As someone who already loves the world of Sherlock Holmes, I didn't need much convincing to pick up Holmes Away From Home. I grew up in Edinburgh, the home of Arthur Conan Doyle, and spent many years walking past his statue on an almost daily basis (and may even have enjoyed the occasional tipple in the pub bearing his name!). Add my love of Sherlock, Elementary and Enola Holmes, and this was always going to catch my attention.

This time, however, it is Irene Adler's daughter, Althea, who takes centre stage, and I absolutely loved her. Althea has been raised by her mother to be clever, resourceful and more than capable of breaking a few rules. When a mysterious postcard leads her to Baker Street and Sherlock Holmes's safe, she begins to question something rather more personal: could Sherlock Holmes actually be her father?

That question might have drawn me into Althea's story, but by the end I realised that the answer didn't really matter to me. I became far more interested in Althea herself. She has spent so much of her life being Irene Adler's daughter, still seeking the approval of a mother who has given her tests rather than affection, while desperately wanting to escape the life Irene has created for her. I really hope that as this series continues, Althea finds a way to become her own person.

I also loved William, the Marquess of Sheffield, and particularly the relationship developing between him and Althea. They are both clever and observant, and there is a wonderful push and pull between them as they work against each other one moment and together the next. At times it almost felt as though they were circling one another, each trying to work out the other's secrets while also dancing around their growing feelings and desires.

The murder mystery itself was brilliantly constructed. The clues were there throughout the story, we just had to work out which details were actually clues and how they all fitted together. Some of the twists were great fun, while others were genuine jaw-dropping moments, but everything felt as though it had been carefully placed for us to find.

What impressed me most was how completely the story sat within the Sherlock Holmes world without needing Sherlock himself to carry it. Familiar names and places immediately gave me that feeling of being back in his world, but it went beyond references to characters I already knew. The mystery itself felt as though it was being told in a Sherlock manner, encouraging me to notice, question and piece things together alongside Althea and William.

Sherlock Holmes may be away from home, but his presence can certainly be felt throughout this clever, entertaining mystery.

This is the first Althea Adler Mystery and, after spending time with Althea and William, there is absolutely no mystery about whether I'll be back for the next one.