Series: Lady Sherlock #1

This was a pleasant surprise. I honestly wasn't sure I would like it because I was coming into it pretty cold and I'm always a bit leery of late 19th century historical fiction. Too many authors just try to be clever when it comes to approaches to technology and feminist movements (and it doesn't quite work). I didn't feel like Thomas was trying to shoehorn modern women into 19th century characters. Sure, many of the women felt frustrated with their options in the book, but they weren't jumping ahead, so to speak.

I liked how Watson played out and how Baker Street came about. I honestly thought that Charlotte had something else up her sleeve at the start because she was being kind of stupid. I guess it just goes to show she's not infallible or inhuman. I was a little disappointed at how Moriarty played into things at the end but oh well. I might be tempted to say that it was the best gender-swapped Sherlock Homes that I've read but I've also read The Tea Master and the Detective, which is a gender-swapped Sherlock Homes with Watson as a spaceship in a Vietnamese-inspired futuristic empire...so I'm not sure that'd be true. Anyway, it was a really good read overall.

Now I just need to decide whether to listen to the next book in the series right away or wait till September 1st so I can have it count towards Halloween Bingo. Kate Reading, the narrator, is excellent, by the way. I'm counting this as my pre-read for Halloween Bingo 2018 for the "Diverse voices" square.

This is my opportunity to start on a library hold that came earlier than I expected. This way starting early should also not interfere with finishing up my other books this week (since it's an audiobook). I'm probably going to use this for "Diverse Voices".

So far it's going quite well!

How had they managed to not realize, for so long, what they meant to one another? And why then must they see the light when it was too late, when they could possess no more than a few moments of ferocious mutual awareness?

With more historical mystery elements than romance, this new spin on an old classic character was immensely intriguing. The beginning was a bit schizophrenic to me and I had a little tougher time sliding into Thomas' world. Our main character Charlotte Holmes takes her time coming to the forefront but after I finished the book, I think this choice really worked, but I needed hindsight to appreciate it. 

There's one main mystery case needing to be solved with other little ones sprinkled in as new characters get introduced. There's a handful of main stay characters, an Inspector that brings the reader through the main mystery case, Charlotte's sister Livia who welcomes us into the world, Mrs. Watson ;) who helps to set-up our Sherlock Holmes, and Lord Ingram who weaves in our little thread of romance. There are a two handfuls of secondary characters who serve the mystery case or help to fill out the world. 

This is obviously a first in a series book and should be read as such, as most of this could be considered an introduction to characters and relationships. Thomas does an amazing job with all the myriad intricacies in everyone's relationships but just be aware there is not much typical romance here. Charlotte and Lord Ingram have a past and obvious tension between them but if there is any payoff to be found, it is definitely in future installments. 

I didn't really settle into this until the second half of the book and I missed more romance but the intrigue, refreshing spin, and genuine stimulating writing kept me engaged.

“By your standards it isn’t rational, I know. But you can’t expect to be treated rationally when you are a woman, Charlotte. I can’t explain why—that’s just how it is. And you must learn to accept it.”

Charlotte was quiet. Livia thought that perhaps for once, she’d put some sense into her little sister’s head. But as they walked back into the house, Charlotte turned to her and said, “I will try to understand why. But I will not learn to accept it. Never.”

Be a Charlotte. 

Just some possibilities I have in mind.