I love everything about this book, and readers who enjoyed the first installment in this series will absolutely adore this one. I wish Sherry Thomas could write faster, because I would love to have a Lady Sherlock book to read every day for the rest of my life.

It was so much fun diving back into the atmospheric and mysterious Victorian London world that Thomas has created in her Lady Sherlock series. Once again Charlotte and her friends were a treat to see and conspire with. As a mystery always rich in detail and curiosity slowly unfolds as Charlotte puts her deductive talents into play and figures it all out before anyone else and before the danger becomes too great to those she knows and loves. And she does it all while trying to keep it a secret as much as possible from those who don't know that the famous Sherlock Holmes, is none other than Charlotte herself.

Set in a time and place that women were suppose to be almost anything other than clever and ambitious, I love that Charlotte doesn't turn away from the challenge to shock those around her and stand tall and true to who she is with little thought to what society will think about it.

This book, this series, has some of the most romantic lines that never were. Lines that are thought but never spoken out loud. Truly swoon worthy and in large part other than the whole this book rocks all by itself already thing, it is one of the main reasons I keep coming back time and again to Ms. Thomas' writing. It is just so well written and so beautiful in both mystery and prose and the tragic love story that might never be.

I devoured this in a night and was sad that I didn't take longer with it. I wanted to both savor and eat it up. I sincerely hope the next book will be here before I know it. I just can't get enough of this series, rich with a mystery that keeps me on my toes and characters that are every bit as fun and intriguing as the story line itself.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Lady Sherlock #2)
by Sherry Thomas Pub date 9/5/17

I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, so when I saw a new series this time with Lady Sherlock, I just had to read the first A Study In Scarlet Women then the second in the series A Conspiracy in Belgravia. I loved everything about these books. Ms. Thomas’ Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series has Charlotte Holmes playing the part of Sherlock Holmes along with Mrs. Watson and numerous other delightful characters. Book one sets the whole story up and book two takes off where book one ended and moves very fast and left me wishing for the next book in the series. Highly recommend.

In book two, A Conspiracy In Belgravia, we find Charlotte, Mrs. Watson, and Inspector Treadles living a normal daily life in their respective fields--which of course is not what Charlotte Homes needs. And as boredom set in, so opens up a can of worms, or in this case mysteries, bafflement, and murder.

I have to say I was looking forward to this installment in the Lady Sherlock Series based on the previous, and first, book. To say this latest installment did not disappoint is an understatement; the more I read, the more I couldn't put this book down as the web of intrigue underlying in this book is vast. Just when I thought I'd figured a train of thought out, Ms. Thomas throws another red herring into the mix, taxing my poor little brain and forcing into overdrive wanting to figure out what is really going on, which of course made it very difficult to put this book down.

The reader is introduced to Lord Bancroft who wishes to pursue Charlotte with matrimony in mind, Lord Ingram assists behind the scenes with Charlotte's investigation, and Mrs. Watson becomes more intriguing in her study of Charlotte and her desire to continue to assist Charlotte with her detective cases. There's even a nice surprise waiting at the end for readers, while at the same time drawing out that edge of desire wanting the next book now. This book is nicely tied up at the end, no a cliff-hanger, just a wanting desire maker to see what the next chapter in Charlotte's life will be.

For those who did not read the first book and want to just start with this one, is no issue, as it's great as a stand alone if you for some reason want to skip the first book; in saying this, if you have not read the first book, you may find yourself seeking it out anyway. So while you're waiting a few short weeks for the publish date, go pick yourself up a copy and see how this all started.

General Review

This book is actually the second book in the series, the first being A Study in Scarlet Women. Before you attempt to read this book, I strongly recommend you read the first, both because it will give you a better sense of the world these characters are inhabiting, but also because key elements from the first book carry over into this one- the author is clearly building an overarching mystery, and you will be lost without firmly knowing the contents of the first.

The conceit of the book series is fairly simple, and has been seen and done before: Sherlock Holmes is a woman. In this case, her name is Charlotte, and she is the disgraced daughter of the Holmes family. She has created a fictional brother, Sherlock Holmes, who is a detective, while she is merely a helpful sister. The first book set up the series, and at times struggled between getting all the key characters in place and an interesting mystery. The ultimate result was a book where Charlotte didn’t actually DO much, beyond listen to people, and a mystery so convoluted I still can’t make much sense of it.

