is so terrified of him. As well, I found the beginning a bit slow to gain traction. I enjoyed getting to check in with all the characters but it didn't really pull me in and make me not want to put the book down. After the conclusion I do wonder where the series will go from here.

This series always keeps me guessing. I like the characters and that things move forward in the books. I will be interested in how this progresses in other books.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Moriarty shows up on Charlotte Holmes's doorstep, she is immediately ready to put into place the safeguards she's put up and she gets ready to run. But Moriarty shocks her - he wants Holmes to find his daughter. They were not close but he still worries when he hasn't heard from her in a long while.

Living as Miss Baxter, the daughter has good reasons not to contact her father. But is she safe behind the walls of the Garden of Hermopolis? Or is it a cult that has sucked her in and will not allow her to leave? And why, when Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to the remote locale, is everyone loathe to talk to Miss Baxter? Or even let them see her?
I enjoyed having the third person view focused on Mrs. Watson. It is definitely a throwback to the Doyle stories and made the story interesting, even if we had a narrator who might not be observing everything and decoding it like Charlotte did.

Four stars
Follows Murder on Cold Street
This book comes out November 2nd, 2021
ARC kindly provided by Berkley and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I really enjoyed the latest addition to the Lady Sherlock series! I just love how Charlotte's mind works as she solves the crimes and how each of her friends help her along the way. I just love this series and can't wait for the next one to come out (fingers crossed here...)!!

This review was originally posted on <a href="http://booksofmyheart.net/2021/11/02/%f0%9f%8e%a7-miss-moriarty-i-presume-by-sherry-thomas/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
&nbsp;

<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I love this world and its layered characters!   There are many threads from the previous book,  <strong>The Murder on Cold Street</strong> which take us into a new adventure.   I would read this series in order because the complexity of the characters and relationships which are just as important as the particular cases.  They build over the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/176858-lady-sherlock" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Lady Sherlock</strong></em></a> series and are spectacular.

Moriarty is forcing himself back to the top in <strong>Miss Moriarty, I Presume</strong>? He "engages" Charlotte to find out about his daughter and her status.  It is a push back at those who have foiled him previously.   Charlotte and her allies go to see the daughter and it is a place of deception.  This investigation is very dangerous from many players.

The allies were so supportive of Charlotte.  Olivia is visiting for some of the time.  Mrs. Watson and Ash are fervently devoted to Charlotte.   The progression of the connection between Charlotte and Ash is delicious.   Ash is working on his divorce but doesn't know how to tell his children.

There is a subtlety of critical details in the overall suspense with the danger for our beloved characters.  I can't express how exciting and excellent my time was reading. Charlotte's work and deductions were brilliant and shocking as always.

Miss Moriarty, I Presume? is the 6th installment in author Sherry Thomas' Lady Sherlock series. I dare say that this book is the one that readers have been expecting for a very long time and could lead to some interesting things to come. It's time for Charlotte Holmes and friends to meet the dastardly villain known as Moriarty face to face. It is February 1887, and Charlotte gets the most unusual request. For awhile now, Charlotte and her trusty sidekick Mrs Watson have known they were under surveillance by people working for Moriarty.

In fact, Lord Ash, who has become Charlotte's secret lover, even comes up with ways to escape if things go sideways. Moriarty, calling himself Mr. Baxter, seems to believe his daughter, one Miss Baxter, may be in the hands of a cult called Garden of Hermopolis. Charlotte begins to investigate but is also justifiably wondering if she is falling into a trap. For readers of this series, refresh your memory by wading through your notes, or review for The Art of Theft and by reading Murder on Cold Street.

Charlotte knows she can't say no to "Mr. Baxter." She knows that to tip her hand, the game would would be up and the game would get even more dangerous affecting Mrs. Watson, as well as her sister Livia who is still single and has no marriage prospects. Accompanied by the loyal Mrs. Watson, Charlotte travels to the remote cult to try to find Miss Baxter and the truth. Charlotte knows there is much, much more to the request than it seems. It doesn’t take Holmes very long to figure out what Moriarty is up to, but thwarting him will depend on the cooperation of a number of other people.

At the same time, Stephen Marbleton is back on the scene, leaving cryptic messages around London that Livia is scrambling to decode. As readers may remember, Livia fell hard for Mr. Marbleton and London has been her escape while she is writing Sherlock's tales. Livia's participation has become regular over the last few books. She travels with Lord Ash at one point, and is always in the background.

