lizzy_22's review against another edition
2.0
I've really enjoyed this series and it's take on a female Holmes but this installment bored me to tears. I didn't even find excitement in the new romantic developments that I'd been waiting for. I think the story got bogged down somewhere in the middle with the endless doomsaying where Moriarty was concerned. I get it, he's our bad guy but the hand wringing over wondering if and when he'd take his violent revenge got old.
roycekordem's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
landragraf's review against another edition
5.0
Always so good
Definitely worth breaking the glass... twas an emergency.
Thomas has struck Holmes gold again and the plot does indeed thicken. I can't wait for the next one. It was easy to drop once more into the ever complicated world and mystery that Sherlock is tasked to solve. A genius storyteller for a genius detective.
This book had all the hallmarks of another delicious tale and really had me guessing towards the end about how Charlotte would get out of the this one.
I'm still rooting for a happy ending for all parties and for Charlotte to emerge as queen of the chessboard in the coming future.
Definitely worth breaking the glass... twas an emergency.
Thomas has struck Holmes gold again and the plot does indeed thicken. I can't wait for the next one. It was easy to drop once more into the ever complicated world and mystery that Sherlock is tasked to solve. A genius storyteller for a genius detective.
This book had all the hallmarks of another delicious tale and really had me guessing towards the end about how Charlotte would get out of the this one.
I'm still rooting for a happy ending for all parties and for Charlotte to emerge as queen of the chessboard in the coming future.
house_full_of_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
neverendingbooklist's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ulrikedg's review against another edition
5.0
Phew! If you're familiar with the Sherlock Homes canon, you too saw the coming. I actually walked away from the book for a whole day uncertain about how that would be handled, afraid to read any farther, and I needn't have worried! Sherry Thomas has her own vision for Charlotte, and while she is inspired by Sherlock, she isn't Sherlock. She's better in so many ways, including this one.
Five stars for the story and five more for audiobook narrator Kate Reading!
Spoiler
death fake-outFive stars for the story and five more for audiobook narrator Kate Reading!
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Grief
kblincoln's review
4.0
3.5 stars, actually.
I love Charlotte, Mrs. Watson, Lord Ingram. However, we are in the sixth installment. And the romantic tension between Charlotte and Ingram is somewhat resolved. So its a terribly tricky task for any author to continue past about four books and keep me interested and the stakes high.
I had hopes for this one: the confrontation between Charlotte and Moriarty.
And it fell flat. This was a hard one for me to keep reading because it was so...dull. It's mostly everyone in a flurry because Moriarty is coming to consult Sherlock Holmes.
Then its Charlotte and Mrs. Watson visiting a religious retreat where about half of the conversation is about who went out of what house at what time and then drawing ridiculous (and really vague) conclusions from those observations.
After which, we get a little bit of Charlotte hijinks, but from the POV of a Moriarty henchman who is reduced to observing---you guess it-- who is coming out of what house and when.
At the very end there's a smidge of revelation about Mr. Marbleton, Moriarty, and Mr. Finch. This whole book felt very--dialed in. Kind of disappointed as i was looking forward to it as a reading treat. I'll go one more book, but if its as dull as this one, I think I'll stop reading this series.
I love Charlotte, Mrs. Watson, Lord Ingram. However, we are in the sixth installment. And the romantic tension between Charlotte and Ingram is somewhat resolved. So its a terribly tricky task for any author to continue past about four books and keep me interested and the stakes high.
I had hopes for this one: the confrontation between Charlotte and Moriarty.
And it fell flat. This was a hard one for me to keep reading because it was so...dull. It's mostly everyone in a flurry because Moriarty is coming to consult Sherlock Holmes.
Then its Charlotte and Mrs. Watson visiting a religious retreat where about half of the conversation is about who went out of what house at what time and then drawing ridiculous (and really vague) conclusions from those observations.
After which, we get a little bit of Charlotte hijinks, but from the POV of a Moriarty henchman who is reduced to observing---you guess it-- who is coming out of what house and when.
At the very end there's a smidge of revelation about Mr. Marbleton, Moriarty, and Mr. Finch. This whole book felt very--dialed in. Kind of disappointed as i was looking forward to it as a reading treat. I'll go one more book, but if its as dull as this one, I think I'll stop reading this series.
youshouldreadthisif's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
rotig813's review
5.0
Another great story about Lady Sherlock! I just love trying to figure out what is happening and how Miss Holmes is going to out smart everyone else. Kind of glad I waited a while to read this book since the new one is due out March 2023 and I don't have to wait as long for it.