A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Ruse of Shadows (Lady Sherlock #8)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2024

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 335

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?

The next installment in the Lady Sherlock series and I must say that I’m slightly disappointed. After the fun and intrigue of a locked room mystery in the last book, this one felt much more aimless and complicated. I am still with Charlotte as she navigates all the mysteries, conspiracies, and seemingly random murders. But… There were too many threads in this one leading all the way back to the first book in the series. At times, I really had to sit and think for a minute about what thread we were referencing. I still love Charlotte and Mrs. Watson, and Ash. I was not super loving the random interludes with Olivia, but understand their purpose. I’m still into this series, I just think this one was a bit of a muddle to get through.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Tempest at Sea (Lady Sherlock #7)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2023

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 353

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Fashionable Character

After feigning her own death in Cornwall to escape from Moriarty’s perilous attention, Charlotte Holmes goes into hiding. But then she receives a tempting offer: Find a dossier the crown is desperately seeking, and she might be able to go back to a normal life.

Her search leads her aboard the RMS Provence. But on the night Charlotte makes her move to retrieve the dossier, in the midst of a terrifying storm in the Bay of Biscay, a brutal murder takes place on the ship.

Instead of solving the crime, as she is accustomed to doing, Charlotte must take care not to be embroiled in this investigation, lest it become known to those who harbor ill intentions that Sherlock Holmes is abroad and still very much alive.

Absolutely loved this locked-room style murder mystery. We get to come back to all our favorite characters all aboard a sea voyage. Thomas brings all of our characters together for a variety of reasons and then of course, we get a murder. You knew it was coming. I was just waiting for the entire first third of the book just waiting to see who would die. From there, we mainly follow Lord Ingram has he assists the Inspector in the mystery. The volume felt a little different in that we have shifted from Charlotte to Ash as the main character the reader follows. And the entire locked room idea felt very Agatha Christie like. But I loved every page of it. This felt like a fresh murder mystery instead of just a Sherlock Holmes story. My favorite parts were the interactions between Ash and Charlotte. I have been rooting for them since the beginning and we finally get to see their feelings towards each other expressed out loud. Hallelujah! I cannot wait to see where this series goes next.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

Miss Moriarty, I Presume? by Sherry Thomas

Title: Miss Moriarty, I Presume? (Lady Sherlock #6)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 365

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

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

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

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

And now we come to the end of the series… And what an ending it was! We finally get to meet Moriarty in person and dive into his organization and personal life. Obviously this volume was going to involve Reichenbach Falls and the “death” of Sherlock. It was fun to read how this was going to get twisted and updated for this version of the story. I loved the interactions between Charlotte, Ash, and Mrs. Watson. Those three are the core of this series and it was fitting for the series to end with then. I loved the setting of the Garden and the atmospheric elements of the story. I completely sped through this not wanting to wait for the ending! Now I am a little sad the series is over. I really might have to go back and re-read it soon.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas

Title: Murder on Cold Street (Lady Sherlock #5)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2020

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Inspector Treadles, Charlotte Holmes’s friend and collaborator, has been found locked in a room with two dead men, both of whom worked with his wife at the great manufacturing enterprise she has recently inherited.

Rumors fly. Had Inspector Treadles killed the men because they had opposed his wife’s initiatives at every turn? Had he killed in a fit of jealous rage, because he suspected Mrs. Treadles of harboring deeper feelings for one of the men? To make matters worse, he refuses to speak on his own behalf, despite the overwhelming evidence against him.

Charlotte finds herself in a case strewn with lies and secrets. But which lies are to cover up small sins, and which secrets would flay open a past better left forgotten? Not to mention, how can she concentrate on these murders, when Lord Ingram, her oldest friend and sometime lover, at last dangles before her the one thing she has always wanted?

Another amazing version of a Sherlock Holmes story. This was slower than the last one, but more in line with a classic Holmes story. We a get a locked door murder mystery combined with a host of larger mysteries and questions. I loved seeing Charlotte, Lord Ingram, and Mrs. Watson (along with Miss Redmayne) work together to solve the mystery. We get to see more of Inspector Treadles and Mrs. Treadles and learn just a bit more about Moriarty’s syndicate. I did want to see more of Olivia, but alas, she was stuck at home. Can’t wait for the next one!

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Art of Theft (Lady Sherlock #4)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

As "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes has solved murders and found missing individuals. But she has never stolen a priceless artwork—or rather, made away with the secrets hidden behind a much-coveted canvas.

But Mrs. Watson is desperate to help her old friend recover those secrets and Charlotte finds herself involved in a fever-paced scheme to infiltrate a glamorous Yuletide ball where the painting is one handshake away from being sold and the secrets a bare breath from exposure.

Her dear friend Lord Ingram, her sister Livia, Livia's admirer Stephen Marbleton—everyone pitches in to help and everyone has a grand time. But nothing about this adventure is what it seems and disaster is biding time on the grounds of a glittering French chateau, waiting only for Charlotte to make a single mistake...

Another amazingly inventive Lady Sherlock book. I love Charlotte so much, but was glad that this book featured all the other beloved characters. Olivia has really grown on me throughout the books. I loved that the setting of this volume moved out of England and into Paris. A change of scenery is often jus the thing for a series. And oh my, the twists and turns of this one were great. After all the revelations, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Hollow of Fear (Lady Sherlock #3)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 335

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar- Amateur Detective; Cloak and Dagger

Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't.

Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.

With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram--and a number of malevolent forces...

This volume was such a thrill ride! The prologue sucked me in with the reveal of who Charlotte met in the carriage. And then Lady Ingram’s misfortune was revealed and the story picked up speed. I loved more story from Livia and Lord Ingram’s points of view. A nice change of pace from just Charlotte. And we get more insight into the inner works of the agents of the Crown and those of Moriarty’s crew. The resolution to the mystery was very satisfying, but I must say I was disappointed in Lord Ingram and Charlotte. The tension between those two could set fires roaring without any kindling.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Lady Sherlock #2)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2017

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 332

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Share-a-Tea; I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Read a series with a new book coming out in 2018

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

Picked this one up at the library and devoured it in just three days. I love the twists on the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories. I love the updates in language and subject matter. But most of all, I love Charlotte Holmes. She is just a great character full of interesting quirks. The best part of the book is how she interacts with the rest of the characters. I can't wait for the next book to be published in October.

Lady Sherlock

#1 A Study in Scarlet Women
#2 A Conspiracy in Belgravia
#3 The Hollow of Fear

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2016

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 323

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - First in a series; I Love Libraries

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.
But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

A delightful retelling of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories. I love how Thomas turned the character on it's head and made Holmes a disgraced society woman. Mrs. Watson is great as Holmes' partner and in some ways benefactor. Plus we get an interesting array of side characters. I'm excited for the next book in the series to be released this fall. Best of all we get a tantalizing mention of Moriarty... I can't wait to see where this all leads!

Lady Sherlock

#1 A Study in Scarlet Women
#2 (Fall 2017)