The Hollow of Fear, Thomas' third installment in her Lady Sherlock series, will satisfy fans. A quick, addicting, brilliant read!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An excellent third installment to the Lady Sherlock series. We get much more character development between Charlotte Holmes and Lord Ingram in this book and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I'm excited to see where Sherry Thomas takes this series next!

This is easily my favorite book of the series thus far. It's a tense, complicated, interesting mystery at the heart of the story, and the stakes feel very high. In this, the third in the series, it feels like the background of the characters and relationships has been fully well established, and so this time readers get to see new sides of them (Charlotte in particular) and see some real development and movement of the series happening. I enjoyed the first two books in this series thoroughly as well, but The Hollow of Fear seems to really solidify the series. Highly recommend reading the books in this series in order for the best reading experience.

I just finished Sherry Thomas' "The Hollow of Fear." I have not read any of the prior volumes so I was not as familiar with the characters but I felt that it could have been read as a stand alone novel. The premise being that women were actually behind the famous duo of Holmes and Watson. The idea that women would be in such a position in Victorian England is a preposterous notion for men of the time.

The book was slow to start as it built momentum to the actual mystery. There were the necessary development of relationships between the characters. We learn that Charlotte Holmes, aka Sherlock Holmes, comes from a less than pleasant family life and has been disgraced in the eyes of civilized society. She is the youngest of the Holmes' children and has her sights on being a school matron. Her parents reluctantly have taken their daughters, Olivia and Charlotte, to London for the social season many times to try and find a suitable match. Charlotte is having none of it. There is also mention of Charlotte's relationship with Lord and Lady Ingram. Lord Ingram is an acquaintance of Charlotte's when she was a teen. There is an unrequited love between the two. Lady Ingram has disappeared and the snoopy Ladies, Lady Avery and Lady Somersby, conspire to blame Charlotte for intruding on their marriage.

Then the fun begins, the word that begins all the fun in Holmesian lore, Moriarty. Suddenly, events take a turn for the worse for Lord Ingram. He is framed for murder. It is insinuated that he is having an illicit affair with a societal scorned woman and Charlotte must come to his rescue.

I very much enjoyed the later 75% of this book. Once the murder investigation began, I couldn't put it down. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a period piece. Wait for it!! It will be worth it.

I know I've said this before but it bares saying again, this series is truly outstanding. So well written, engaging and completely addicting.

With a heroine unlike any 19th century heroine I've meet, not to mention a whole cast of characters that are every bit as irresistible as the main character. Truly a series I adore reading and am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book, they can never get here soon enough.

I would love to say I relish them and take them slow but I can't help myself and more often than not, devour them in a single sitting. I just can't get enough and The Hollow of Fear has to be my absolutely favorite to date.

To the slow burn romance and sexual tension, to the riveting mysteries, it truly stands out not only in the sub-genre it's in, but the genre as a whole.

Charlotte as a character should be unlikable with her aloofness and almost cold like appearance and actions and yet, she isn't. In fact, she is down right lovable when it comes to her feisty-ness and her unwillingness to let men rule the world. She skirts modern society and laughs in the faces of those that tell her a women isn't able to do something. She is fierce and strong and you can't help but feel for her, her station in life and her pure guts and determination to make it on her own without a man's help or guidance. In short, I adore her and after reading this, I adore Ash every more. *swoon*

This truly went above and beyond my expectations for the series, as a mystery, as a romance, as a whole. I truly am on edge for more.

I’m a huge fan of Sherry Thomas’ take on Sherlock Holmes. She has managed to make something shiny and new from (let’s face it) tragically overused material. I’m quite taken with Charlotte Holmes; she is cool and calculating as Conan Doyle’s original consulting detective, yet wholly (Some might say unnervingly) feminine. Thomas has not presented us with a Deerstalker cap with lace trimmings, but a fully fleshed character, one who can stand on her own daintily-clad feet.

The third entry into the series continues to flesh out the characters of Charlotte and those that surround her. Fans of the will-they-won’t-they dynamic will enjoy the focus on Lord Ingram in the central plot. And, as always, Thomas provides us with a complex and layered plot, full of well-executed twists and turns.

Fans of historical mysteries and of Sherlock Holmes will find a lot to enjoy in this original and entertaining series. If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, it’s past time to get caught up.

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

So good you guys. So vague where I didn't want things to be vague. Can't wait to read the next one. (I hope there's a next one).