That being said, I enjoyed A Conspiracy in Belgravia far more. Now that Charlotte and her world is established, the author has more freedom to focus on the mystery plots and incremental character developments, and it works well. Though the mystery still has many, many elements to it- some connecting to the overarching mystery of the series, which naturally connects to Moriarty, while others connect more directly to Charlotte and her home life- I thought it was better handled, more balanced, and easier to follow. I was also thrilled to see Charlotte go out in the world and do things, including canne de combat and a bit of light housebreaking.

I am intrigued by the way the author is working to break apart the Sherlock Holmes Mythos. It’s becoming more common in various adaptations these days; one series that did it in a particularly excellent fashion is the 2013 Russian series. Rather than take the canon at its word about who Holmes is, both this book and the Russian series choose to pick it apart. In this book series, Charlotte Holmes loses none of the deductive brilliance of her canon counterpart; but instead of being athletic and prone to forgetting about food or drink, Charlotte is pudgy, a bit lazy, and adores her food- almost a Mycroft, but far more willing to go find answers. However, rather than leaving her that way, we get to see her grow and change and make strides to being the more familiar Holmes we know from canon.

I am also growing more and more fond of the secondary characters of the series. I’ll leave the Watsons for analysis down below, but there are a few other characters who return in this book. I disliked the presence of Lord Ingram in the first book, in part because he has no canon counterpart, and because I have never particularly enjoyed romances. While the tension between he and Charlotte remains in this book, I found myself enjoying him more, especially as he became less patronizing and more of an actual ally to Charlotte. Lord Bancroft was excellent, and while I remain disappointed that the Mycroft role didn’t go to Livia (Charlotte’s sister- more on her below), I am utterly charmed by him nonetheless. I hope that the author allows him to return in future books, even though his function in this book’s narrative is concluded. The Marbletons continue to intrigue, and Mrs. Burns stole the scenes she appeared in. Though she was certainly a one-off character, I cannot help but hope that Mrs. Watson will hire her. Inspector Treadles, however, was pointless in this book, and I’m not entirely sure why he was included, unless the developments in his household will become important later on.

Given that Holmes is a woman in this series, it would be almost impossible for it not to interact in some way with Victorian gender roles. It does, in some ways, but when Charlotte or the other women run into barriers, it often has as much to do with class as it does with their gender. Class is wielded like a weapon by all the characters in this series, in complex and fascinating ways. The issues of legitimacy and social freedoms abound, ultimately causing all of the unhappiness and trials that lead to the mysteries. None of this is a heavy stick, however; the author weaves these issues into the story in a very natural way.

While I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who prefers their pastiches as close to canon as possible, I would recommend it for anyone who likes those pastiches that go a little further astray. I am looking forward to seeing what Charlotte and her friends will encounter next, and to discover just how it all will come together in the end.

What About Our Watson?

Which one?

Just as the author has given Holmes some of the characteristics of Mycroft, our Watson figure is divided evenly among three different women. The first is, in fact, Mrs. Watson, an older woman who was once an actress. The second is Penelope, her niece, who is studying to be a doctor. The third is Livia, Charlotte’s sister, still trapped in the unhappy family home.

I. Love. These. Women. Though at times I wished for a more traditional (read: singular) Watson figure in the first book, especially since Mrs. Watson and Livia had little to do, the second book capitalizes on the fact that three different people are acting as a Watson figure and gives them tons of material to work with. All three play their part in solving the mystery and acting as a valuable source of companionship and information to Charlotte. Mrs. Watson (who also has a bit of Mrs. Hudson in her) cares deeply about Charlotte and is very protective of her, working to train her in self-defense, while also helping her hare off into her next, somewhat ill-advised, idea. Penelope helps get Charlotte in houses, utilizing her doctor-in-training role as leverage, and is clearly enamoured of the adventurous parts of the detective life. Livia, cloistered away, can really only talk to her disgraced sister via letter, but still provides vital information and also begins writing the first Sherlock Holmes story. None of these women are unintelligent; all of them are loyal to Charlotte. Though they each have their different strengths, they all contribute to solving the mysteries before them. What’s more, they are willing to run off and do dangerous work, either with glee or trepidation. When they encounter the less savoury parts of detective work, they never shy away. All three of them dig in their heels and confront it, head on.

I love a singular Watson, because I love to see a strong, deep, life-altering friendship. But despite my misgivings, I have come to appreciate Watson’s role spread across these different characters, because it means that this Holmes gets to have three Watsons, and really, what more could one ask for in life?

