The Cursed Writer
by Holly Hepburn
Pub DateOct 17 2024
Boldwood Books
General Fiction \(Adult\)| Historical Fiction| Mystery & Thrillers


Boldwood Books and Netgalley provided me with a copy of The Cursed Writer for the purpose of this review.


When did you realize there was something wrong?


When the screaming began…


Harriet White is not new to odd correspondence. Ensconced in the basement of the Baker Street building society, her job is to reply to the mail they receive on behalf of Sherlock Holmes.


In spite of the abundance of letters to the fictional sleuth, telegrams are rare. Therefore, when she receives one describing the grave condition of celebrated author Philip St John, she is intrigued. The writer describes St John as being consumed by terror, seeing ghostly apparitions on the fens, and only at ease in the company of his loyal wolfhound.

Harry soon finds herself in Cambridgeshire as Holmes' assistant. Thurmwell Manor residents believe their master is cursed. Harry is sure there must be a logical explanation, but inside the echoey halls of the grand gothic house, her confidence in science and reason begin to crumble.


Will Harry be able to solve the mystery before the fens claim their next victim?


I give The Cursed Writer five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

In The Cursed Writer, Holly Hepburn weaves a delightful blend of mystery, suspense, and Gothic atmosphere with a dash of Sherlockian charm. Harriet “Harry” White, a modest and intelligent woman working in the basement of the Baker Street building society, has spent her days answering letters addressed to the great detective Sherlock Holmes. But when a rare telegram arrives, detailing the desperate plight of celebrated author Philip St John, Harry’s curiosity is piqued, and she finds herself drawn into a case far more peculiar than anything Holmes himself might have tackled.

The telegram describes St John as a man haunted by ghostly visions on the fens, driven to terror by apparitions he can neither explain nor escape. With little more than her wits and the cover of being Holmes' assistant, Harry travels to the remote Thurmwell Manor in Cambridgeshire, where the author is said to be consumed by a curse. The residents of the grand, eerie manor are convinced that the curse is real, but Harry—true to her logical and scientific nature—believes that there must be a rational explanation behind the strange occurrences. However, as she digs deeper into the mystery, the boundaries between reason and the supernatural begin to blur, and Harry’s skepticism is put to the test.

Hepburn excels at crafting a perfectly atmospheric setting. The towering, echoey halls of Thurmwell Manor, the desolate fens, and the lurking sense of dread are vividly brought to life, creating an immersive, chilling experience for the reader. Harry herself is an endearing protagonist, sharp-witted and self-assured, though she slowly finds herself questioning her rational worldview as the eerie events unfold. The interplay between logic and superstition is a key theme of the novel, and Hepburn cleverly balances Harry’s scientific background with the undeniable sense that something more sinister may be at play.

The Cursed Writer is a wonderfully engaging mystery, brimming with tension and Gothic intrigue. Fans of classic detective stories, particularly those featuring Sherlock Holmes, will appreciate the homage to the iconic detective as Harry channels his legendary deductive reasoning.

This is the second book in this series, one I was excited to read as I loved the first. Whilst it doesn’t quite capture the first it is still a fantastic, well written novel. I hope there’s more!

This series is getting interesting for my taste.

Harry (Harriet) is a fantastic main character, driven by a strong determination to do the right thing and help others. I appreciate her partnership with Oliver, which is free from any romantic tension; she values her independence while still recognizing the support he provides. It’s refreshing to see two characters unite for a shared goal without entering a romantic relationship.

The mysteries are cleverly crafted, with storylines from the first book flowing seamlessly into the third. While I managed to predict a few twists, most caught me off guard, and I enjoyed the pacing of the reveals. I admire how Harry respects those who have faith in Sherlock Holmes and genuinely collaborates with them.

I wholeheartedly recommend this series and can’t wait for the third book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Hepburn, and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

The Cursed Writer by Holly Hepburn
4 Stars

Harriet White, Harry works at the Abbey Road Building Society and has the job of replying to people's letters addressed to Sherlock Holmes, as his secretary. But this one particular telegram catches her attention. An unusual case involving a famous writer in desperate need of help.
A curse, a psychological disorder or something else at play??? The adventure with Harry is epic...

I loved the vibes and setting of the whole book. It felt like a cozy mystery. And our main character, Harry is so cool. The way she ties together cues to get to the bottom of her cases, i really loved it!
The plot is evenly paced which makes to quick to read through. Though it seems predictable at times, it took me by surprise at the end and indeed the ending was satisfactory

Also the fact that this book is tied to the first one in the series is great. Even though I haven't read the first one, this book is still easy to follow. Now really looking forward to the next book.