Charlotte Holmes is involved in her toughest case yet when her friend Ash's estranged wife is found dead on his estate and all the circumstantial evidence is pointing to him as the murderer. She needs to go undercover as her alter ego Sherlock Holmes' brother Sherrinford Holmes to track down the murderer and save her friend.

Charlotte is a very interesting character. My feeling is that she'd fit well somewhere on the Asperger's Syndrome continuum. She doesn't really understand emotion; she has almost preternatural focus; she is very observant and able to draw accurate conclusions from very little data. She doesn't have an interest in being part of her social set. In fact, she engineered her own disgrace so that she could get away from her social set.

Despite her social difficulties, she has a number of loyal friends including Lord Ingram and Mrs. Watson who assists her with her cases. She also has the loyalty of her sister Livia who is still stuck at home with her parents. Livia is a more conventional woman but one who is in the midst of writing a novel retelling Sherlock Holmes' adventures.

This story was quite twisty with characters - both friends and villains - from earlier books in the series making their appearances to help or hinder Charlotte's investigation. I liked the complex relationship between Charlotte and Lord Ingram. Lord Ingram is a complex character also who is an archaeologist who has spent years also working for Britain's intelligence service. He's honorable but unhappy partially because of his unhappy marriage. I liked the Victorian setting.

Fans of this series won't want to miss this episode. Newcomers will find Charlotte Holmes intriguing.

Charlotte Holmes is a societal outcast. . .gossiped and whispered about. She's not refined, but she is intelligent, charming, and dogged. She has a secret crush on Lord Ingram. However, as long as his cold-as-ice, cut-throat, gold digger wife is in the picture, secret it will have to remain.

Following the big birthday bash for Lady Ingram at the Stern Hollow Estate, the Lady is nowhere to be found. Charlotte's sister, together with two gabby-Gladys town's ladies discovered Lady Ingram's body in the Ice House. (How appropriate.) Of course, Lord Ingram is the prime suspect. Charlotte, understanding Victorian Era ways, disguises herself as Sherringford, Sherlock Holme's brother and sets out to prove the Lord's innocence.

What follows is a mystery within a mystery topped off with murder. Charlotte aka Sherringford uses her superior intellect and exquisite, burning cheeks flirtations to uncover a laundry list of betrayals, scandals, and secrets. Ohhhh - they all have secrets. And Charlotte is making note of them all.

The Hollow of Fear is a good read. At only 336 pages I finished it in one sitting. I just didn't want to stop. (I didn't want it to end either.) I really enjoyed all three books and as a series, I definitely give it a resounding thumbs up. It's a series I will continue to follow that's for sure. The Hollow of Fear is not perfect, but it certainly is fun and entertaining. Basing stories on a famous, beloved, and well-studied character is risky for any writer. Thomas' Sherlock-Like stories are smooth, easy to read, and mostly believable. The pacing is spot on, continually ratcheting-up the suspense, each revelation leading neatly to the next, and the romantic tension could choke a horse. The characters are all well drawn, three dimensional, and easily forge a connection with the reader. Here, Livia is given a chance to step out of the shadows and into her own adventure. (A thread I hope to see sewn into future books.) The handsome, gentlemanly Lord Ingram, with his old-world charms, is more vulnerable than in previous installments. Dear Mrs. Watson is one of my favorites. She doesn't get the spotlight but plays an integral part in every story. Without her, it just wouldn't be as Sherlock Holmesy. Charlotte grows stronger, more mature, and sneakier with each new case. She's a long-term character and I hope Thomas plans to pen stories about her for a very long time.

Note: Even though Thomas provides enough background information to read this book as a stand-alone, you will want to read the others. Three chapters in I realized this was a series I wanted to know fully. So I stopped, checked out A Study in Scarlet Women and A Conspiracy in Belgravia from my library, read those, then returned to The Hollow of Fear.

Happy Reading,

RJ

I love love LOVE this series. What a fascinating gender-bending Sherlock Holmes redux Thomas has created. The characters are fun and the stakes keep going up. Very compelling and readable. I can't wait for the next one!

I continue to enjoy this series of novels featuring the intrepid Charlotte Holmes and her entourage. The author writes attractive and amusing, yet suspenseful and taut mysteries that have left the Conan Doyle oeuvre behind and are striking boldly and successfully out on their own. Freed from the structure of the original texts, the author adds her own stylistic trimmings and inventions, which are more apparent in this novel than in previous mysteries. Nevertheless, she manages to weave the threads together and I am looking forward to the next chapter in the story.

