thelizzielibrary's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I started this series unsure if I wanted to continue and I'm finishing it wishing there were 6 more books just focused on Holmes and Watson solving cases in their adult lives. I need more. I have become completely obsessed with Charlotte and Jamie and it has ruined me for other books (for the next ten minutes at least).
The third book was the best in the series, most definitely, but this was a perfect ending piece. It wasn't a necessary piece, you could have ended with The Case for Jamie quite easily, but this was like a little cherry on top. I loved that it was told from Charlotte's point of view, especially comparing her point of view in earlier novels to this one. I loved getting to see them work on a case that wasn't actually incredibly dangerous, where they were really coming into their own as adults and detectives. They were witty and perfectly paired, Jamie always watching Charlotte while Charlotte watched the world. Charlotte's history with trauma and abuse wasn't swept under the rug, and I felt for her so deeply. Jamie's awareness of her every move and supporting her was everything.
I was a little disappointed by the conclusion of the mystery, but it also was perfect. I wanted there to be more to it, to have it as a part of the overarching villain story, but when it wasn't I realized that was the point. The story wasn't to add to the Moriarty-Holmes-Watson drama, it was to share how Charlotte chose her own path forward. By the end, I was crying with happiness over her choices, because it was true to her and I was so proud of the character. Ridiculous, but there it is!
I didn't expect August to come back. Honestly, it threw me for a loop. But his death always bothered me, it always felt strange how it could have happened at all, so this made a strange amount of sense. I was happy to see it, but maybe could have done without it.
So! A perfect cherry on the sundae that has been this series!
PS I really love cherries, can we get 6 more of these? I just need Charlotte and Jamie dialogue-ing through 6 more cases before I've had enough!
The third book was the best in the series, most definitely, but this was a perfect ending piece. It wasn't a necessary piece, you could have ended with The Case for Jamie quite easily, but this was like a little cherry on top. I loved that it was told from Charlotte's point of view, especially comparing her point of view in earlier novels to this one. I loved getting to see them work on a case that wasn't actually incredibly dangerous, where they were really coming into their own as adults and detectives. They were witty and perfectly paired, Jamie always watching Charlotte while Charlotte watched the world. Charlotte's history with trauma and abuse wasn't swept under the rug, and I felt for her so deeply. Jamie's awareness of her every move and supporting her was everything.
I was a little disappointed by the conclusion of the mystery, but it also was perfect. I wanted there to be more to it, to have it as a part of the overarching villain story, but when it wasn't I realized that was the point. The story wasn't to add to the Moriarty-Holmes-Watson drama, it was to share how Charlotte chose her own path forward. By the end, I was crying with happiness over her choices, because it was true to her and I was so proud of the character. Ridiculous, but there it is!
I didn't expect August to come back. Honestly, it threw me for a loop. But his death always bothered me, it always felt strange how it could have happened at all, so this made a strange amount of sense. I was happy to see it, but maybe could have done without it.
So! A perfect cherry on the sundae that has been this series!
PS I really love cherries, can we get 6 more of these? I just need Charlotte and Jamie dialogue-ing through 6 more cases before I've had enough!
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Sexual assault
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