You Might Like This Book If You Like:

Victorian women protagonists; series long mysteries; family dramas; pastries

(Review will appear on website on August 3rd.)

When NetGalley approved my request for an e-ARC of this beauty I did jumps of joy! There are small joys like this that make me appreciate the world of reading even more.
Returning to the story: OMG! I was expecting something that would explode my mind a la Sherlock and here we are, with my mind burst.
You know I love a beautiful mystery, and this book is full of it. Whenever it seems it can not go any better there's a new customer thet asks Charlotte for help and a new puzzle takes hold of us.
The only thing that did not completely satisfy me is the slowness with which we get to the end of the book. Not that I did not have fun but I would have liked things to accelerate, especially because I want Lord Ingram and Charlotte together. I ship them. There is nothing to do. Although he is married and she is not so inclined to a loving relationship I can not help but see them together.
Now that what happened happened ... (although I would have preferred a more definitive closure so we would have more space for the love story in the next book).
In any case, thumbs up for Thomas who was very good at describing the woman's condition at the time with the addition of feminine thinking about it without going too far away from the character. Fantastic.
Recommended? Absolutely yes. ^^

Review will go live on Butterfly-o-Meter Books on Sept 5 2017 at 00.00 am gmt+2 and will show up on Goodreads sometime later.

In a Flutter: Delicious!
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: Ah, the misogynistic and suffocating Victorian London! How it was missed! The true good part of returning via the Lady Sherlock series though is that I always but always hear the theme of BBC’s Sherlock whenever Charlotte does something fun.
Characters: Charlotte is my absolute favorite, a very complex and deliciously built character. Her logic and deductive powers are more and more layered with feelings. I really love how she enjoyed the simpler pleasures of life without a sense of guilt. Her loyalty and love for her sisters is touching and makes her more human and easier to identify with for sure, though I kind of find quite a bit of myself in her views on society in general, lol. Charlotte keeps the secrets of her heat well-guarded, and I find that adorable. Though she seems unfeeling at times, she hides her disappointment behind a mask of detachment.
Livia was so easy to related to for a good part of the novel that it was scary, from the name, to her love of books, aspirations of writing, night owl tendencies, and her somewhat hopeless outlook on life. I have high hopes for her future and am sure great things will come to her, because she has waited. But then again, I might be partial, lol.
Mrs Watson was a sweetheart as always, romantic, fun, and protective of her let’s call them adoptive children.
I enjoyed taking a closer look at Lord and Lady Ingram’s marriage, and was happy to see that my general dislike of her was well-founded, mwahahaha.
But the smoldering tension between Charlotte and Lord Ingram is killing me dead.
Plot: The mysteries that Sherlock investigated were varied and curious. I loved the pace of events and the riddles that evolved and entwined. The romance arc is a torturous slow burn that has yet to reach the point I’m sure we all want it to. The ending was deliciously promising to that end, and I will say no more on the matter xD
Writing: Third person, past tense narrative, multiple POVs. I really enjoy Charlotte’s voice, Livia is always a sweet/sour POV, and Mrs. Watson is a riot in her own right. I really love the writing style, rich, but light and flowy, and full of subtle humor.
Curb Appeal: Gorgeous cover, hooking blurb, autobuy series for my Sherlock addiction.

I recommend A Conspiracy in Belgravia to fans of Sherlock stories ofc, of historical mystery with a dash of romance and memorable, charismatic characters that will make you lol while the plot will make you OMG quite a lot.

Reviewing mysteries is always a challenge as anyone who’s tried it will know.  And with one of this calibre, it’s even more difficult, because I want to tell you just how GOOD this book is, but I can’t tell you too much for fear of giving too much away and spoiling your enjoyment.  I could just say a) “Sherry Thomas is a genius – go buy this book!”, or b) “Don’t waste time here - go buy this book!”,   but that isn’t much of a review, so I will attempt – somehow – to do justice to this terrific story and author… and will no doubt fail miserably, at which juncture you should simply heed the advice given in points a) and b).