That's it. I'm dead. Sherry Thomas has destroyed me in every possible way. The Lady Sherlock books have consumed me and somehow, this series only seems to be getting better and better with every book. The Hollow Of Fear is my favorite installment of the series so far and I'm not sure how I am ever going to recover from the emotional whiplash this book put me through - but trust me guys, it is so worth it.

The stakes were much much higher in The Hollow of Fear. Lady Ingram has turned up dead on Lord Ingram's estate and all evidence points to Lord Ingram being the culprit. It's up to Charlotte to solve the case and to help prove her friend's innocence so of course, she cross-dresses as Sherringford Holmes, brother to Sherlock, to navigate the case. Charlotte continued to awe me with her deductive skills even though I already knew just how smart she was. We not only get to see a more compassionate side to her in this book as the case was deeply personal to her but also a more playful side to her. I am just loving how thoroughly we are getting to know Charlotte's character because every part of her is amazing. I was thrilled that her friend, Lord Ingram, had a stronger presence in The Hollow of Fear. I've loved him from the first book, but I've also felt like we didn't know much about him in the previous two books. In this book, as a result of the death of his wife, his every emotion and thought was at the center of the story. I have to admit to having a bit of a fictional crush on Lord Ingram, but how could I not? He was passionate, charming and stubborn as hell in a completely endearing way. I was also happy that we got to see more of Livia in this installment. I've always enjoyed her strong bond with Charlotte. She was dealing with her own journey and I'm quite excited to see how her character is going to evolve in the future books - if that ending is any indication, it's going to be quite the uphill adventure for her.

The romance FINALLY moved forward in The Hollow of Fear and guys, I just about died of happiness!!! I was ecstatic at the progress and may have screamed a teensy bit when Charlotte and her potential beau gave in to their attraction to each other. The moments were lovely, innocent and just so sweet. I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about their interactions. I particularly loved the flashbacks to how their kinship bloomed! The Hollow of Fear was just as brilliant in the mystery department as the previous books. Lady Ingram's murder was so convoluted and shocking. I honestly couldn't foresee a thing, but when it was all revealed by Charlotte, everything clicked into place for me. Sherry Thomas is an ingenious author as every aspect of this case and how it tied to the over-arching storyline of Moriarty was executed brilliantly - she pretty much left me gaping!

With The Hollow of Fear, the Lady Sherlock series has officially settled in my favorite series list. Now that I'm all caught up, I'm a little sad because I'm going to have patiently wait for the next book to release. Boo!

She knows he didn't kill his wife, but how to prove it...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on October 2nd.

To help Lord Ingram prove his innocence, she dons a disguise and become a male Holmes. Only one cop realizes what she's done and he holds his tongue. The detective from Scotland Yard is more than happy to haul the Lord in, so she and Mrs. Watson have their work cut out for them. She keeps adding up odd circumstances, to no avail. It's a good thing she has one more card to turn over. Even the Superintendent has to pay attention to that one.

Lord Ingram is safe for now...

The last book in this series was a little bit of a let down so I was worried about where the direction the series was going. Shouldn't have worried so much. Much of this title captured the fun and audacity of the first that I found missing in the second. There were bits of it where the pace was too slow and the non-linear bits confused me for a second. Overall I thought this moved the overall plot forward and I enjoyed the interactions between the various characters. I also enjoyed Treadle's character development because I was disappointed in him in the last book.

Charlotte Holmes is back as Sherlock, this time donning the guise of a man to help solve a murder mystery and clear the name of the man she loves. That may sound trite, but it's an over simplification. Charlotte is not able to be honest with herself about how she feels about Lord Ingram, but we all know from her lack of appetite (nowhere near maximum chin threshold!) she has strong feelings for Lord Ingram and must ensure the true culprit of the murder be found.
I truly love the character of Charlotte Holmes. She's thoughtful, smart and independent. The dialog (or perhaps I should say banter) is witty. I enjoy the spin Sherry Thomas has put on these character and the adjustments made to make them her own. Would highly recommend this series and I look forward to where Thomas takes us in the future.

Sherry Thomas has done it again! The third Sherlock novel from the author is the best yet, with a twisty plot with so much character development built in. Love the relationships between all the characters - particularly the swoon worthy ones. I am constantly amazed by Thomas' ability to write so well in so many genres. As someone who has read a lot of AC Doyle Sherlock, I can say this fits in so well in terms of writing style and content. Absolutely recommended!

It seems that my reaction, whenever I finish one of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock books, is forever destined to be one of complete awe as I sit stunned, with my brain trying to catch up while I’m also trying to scrape my jaw up off the floor.  I’m not sure I’m capable of forming whole sentences just yet, because DAY-UM, but the woman has a devious mind!