Charlotte’s forbidden romance with Lord Ingram goes further than ever before with plenty of sexual innuendo's and implied sexual situations. The relationship between the characters is fraught with history: former wives, siblings, illegitimate family members -- all tie Charlotte and Ingram to Moriarty and his minions. I think the ending makes a whole lot of sense. Charlotte and Marguerite meet and readers should be eager to see if the two can manage to survive. Can they pull it off? Can they make Moriarty think he’s won – without actually letting him do so? Can both Holmes and Moriarty’s daughter exist peacefully, or will it be a fight to the last breath?

Would you like to interrupt your anxieties about the state of the world with a cup of tea, accompanied by a lovely scone or crumpet served with clotted cream on a silver tray festooned with an abundance of excessively crocheted doilies? And as you are consuming these confections, would you like some very intimate details about your habits and history to be seemingly psychically unearthed by your cherubic-looking all-seeing dining companion? If so, the latest entry in the Lady Sherlock series by the redoubtable, prolific author Sherry Thomas might just be what the doctor ordered.

Miss Moriarty, I Presume adds additional spirals to the slow-building plot web of the previous Lady Sherlock novels, featuring the brilliant emotionally inaccessible fallen woman Charlotte Holmes, fronting for her nonexistent ailing brother Sherlock, assisted by the large-hearted multi-talented former actress Mrs. Watson, and the handsome, athletic, besotted Lord Ingram. Other spinning subplots are revisited, and advanced, albeit very slowly (at least until the end) including the obstacle-ridden romance between Charlotte’s reserved literary older sister Olivia with the young love-struck Mr. Marbleton, the natural son of Moriarty who has been taken hostage by him. And then there’s the continued worrisome absence of Myron Finch, Charlotte’s and Olive’s half brother (and former coachman), who was once under the employment of Moriarty, but now is being relentlessly pursued by him. This is more than enough to load the literary dining table, but in a nod to Victorian extravagance, the main course, concerns the whereabouts of Moriarty’s estranged daughter, Miss Baxter, who has been living with an occultist Hermetist cult in outside of a small village on the Cornish coast.

This book, has perhaps the most vivid and pulse pounding opening scenes in the entire series, when Moriarty, going by the name, Mr. Baxter, calls on Charlotte for the ostensible purpose of securing her services to determine the whereabouts and well-being of his daughter who has suddenly seemingly disappeared, from this small, intimate sect of spiritual devotees. Mr. Baxter suspects a cover-up and wants Charlotte to seek entrance to the cult. And so she agrees, seeing no out other than flight from the country. What follows is a lush brocade of a plot, with alliances of the denizens of the Hermetists and sightings of the mysterious Miss Baxter shifting more quickly than the weather of the windswept tumultuous Cornish waters.

And yes for those who have been eagerly watching and waiting, there is enough heat in Charlotte’s and Lord Ingram’s encounters here, to power several small factories. The Lady Holmes books always exhibit a tension between the complex plot points and Thomas’s salubrious skills honed as a romance writer. Sometimes these elements play off each other to great comic affect, and sometimes it's a bit disconcerting to have the sudden shift in tone. But they are often compelling, though in Miss Moriarty I Presume, the most engaging passages are written from Livia’s point of view, describing her tremulous attempts to decipher codes and clues to rescue Mr. Marbleton and in the process discovering her own bravery and sense of self. The plot twists, especially those concerning the elusive Miss Baxter, at the last third of the book come fast and furious, and sometimes lead to excess. Still the menace of Moriarty never seems caricatured, but develops in increasingly chilling detail to an unsettling, open-ended, yet mostly satisfying conclusion. So just like some of Charlotte's favorite dresses and desserts, one could argue the narrative sometimes shows an overabundance of flavors, fripperies, and revelations, but when the total effect is so divertingly entertaining, who cares? Sign me up for the next installment; I’ll bring the plum cake, whiskey, and hand-knitted tea anatomically correct tea cozies.

It's not a mystery if you've ever read one of Thomas' book why this series is so beloved by so many. It truly has absolutely everything in it one could want. Great characters, an outstanding plot line, tension filled mysteries, a little slow burning romance, a fabulous setting, just so much packed into one little story that you can't get enough of and the best part of all, is that some how, even though the books were great from the beginning, they just keep getting better and better.