Note: I think it would be possible to enjoy this as a standalone, but I really would recommend reading A Study in Scarlet Women first. There are spoilers for that book in this review.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia picks up on the day after the events that concluded the previous book.  Charlotte Holmes, ably assisted by her closest friend, Lord Ingram Ashburton, and Inspector Treadles of Scotland Yard, has solved the Sackville murder case and learned of the existence of an infamous criminal mastermind by the name of Moriarty.  In addition, Charlotte worked out that that Lord Ingram – Ash to his friends – had pulled strings behind the scenes in order to make sure she wasn’t left alone on the streets after she ran from her father’s house, and orchestrated her meeting with the army widow and former actress with whom Charlotte now resides, Mrs. John Watson.  Charlotte doesn’t like being beholden to Ash, especially not as their friendship, while generally strong, has been sometimes strained since his ill-advised marriage six years earlier.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson have formed a working partnership as investigators, using the identity of Sherlock Holmes as a front for their operation.  Holmes suffers from a debilitating illness, so clients meet with his ‘sister’ – Charlotte – while the detective listens to the conversation from the next room.  It’s with some surprise that Charlotte identifies their latest prospective client, Mrs. Finch, as Lady Ingram, Ash’s wife.  Mrs Watson is concerned about accepting the lady as a client given their friendship with her husband, but Charlotte believes her need must be very pressing if it has driven her to seek Holmes’ help, and agrees to the meeting – although as Charlotte cannot afford to be recognised, the part of Sherlock’s sister will be taken by Mrs. Watson’s niece, Penelope Redmayne.  ‘Mrs. Finch’ explains that she is seeking information regarding the man she fell in love with before she married Lord Ingram, a young man deemed unsuitable by her parents, whose financial situation demanded she marry someone wealthy.  While she and her erstwhile love agreed not to meet or write to each other once she was married, they planned a yearly assignation - on the Sunday before his birthday, they would both take a walk past the Albert Memorial at 3 pm, so they could each see that the other was alive and well.  This year, however, her sweetheart did not keep the appointment, and she wants Sherlock Holmes to find out why.  Penelope asks Lady Ingram for as many details as she can provide, but when she identifies the man in question as Myron Finch, Charlotte is stunned.  Myron Finch is her illegitimate half-brother.

While Charlotte and Mrs. Watson set about looking into the disappearance of Mr. Finch, Charlotte is also mulling over the proposal of marriage she has received – the second one, in fact – from Lord Bancroft Ashburton, Lord Ingram’s older brother.  Charlotte is fully cognizant of the benefits marriage to him would bring.  It would rehabilitate her – to an extent - in the eyes of society and would soften her father’s stance towards her; she could care for her sister, Bernadette (who has some sort of mental disability) and could openly spend time with her other sister, Livia and generally return to the life to which she had been born.  But even though Bancroft recognises and respects Charlotte’s keen intellect, he clearly expects her to discontinue her investigations as Sherlock Holmes, and she’s not sure that’s something she’s willing to give up.

As an inducement, Bancroft gifts Charlotte with a set of puzzles, which includes a message encoded using a Vignère cipher, a fiendishly difficult code that takes Charlotte some days to decipher.  Once decoded, the message leads her to an address in Hounslow, North West of London, where she and Lord Ingram unexpectedly encounter Inspector Treadles.  A man has been murdered - and appears to have named his killer before he died.  Could he perhaps be the missing Mr. Finch?  Or could he somehow be tied to Finch’s disappearance?  Or, worse still, are Finch and the murder victim somehow tied to the mysterious Moriarty, a name which seems to inspire fear in those who know it, and someone of whom even the unflappable Bancroft seems to be wary?

Well… I’m not saying.  As is clear, though, there’s a lot going on in this book, and I admit that I sometimes had to refer to the numerous highlights I’d made on my Kindle to refresh my memory about something, but for the most part, the story rattles along famously as Sherry Thomas skillfully pulls the disparate mystery threads together and then unravels them, bringing events to a climax I most certainly didn’t see coming. Just as impressive as her plotting is the way in which she continues to explore and develop her characters and the relationships between them, building on what we know of them from the previous book and rounding them out even more.  We don’t see as much of Treadles in this story, but it’s clear that he’s been upset by the discovery of the deceit practiced by his good friend Lord Ingram (over Holmes’ true identity) and isn’t sure what to make of Charlotte any longer.  There’s a romance in the offing for Livia, who is charmed by a mysterious young man who seems to see and appreciate her for who she is and doesn’t talk down to her or dismiss her interests; and we get to know a little more of the circumstances which led to Ash’s marriage to a society beauty he later learned had married him only for his money.