The Hollow of Fear is the third in the series, and it opens exactly where book two – A Conspiracy in Belgravia – left off.   So be aware that what I’m going to say next is a spoiler for that book, and that there are most likely to be spoilers for the other books in this review.  Readers should also know that while there is information dotted throughout that supplies some of the backstory, I’d strongly recommend reading all the books in order so as to gain a greater understanding of all the relevant events.

The plotline of Conspiracy concerned the search for one Myron Finch, who is Charlotte Holmes’ illegitimate half-brother.  In a surprise twist tight at the end of the book, we learned that Finch has actually been hiding in plain sight all this time, working as the Holmes family’s coachman, and this conversation continues at the beginning of Hollow. Finch explains that he’s in hiding from Moriarty because he – Finch – has something belonging to his former master and knows that death will be his punishment should Moriarty ever find him. After a daring escape – made with the aid of Stephen Marbleton (whose mother was married to Moriarty at one time) – Charlotte is making her way back to the house she shares with Mrs. Watson when a carriage draws up beside her, the door opens - and the gentleman inside gives his name as Moriarty.

Skipping ahead a few months, we find Charlotte and Mrs. Watson comfortably settled in a cottage situated not very far from Stern Hollow, the country estate of Charlotte’s closest friend, Lord Ingram Ashburton.  The two have known each other since they were in their teens and it’s been very clear from the moment readers were introduced to Lord Ingram – Ash - that there’s more lying between him and Charlotte than friendship.  But he is married (albeit very unhappily) and Charlotte is… an unusual woman, to say the least, one who does not “understand the full spectrum of human emotions”, or rather, whose own reactions to those emotions are not always those that are desired or easily understood by others.  Lord Ingram and Charlotte know and understand each other on a deep, instinctual level, and their relationship is both beautiful and frustrating; the complementary way their minds work is wonderful to see – when it comes to logic and investigation, their thoughts mesh seamlessly – but their emotional connection is far more complex and Lord Ingram, fully aware of the nature of his feelings for Charlotte, is just as fully aware that they may never be returned as he would wish.

However, the reason Charlotte and Mrs. Watson are sojourning near Stern Hollow is not Lord Ingram, but Charlotte’s sister, Olivia, who is staying close by, at a house party being hosted by their father’s cousin, Mrs. Newell.  Given that Charlotte was disowned after her disgrace (A Study in Scarlet Women), she cannot openly contact Livia and hopes she will be able to see her while she is in the vicinity.  It looks as though fate is against them when Mrs. Newell’s home is flooded and it seems the party must be broken up, but Lord Ingram steps in to offer the hospitality of Stern Hollow to the displaced guests.  Livia’s enjoyment of her new surroundings is slightly marred by the presence of  two of society’s pre-eminent gossips, who have alleged that Charlotte and Lord Ingram are lovers and are trying to prove it.  Lady Ingram’s continued absence – the story is that she has gone abroad for the sake of her health; the truth is that she was divulging state secrets to Moriarty, and was allowed to leave the country before she could be arrested - produces even more juicy speculation on the part of the two ladies, who are now putting forth the rumours that Lord Ingram may have done away with the wife from whom he was known to be estranged in order to marry Charlotte.  When, a day or so later, Lady Ingram’s dead body is discovered in the ice house, Livia knows it will look as though those rumours are true - and that there’s only one person who will be able to prove Lord Ingram’s innocence.

Gah!  There’s so much more I could say about this book, but I don’t want to give too much away.  The bulk of the story is devoted to the investigation into Lady Ingram’s death – but it’s far more complicated than that, and we’re gripped by the various twists, turns and discoveries as Sherlock’s ‘brother’ – Sherrinford Holmes – helps Lord Ingram to ferret out and piece together the evidence needed to exonerate him. There’s no question the stakes are high; this is the first time we’ve seen Charlotte even the slightest bit rattled, and the pervasive sense of fear running throughout the story is palpable.  For three-quarters of the novel, Ms. Thomas lulls readers into the belief that this is the story - only to rip out the carpet from under our feet and show it’s been about something else all along, revealing that while Ash’s life really IS on the line, he and Charlotte are facing a very dangerous, devious foe and they’re out to do much more than bring a murderer to justice.  That’s not the only twist in the tale however – a couple of chapters later I was reeling from yet another unexpected reveal that had my husband wondering what on earth I was swearing aloud about!