Truly another outstanding addition to the series that I couldn't get enough of. This was so very hard to put down and kept me on my toes the whole way through. I want to pick it back up and read it all over again because I just wasn't ready for it to be over yet.

I can't recommend this series enough!!

This is the unedited opening of my review for BookPage. FInal review to come 11/2 on BookPage.com

In Miss Moriarty, I Presume? (Berkley, $16, 9780593200582) fans of Sherry Thomas’s Lady Sherlock Victorian mystery series are amply rewarded. Charlotte Holmes has never been in more danger, and the ride has never been more thrilling.

Though this is the sixth outing with Lady Sherlock and her crew and the buildup is a keen part of the enjoyment, the essential facts are contained within the current text. The most important: defying her parents' most fervent wishes, schemes, and every constricting rule of polite Victorian society, the singular Miss Charlotte Holmes has successfully contrived to live freely, both professionally and personally, by any means necessary. By the sixth book, those plans are all moving along swimmingly. Having put her talents and temperament to good use as a “consulting detective” under the guise of a fictional brother Sherlock Holmes, Charlotte now helms a business that is thriving. She’s also forged a lasting friendship with Mrs. Watson, her professional partner, confidante and landlord, and has finally begun to find love and peace with Lord Ingram, the man she’s admired since they were children. Their surreptitious and sexy flirtation reaches new heights in this outing.

Within these happy circumstances, there is but one thorny problem. In the course of her previous cases, Charlotte has attracted the dangerous attentions and ire of the criminal mastermind known as Moriarty. In Miss Moriarty, I Presume? That criminal persona, who’s been a shadowy figure till now, finally comes calling.
(Note: BookPage does not use a star system but i'd say it's about 4.5 stars)

A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte’s longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte—or is it the other way around?

But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty’s disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers?

The game is - once again - very much afoot in this sixth installment in Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series of clever historical mysteries.  As the synopsis indicates, she finally comes face-to-face with her nemesis - but rather than the expected violent confrontation, ‘Mr. Baxter’ instead wants to engage Holmes’ services to investigate the disappearance of his daughter from a Hermetic (possibly occultist) community in a remote corner of Cornwall.  Of course, Charlotte knows not to take anything at face value, but with no other options available, Charlotte, Lord Ingram and Mrs. Watson head for the Garden of Hermopolis to see what they can find out.  In the meantime, Charlotte’s sister, Livia, is following an intriguing trail of breadcrumbs left by Stephen Marbleton that leads to some very intriguing coded messages which could prove vital in the fight against Moriarty.

Caz and Dabney are both massive Sherry Thomas fans and have followed the series since day one - although their opinions over the last couple of books have diverged.  They both read Miss Moriarty, I Presume? and are here to share their thoughts about the novel.

Caz: Dabney, I know I’ve enjoyed the last couple of Lady Sherlock books a bit more than you have - but much as it pains me to say it, even I found this one to be a bit of a slog.  None of the books really work as standalones, and that’s especially true of Miss Moriarty, which feels like a culmination of all that has gone before.  There are lots of references to events and characters from previous books, but while I was pleased to see all the puzzle pieces being drawn together, I did at times struggle to recall all the whos, whats whens and whys - and it made for a pretty dense read.

Dabney: I want to love this series, I do. And the first two were fabulous and the third quite good but since then, well, I’m losing interest. Each of the last three books has required recalling in detail the preceding books, to the point that without my Kindle’s search feature, I’d have been lost. The plotting is, as you say, dense and the story arcs of the series - Charlotte and Ash, Moriarty’s true aims, Livia and Mr. Marbleton - are leisurely. At this point, I’m hoping she’ll speed up these resolutions and move on. (Not all series need to go on forever!)

Caz:  I agree that there’s been a loss of momentum over the past book or two.  I haven’t found it too much of a problem to be able to recall the plot details I needed to follow each book, but this time around?  Yeah, I was reading things and thinking “I know I should know why this is important…” but couldn’t always remember why, and that was frustrating.  Maybe that’s a failure on my part, but even though I follow a number of mystery series that require some knowledge of what went before, I struggled here.  There were things I liked a lot, but as a whole, I found Miss Moriarty, I Presume? to be tough going.  The first half is pretty slow - actually, the first two-thirds or so is slow - although fortunately, it did pick up later in the second half and reached a satisfying conclusion.  Although there is clearly more to come.