Anyone with any knowledge of this author’s work will already know that her work is highly creative and imaginative; she fashions strong, well-developed and engaging characters, crafts complex interweaving plots, and her historical romances are among the best in the genre.  I should, however, warn anyone hoping for romantic developments between Charlotte and Ash that things between them don’t progress a great deal (if at all).  The author sheds more light on Ash’s feelings towards Charlotte, showing he knows her better than anyone (and there’s a nice touch at the end where Charlotte both acknowledges this and admits she’s glad it’s Ash who knows her so well) and Charlotte… well, she doesn’t necessarily wish Ash had married her, she would just prefer he hadn’t married at all.  She’s someone who relies on observation and logic and doesn’t have room for sentiment; yet in the face of all the logical reasons she should marry Bancroft, a small part of her can’t ignore the fact that she doesn’t find him attractive while his brother… is a different matter entirely.

There’s so much more to A Conspiracy in Belgravia than I can possibly say here.  The characters, the relationships, the mystery … all are richly detailed and superbly constructed, making this a truly compelling, un-put-downable read.  I stand by my original points a) and b).  Just go and buy it.

Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K

I enjoyed this book, though not as much as A Study in Scarlet Women. There were times when Charlotte made conclusions that seemed completely out of left field and I flipped back and forth, trying to figure out how she'd made that conclusion, to no avail. I know Charlotte is supposed to be a genius and everything, but it'd be nice if the book at least gave the reader some insight into her thought processes. Regardless, the book was engaging and the mystery interesting and I still really enjoy this pastiche.

This is the second Lady Sherlock book by Sherry Thomas. You should naturally expect spoilers for the first book, A Study in Scarlet Women in this review. If you haven’t yet read the first book, stop what you’re doing and read it now. I’ll wait.

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I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book featuring Charlotte Holmes. Rather than the trite gender-swapped rehashing of the well-trod Sherlock Holmes stories, I found a smart, witty, and wonderfully realized mystery featuring not Sherlock Holmes, but a woman whose brilliant deductive mind is trapped in the body of a Victorian society lady,mwith all the attendant limitations and societal entrapment.

The second book in the series does not disappoint. Taking place shortly after the first book leaves off, we find Charlotte settling into the life of a social pariah, and enjoying the freedom that comes with being “Sherlock Holmes.” Things go a bit sideways when she is approached by the wife of Lord Ingram, her childhood friend, who is trying to track down her first love. Beyond the obvious conflicts of investigating the case without the knowledge of Lord Ingram, the further Charlotte digs into the identity and history of Lady Ingram’s former paramour, the more strangely complicated matters become. Soon Charlotte finds herself embroiled in hidden ciphers, codes within codes, blackmail plots, poisoning, and espionage. Weaving these disparate threads into a resolution will tax even her brilliant mind.

Charlotte Holmes is simply a great character. She is by no means a female stand-in for the great detective, rather it’s as if Thomas grew her from scratch; a brilliant and analytical mind on par with Sherlock Holmes, but within a person who has had to grow up adhering (to a greater or lesser degree) the societal expectations for a nineteenth-century lady of breeding. Thomas also continues to develop the characters of Mrs. Watson, Lord Ingram, Inspector Treadle, and Charlotte’s older sister, Livia. Though the supporting characters don’t get as much attention as Charlotte, there were several excellent subplots throughout the book. I was especially impressed with the characterization of Inspector Treadle, an honorable and forthright man, trying to come to grips with the existence of women who seek a measure of independence. This could easily have turned into some cliche or overdone condemnation of weak-minded men, but instead we see Treadles honestly wrestling with himself and his preconceptions.

Fans of historical mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, and the like should check out this series. If you enjoyed A Study in Scarlet Women you will likely enjoy this book as well. I cannot wait to see what Thomas does in future books in this series.

An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Conspiracy in Belgravia is the second book in the Lady Sherlock series. It features an intriguing character named Charlotte Holmes who could hold her own against the original Sherlock by Doyle. Charlotte is her own woman and people underestimate her at their own peril. She sees more into the human character and demeanor than those around her. Her analytical mind is only out done by her desire for sweets.
Two men, half-brothers, are interested in her but can they see themselves married to a woman who knows so much about a persons movements and secrets with only a glance. These two men and Lady Ingram embroil Charlotte in what at first seems a missing person case but quickly changes to foiling a treasonous mole.
The sophomore edition to the series was just as entertaining and challenging as the first mystery A Study in Scarlett Women.

I loved the first book in this series but found the plot in this second one convoluted and confusing. Nevertheless I would recommend reading it because of the growth of the characters and the advancement of the overall story arc.

A Study in Scarlet Women was a pleasant surprise for me earlier this year, so I was super excited to read an arc of A Conspiracy in Belgravia, and it did not disappoint.