Thank you publishers and Netgalley for an advanced copy

This is the second book in the series. I did not read the first and found this a little slow. I loved the idea of Sherlock Holmes but was disappointed with it. The story was a nice cozy mystery but just did not grab me. I received this as an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my review.

I really like this series and am so glad I took a chance on it.

Harry [Harriet] is a great MC and I like her determination, and the pull to always do the right thing, and to right the wrongs that have happened to others. I love how she works with Oliver, yet, as of right now, there is no romance [and her swooning around over him] as she is very content to be her own person and on her own, but recognizes how Oliver can help her [she IS a woman in the 1920's after all and they weren't allowed to have TOO much independence], that she [mostly LOL] enjoys his help AND his company/friendship. It is really lovely to have two people who can work together for the betterment of others without swooning all over each other.

The mysteries were good [I really like how there is some carry over from Bk. 1 and that it seems that will continue in Bk.3], and while I did guess a couple of things, most of it was a HUGE surprise, and that was awesome, as was the non-rushed reveal [OH how I LOVE that]. I love how Harry never shames anyone for believing that Sherlock Holmes is real and just works with them within her own capacity. It is just so refreshing. I highly recommend this series and am very much looking forward to book 3!

Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Hepburn, and Boldwood Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the Baker Street Mysteries and the first that I read by the author. Written in the style of Sherlock Holmes' mysteries, Holly Hepburn brings to us a sassy female main character whose skills of observation help her to solve the mysteries that come her way. Relegated to a back room and tasked with writing replies to mail that comes in addressed to Sherlock Holmes, Harry finds herself in situations that pique her curiosity and lead her towards solving a mystery.

The style of writing is unique and interesting, bringing an air of mystique that keeps the reader hooked. Though the characters were interesting, I found that some depth was missing to them. This made the mystery a little more predictable and easier to figure out as a reader. However, the story was engaging enough with smaller plot lines brought in to add to the character development of Harry. I really liked Harry and how she handled herself and approached the investigation.

The premise of the book intrigued me and drew my attention towards Harry who despite the odds and expectations of the time (set in the 1930s in London) forged her own path. Overall I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read for me. I loved reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries while growing up and it is wonderful to read books in a similar direction. This is a good series to start for fans of Sherlock Holmes and his style of solving mysteries.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ebook copy.

Harriet White, tasked with replying to Sherlock Holmes’s fan mail, receives an unusual telegram about author Philip St John, who is haunted by ghostly apparitions on the fens. Intrigued, she travels to Cambridgeshire, posing as Holmes’s assistant, to investigate the eerie events at Thurmwell Manor. Amid the gothic halls and chilling atmosphere, Harry’s faith in reason falters as she races to solve the mystery before another tragedy strikes.

Harry is back and ready to solve another mystery! The fact that someone has sent a telegram is intriguing. With the help of her friend Oliver, she dives right in. I love these two working together! Despite his disapproval, Oliver admits to enjoying it.

I especially like how the author has woven the events of the first book into this one, where there are still consequences for what Harry did. And this book leads into the third book (which I can’t wait to read!). Even when I guessed part of the solution, I was eager to see how Harry and Oliver would put it together.

Definitely one of my favorite books of the year! Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries will enjoy this one.

An extremely enjoyable ‘cosy crime’ mystery.

The story is set in the 1930’s. Hollie works in the basement of the Abbey Road Building Society, whose offices just happen to span the fictional address of Sherlock Holmes. Hollie’s job is to reply to all the letters received addressed to Sherlock Holmes, under the guise of his secretary, advising Mr Holmes has now retired. 

However, an urgent telegram piques her interest and her inner detective cannot be held back. With the help of her friend Oliver, she sets out to investigate.

The investigation takes her to a mansion on the fens, complete with wolfhound and a big nod to the most famous Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Harry is a very capable young lady with an excellent mystery solving skillset. She is wasted working in a building society!

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the setting and the story which played out just like an actual Sherlock Holmes mystery! The addition of the myth of the ferryman added a hint of supernatural to the story.

Brilliantly written it had me absolutely enthralled and I read it over two sittings.

I am absolutely going to be reading the next in this series as well as reading the first book in the series too.

Many thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily. I love reading Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock-adjacent mysteries, and somehow, I missed the first book in this series. I promptly borrowed it from my library and loved it, so I was happy to continue this series. However, just because you might not have read the first volume does not mean you cannot enjoy this book; it holds up a standalone novel as well.