Dabney: I too follow several long-running series and can follow them far better than I can this one. Part of this is that Thomas’ plots have become unbelievably  so intricate that they hinge on tiny details. Worse - and it pains me to say this - the clues relevant here, especially those left by Mr. Marbleton, were too far fetched for this reader.

Caz:  I’d have to agree with that on both counts.  The ‘treasure hunt’ was interesting and very clever, but maybe just a little bit too clever?  I like a complex plot, and that aspect of the books has worked for me so far, but it’s getting too convoluted. One of my biggest issues over the last couple of books is something I touched on in my review of Murder on Cold Street - and you’ve mentioned it, too - the Moriarty Plot. One of the problems I’m having with the series as a whole is that he’s just so… nebulous, that I can’t work out why Charlotte et al are so scared of him.  In fact, I’ve realised that my view of him - he’s an evil mastermind who is always Up To No Good - is based pretty much entirely on the fact that I know he’s the Big Bad in Conan Doyle’s stories.  At least in the BBC version, Andrew Scott’s Moriarty was one of those oddly compelling treading-the-thin-line-between-genius-and-madness types - but this Moriarty is so hazy that the stakes for our heroes just aren’t very clear.

Dabney: And that lack of clear characterization which, I suspect, Thomas has taken from Conan Doyle's books - he only appeared in two of the stories - makes the way in which everyone else responds to him hard to parse. These books are not adaptations, they’re original tales that borrow from source material somewhat. I feel as though we are stuck in some fictional world where, in order to appreciate Thomas’ undeniable genius, we have to both understand Conan Doyle’s characters while making sense of Thomas’. That combination just isn’t working for me.

Caz:  It’s been a long time since I read any of the original Holmes stories, but I think you’re right.  And while having a single-note baddie may have worked back when they were written, modern mysteries have moved on and generally tend to flesh them out a lot more.  It seems we’re both having similar issues.  So, what, if anything, did you like about this one?

Dabney: Thomas is a gorgeous writer, her descriptions of people and places are grounded and believable. Her characters are interesting and her sly sense of humor is a gift. Ash and Charlotte are lovely together - I really would like to see far more of them as lovers - and Charlotte’s compassion for her sisters is boundless. I admire the braininess of these books even as it impedes my pleasure.

Caz:  The writing is sublime, and the characterisations are amazing across the board.  I’d also like more of Ash and Charlotte as lovers, but I remind myself that this is historical mystery and not historical romance and tell myself to be happy with what we get!  Ash is delicious though - I do love those moments when the proper gentleman disappears and rawr!Ash makes an appearance ;)  The epistolary flirting at the beginning is sexy and fun (hah -and then the bag of contraceptives and the, er… *wink*) and even though things aren’t completely settled between them, there’s a real sense that they’re happy with the way things are.  And although I said the first part of the book is slow, I did like the scenes where they’re preparing for the visit by (as they think) Moriarty’s henchman; Sherry Thomas creates some amazing tension and unease there.

Dabney: So what’s your grade? I think mine is a B simply because Thomas’ work is surpassingly better than most.

Caz: Same, and for similar reasons. The final quarter is worth the price of admission, the writing is simply exceptional and I continue to love the characters.  But I am worried the series is becoming (has become?) a bit too complicated for its own good.

Buy it at Amazon, Audible or your local independent retailer

Visit our Amazon Storefront

Miss Moriarty, I Presume (Lady Sherlock #6) by Sherry Thomas continues the adventures of Charlotte Homes, Lord Ash, Mrs. Watson, and Livia. Another series I've followed from the beginning, enjoying the plots and the characters. This plot is more complicated than the earlier ones and depends a great deal on having read the previous books.

Moriarty, using the pseudonym of Mr. Baxter, arrives at Baker Street to hire Holmes (and he knows that Charlotte IS Holmes) to find out about his daughter who is secluded at religious estate in Cornwall. The usual bravado Charlotte has shown previously is absent here; she is afraid of Moriarty--for herself and for her friends. She can't refuse, but is aware that Moriarty wants to ensnare her in some way.

Lots of twists in this one, but this one felt very different from earlier installments.

NetGalley/Berkley Pub. Nov. 2, 2021. Print length: 368 pages.