My favorite parts of A Study in Scarlet Women - the humor, the mystery, the many important women, and the relationship - were all (almost) as equally present in this installment. The book didn't have quite enough shippy moments for my taste - I love a good slow burn romance and this series is definitely providing that - but the mystery and the other character interactions more than made up for that. This installment continues with having a smaller mystery as well as a larger mystery at play, which I think is excellent, that way the reader doesn't get bored while the characters have to wait around for information. Most importantly, I love the continued importance placed on all the female characters in this series; it's so refreshing and lovely and it's wonderful to see so many different relationships. I also love how Moriarty hasn't been fully introduced yet, but rather he (or she!) is very present on the sidelines. I'm hoping they do show up in the next installment though!

I will say that it was a bit confusing when I first started. This picks up right after A Study in Scarlet Women ended - like, twenty four hours after it ended - so without a refresher I was a little lost. I would definitely recommend picking up the first book and just doing a bit of brushing up before reading this. Saying that, after a little bit I ended up following along with all the important plot points, so it wasn't a HUGE deal, just a little confusing at first (especially in regards to the Marbletons).

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable read for me and I can't wait for the next book!

<i>Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective</i> (or Charlotte Holmes and Mrs. Watson) is in demand for all manner of mysteries from mundane household puzzles to murder.

One of the main problems with A Conspiracy in Belgravia is that it begins as if you had just finished a previous chapter. It took me a while to decide whether I wanted to keep reading because so much seemed missing.

Fortunately, I did and enjoyed the adventures of this female Holmes and Watson (and other assorted characters) so much that I ordered and read the first one the same day. Yea for Kindles and ebooks and immediate gratification.

Moriarty has been mentioned, but has not yet appeared. Nevertheless, the Criminal Mastermind's sinister influence lurks in the shadows.

Read in June; blog post scheduled for Aug. 17

NetGalley/Berkley Pub.

Historical Mystery/Sherlock Holmes. Sept. 5, 2017. Print length: 336 pages.

A worthy successor to the first book, with some deepening of the mystery of exactly who some of the characters are. A rather strong sidelining of the Met Police officer and a much more expanded role for Lord Ingram. Not sure how I feel about the development of the Lady Ingram character - seems to happened to make the probable relationship between Lord Ingram and Charlotte more palatable. Would have been more interesting if Lady Ingram had been a more constant presence in the day to day to follow. Curious to see more and will look forward to more books.

I absolutely loved the first book in the Lady Sherlock series and it ended up being one of my favorite books of 2016. I was thrilled to have a chance to delve into A Conspiracy in Belgravia and overall found it to be another enjoyable read. My main quibble with this one was there were too many different things going on at once with the missing brother, the coded telegram, the marriage proposal, the possible poisoning, Livia’s mysterious man, the introduction of Moriarty, etc. I was a little confused for a good half of the book about what the main mystery was because none of these happenings were getting any more attention than the others. Of course, Thomas manages to show how a lot of these are related by the end, but it was rather overwhelming for a while. That being said, the rich details, the fantastic characters, and the fun spin on the classic Sherlock Holmes universe still made for a delightful read. There were a lot of loose threads at the end of this second book and I can’t wait to see what Thomas does with them in book #3!

Wow I love this series. The dynamic between Charlotte and Lord Ingram is really intriguing, but even so I loved the conceit that she might marry his brother. I like that she knows exactly who she is, and isn't bothered by it at all.

This sequel is perhaps a bit more convoluted than the previous book, and is clearly setting the series up for more story arcs, but I still enjoyed it. I only wish there had been a little more explanation with Lady Ingram.

I am enjoying this series tremendously. Charlotte, Livia, Lord Ingram and Mrs Watson are all great characters. I look forward to what Charlotte gets into next.

This is a difficult book to review because I love Sherry Thomas, and I love the first book in this series. But my favorite elements from the first book were sadly lacking in this one. While this book was very well researched, Charlotte came to conclusions that were not clear to the reader, and it was very easy to get confused as to what was going on. Characters and situations from the first story were not well explained when they were reintroduced, and the plot really fizzled. I understand that this book is meant to set up Moriarty, but there was no real plot going on. The mystery of the housekeeper, Lady Ingram's mystery, and Charlotte being followed were all little mini-mysteries without much excitement. The mystery with Myron Finch was so convoluted that it began to get tiresome. I'm still going to read this series, and I'm sure my library will buy a copy of this book, but I do hope the next book is more exciting than this one.