It’s the 1930s in London, and Harriet is working for the company that happens to inhabit the buildings along Baker Street, which includes the infamous 221B. It seems many people think Sherlock Holmes is real and write to him at the address. Harry’s job is to read the letters and respond with the company line–that Sherlock Holmes has retired to the Sussex Downs and is no longer accepting cases. However, for now the second time, a particular correspondence (this time a telegram) leads Harry to believe she should try to solve the mystery herself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical cozy mystery that added a touch of the supernatural to the story without abandoning science and fact to get to the bottom of the problem. It keeps the spirit of the Sherlock stories alive through the capable hands of a woman. What would Holmes think of that?

I can’t wait to read more volumes in The Baker Street Mystery series!

Another absolute cracker in the series. I loved this book. Mystery, suspense, a touch of the supernatural and hopefully the seeds of more to come. Really enjoyable and completely engrossing, this book (and series) are a joy to read. I really hope there are future books planned as Harry feels she has much more to give!

Thank you Netgalley

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the first book in this series, but this one seemed to drag.

A manor amidst the wilderness where a man sees things unknown and signs of folktales come to life. An office on Baker Street with a department for answering letters to the famous fictional detective - but every so often, a case will come along that Harry White can't refuse.
Although this is the second in a series, it reads perfectly as a standalone, much like most mystery series. The tale itself unfolds in such a way that the reader can put together its clues just as the characters do, and moves fast enough that you are never bored yet not so fast that you cannot take in what is happening. Our main character Harry and her associates had me engrossed; with their tenacity, dedication and curiosity, they made me stick this one out till the end. All in all, I really enjoyed this, and it makes an ideal cozy mystery especially for fans of Agatha Christie.

I loved this cozy mystery. It had me hooked straight away. Very similar to The Housemaid which I enjoyed too. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The second book in the Baker Street Mysteries series, this is an absolutely delightful follow up. Good humoured with intriguing characters and a fun mystery, it's a great piece of entertaining escapism.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Cursed Writer' by Holly Hepburn

This is the second book in Holly's 'The Baker Street Mysteries' series but can be read as a standalone.

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO HOLLY HEPBURN ON ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVELY PAGE TURNING FANTASTIC READ.

AN absolutely successful unputdownable historical cosy mystery by the very talented Holly Hepburn. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Holly has written her book. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.

A fantastic addition to Holly's gripping 'The Baker Street Mysteries'!! This book is an absolutely fantastic, addictive and gripping historical cosy mystery that grips your attention from the first sentence all the way to the fantastic end!! I must admit that this is not my usual type of book but after reading and loving Holly's 'The Missing Maid' which is the first book in this brilliant series I could not wait for this book to come out and it did not disappoint! If this isn't the sort of book you would pick up then don't let that out you off, expand your literature genres and you will not regret it!!! This book had me hooked from the first page to the last. There was so much going on that I just couldn't stop turning the pages and as soon as I said just this last chapter and then bed something happened that meant I just had to read another one. In this brilliant page turner we turn back time to the 1930's, travel to London and Cambridgeshire where you will meet Harriet White, more commonly known as Harry White. Harry works in a basement office in the Baker Street Building Society where she has to go through the mail sent to Mr Sherlock Holmes himself!!! Instead of being put off by the fact that Sherlock Holmes doesn't actually exist she ends up finding herself intrigued and taken in by the correspondence sent to him asking to solve mystery after mystery. In this 'episode' Harry has received a telegram that is asking Sherlock for help. The sender is John Archer, a nephew of the famous author Philip St John who is suddenly behaving strange and is having health issues and they are convinced somebody is trying to kill his uncle. Harry travels to Thurmwell Manor in the Fens, Cambridgeshire to investigate under the guise of Mr Holmes' assistant. When she arrives she starts questioning the staff and locals along with the help of her friend Oliver. The residents of the manor believe that Philip is cursed and we discover the myth of 'The Ferryman'. Is Philip doomed to a fate 'The Ferryman' brings or is there something more human at hand? Will Holly and Oliver get to the bottom of this mystery before it is too late? Well, grab a cup of tea, get comfy and grab your copy of this fantastic cosy mystery to find out yourself!! I can guarantee that you will not regret it. With a storyline ram packed with mystery, a gothic atmosphere, the supernatural, legends, history, Sherlock Holmes vibes and everything you could want in a gorgeous cosy historical page turner. What are you waiting for??? This book is extremely well and smoothly written and it captivated my attention straight away. I also love the fact that I really liked Harry as soon as I met her in 'The Missing Maid' and she very quickly became like a friend where I was rooting for her to solve the mystery throughout. I am so pleased that I have met her and Oliver again as they are definitely characters that i could meet again and again without getting bored so keep up the amazing work Holly!! It really is a fantastic beginning to what really does promise to be an absolutely fantastic series!! Thanks to Holly's exceptional evocative writing skills it felt like I had jumped into a time machine and ended up in London and Cambridgeshire myself seeing the sights, smelling the city, hearing the noises and feeling my heart beat faster as I raced along with Harry!!

Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without reading 'The Missing Maid' first.. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

Each and every one of the characters also came to life in front of my eyes and it felt like I was right next to Harry and Oliver trying to solve the mystery together with them. The fact that Holly has clearly done her research absolutely shines through the book so a huge well done Holly!! There is not much worse than when an author does little or even no research into their chosen topic as it then litters the story with unnecessary mistakes and can destroy what could otherwise be an excellent read but Holly has avoided this by doing plenty of research. It saddens, sickens and annoys me how women were treated during this era but it also goes to show how much society has come along, evolved and progressed when it comes to women and their rights! It is also clear that Holly cares about her characters ensuring that Harry is realistic, determined, fiery, strong and extremely likeable. Harry really is a fantastic female lead and being female myself I am a huge fan of strong female protagonists and Harry is one of the best I have come across and I just cannot wait to meet her again and again!! There were so many times I was so absorbed that when I looked up from the book it took me a few moments to realise where I actually was! I don't read an awful lot of historical books but after reading this one I cannot wait to get stuck into more books in in this absolutely fantastic series!! The characters were all larger than life and realistic. Holly's fantastic writing skills brings each and every one of them to life. They all had a part to play and they all played their parts perfectly. There were characters that angered me, others that made me laugh and some that I loved. I won't say any more about the characters as I don't want to give anything away. However, regardless of whether you love them or hate them they all worked perfectly to make this such an explosive start to a promising series I cannot wait to meet Harry again and see what she gets up to in the next "episode".

If you are looking for an absolutely fantastic, cosy and addictive page turner then your in the right place!!

This is the exact reason that you are in my favourite historical author Club Holly!! A page turning and unputdownable success! A fantastic addition to an absolutely addictive series and here's to your next success 🥂!!

Overall an easy to read, addictive and cosy page turning mystery that will keep you up late at night.

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Harriet White has a very unusual job. Based in an office of the Baker Street Building Society, she is tasked with answering mail sent to the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Never mind that he is a fictional character. People continue to believe he exists, and when in trouble seek out his help. Harry was supposed to send off a stock reply informing the correspondents that he has retired to the country to keep bees. But when an interesting case comes up, she is unable to resist a bit of investigation.

When a telegram is sent to Holmes, she feels compelled to become involved. After all telegrams are only sent in urgent matters. Famous writer Philip St John is being terrorised and it appears that the culprit is of the supernatural variety. Can a curse really be the cause of St John’s terror? Or is there another explanation? Harry arrives at Thurmwell Manor hoping to find answers, but finds danger around every corner.

Harry is a thoroughly modern women for her time. She wants to work and make a difference. Her aristocratic background has not prepared her for the stark realities of life, but she is determined to break free of expectations. Sometimes this puts her in peril.

I loved the slightly spooky supernatural element to this story. The author captured the mood and it was easy to understand why those around Philip St John were convinced there was a curse. Harry’s belief in science and reason was tested on more than one occasion.

I have become Harry White’s biggest fan. She is strong and determined - and willing to become embroiled in dangerous situations. This was an excellent story with a great main character. I look forward to more from Sherlock Holmes’s ‘assistant’ in the future.

Harry is a secretary come detective, working for the bank spanning several properties, including Sherlock Holmes residence, in Baker Street, London. Her job is to reply to all of the letters addressed to 221B Baker Street requesting the help of Sherlock Holmes, informing them that he is now retired, but the temptation is too great to not investigate the odd request.

The Cursed Writer is the second book in the Baker Street series, and can be read as a stand alone.
It is the first book that I have read by this author. I found it to be a very enjoyable easy read with a very clever storyline. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for letting me read a copy of this book

Book #2 in the Baker Street Mysteries series featuring Sherlock Holmes' secretary Harry (Harriet). Each book contains a complete mystery and a few side events but they also have a reoccuring thread carrying through the series. So, yes, it could be read as a stand alone and completely enjoyed, but the series is entertaining as it moves through the life and times of Holmes and company.