One of the (many) things that marks the Lady Sherlock series out as superior to so many other historical mysteries is the incredible amount of character development going on.  More layers of Charlotte’s complex personality are peeled back here, and we learn a lot more about Lord Ingram and his unpopular wife; but most importantly, with Ash and Charlotte together for almost the entire book we get to see the reality of their messy, complicated relationship and to gain a deeper understanding of why things between them are the way they are.  Their scenes together are electric, the sexual tension so thick it could be cut with a knife; the author wasn’t kidding when she said - “this is the one in which the romance between Charlotte Holmes and her good friend Lord Ingram really picks up steam”, so it’s not a spoiler to say that there are some interesting developments between them, but there is still much to hope for in future instalments.

Even with the high-stakes plot and the character and relationship development, there’s still time to shine a light on Charlotte’s family situation; on her plans for Bernadine, the older sister whose mind has never progressed beyond early childhood and on Livia, prone to melancholy and fearful for the future, but fiercely devoted to Charlotte – and, it seems, in love for the first time.  Inspector Treadles, who has been struggling ever since discovering Sherlock Holmes’ true identity, his judgement strongly coloured by his – probably typical for the time – misogynistic views as to what a woman should and shouldn’t be, proves a trustworthy ally, and by the end of the book – thanks to Charlotte - he’s realised the need to let go of this preconceived ideas.

The story is very cleverly constructed, making excellent use of flashbacks in the latter part to complete the bigger picture and fill in some of the information the reader almost doesn’t realise has been withheld. That’s not to say that I felt cheated at any point – I didn’t.  But I was able to figure out some things and not others, meaning that there were still plenty of surprises in store, and I loved that.

The Hollow of Fear is yet another tour de force from Sherry Thomas – and long may she continue to deliver them. A mystery filled with as many twists and turns as any Conan Doyle fan could wish for, a fascinating character study, and an unusual romance, it’s easily the best book of the series (so far) and my only complaint is that I have to wait until next year for another helping.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

THE HOLLOW OF FEAR - Sherry Thomas

The Lady Sherlock Series

Mystery

England - 19th Century

Charlotte Holmes is a unique individual. One of the daughters of Sir Henry Holmes, she has decided that living with her parents and dealing with their stifling lifestyle is not for her. Charlotte is, outwardly to the public, a rather cold, emotionless young woman. She leaves the family home and moves in with her friend, former actress Mrs. Watson, and takes on private investigation jobs posing as Sherlock Holmes. Brilliant, intuitive, and a young lady who enjoys her sweets, Charlotte must now try and save one of the few people in her life that she truly cares about, Ash, Lord Ingram. They grew up together, shared secrets, and now his wife has been found dead in the ice house, and Ash is the prime suspect.

Scotland Yard has sent two inspectors to Stern Hollow, Lord Ingram’s country home. After questioning the staff, Chief Inspector Fowler zeroes in on Ash, although his assistant, Inspector Treadles, who knows Ash, has a more open mind. The two detectives are a bit put off when they arrive at Stern Hollow and find a portly gentleman called Mr. Sherrinford Holmes already investigating the crime. It is also revealed that this mysterious person is Sherlock’s brother. (In reality, this is Charlotte in disguise). Treadles, who knows Charlotte, is suspicious of this man, but realizes that much of what he says, mostly in defense of Ash, is important to the investigation.

Interviewing the many members of the household proves a huge enterprise, for a local woman had a country weekend for friends and when the cisterns on the roof broke and drenched her house, she begged Ash to take in her guests until her home is cleaned. In that group of guests is Charlotte’s sister, Livia, plus two of London’s most notorious gossips, sisters, Lady Avery and Lady Somersby, who have taken it upon themselves to snoop through Ash’s house and question the staff. This puts the real detectives and Holmes in a difficult position, for the gossips are happy to make Ash look like the culprit.

Charlotte (a.k.a. Sherrinford), wonders if her nemesis Moriarty is involved, but she has others to consider too. The combined investigation, along with her personal issues, make for a very interesting tale. There are plenty of red herrings and some very real surprises for one and all, including Ash who discovers something about Charlotte.

THE HOLLOW OF FEAR is a lot of fun. There are all sorts of twists and turns, lots of characters with plenty of issues, and a very well written mystery with a surprising conclusion.

Like its predecessors, number three in this series delivers on playfulness and a well-paced plot. The flashback sections required to make the ending come off are a bit clunky, but the continuing charm of the premise and the main characters carries it through. Reading the first two books is definitely required before jumping into this one (and if it's been a while you might want to brush up because the returning minor characters and plot points are many). It doesn't hit the same highs as one and two, but it was still an enjoyable read and I'm still here for number four!