A Study In Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series)

I cannot recommend this book enough. I love Sherlock Holmes in general and lately I have especially appreciated recent television versions of him in Sherlock and Elementary. Miss Charlotte Holmes goes on the same shelf as those Sherlocks. Looking forward to the next book!

I enjoyed this story. I appreciate the well developed characters. The tangled relationships seemed a bit much at first, but as the story unfolded I realized each character's role was important to the story. It was nice to read a story that did not include page after page of raw sex. I will read the next book in this series.

Sherry Thomas is a writer of extraordinary talents. Her stories are complex, inventive, and creative. She understands, and through her characters explains the mores of the Victorian era by the way they are told they must live their lives; along with the decisions they decide to make in order to shape those lives. All of these attributes of Ms. Thomas's storytelling are apparent in 'A Study in Scarlet Women.' In the book we find our main character, Charlotte Holmes, becoming the talented and insightful detective, Sherlock Holmes. All of the characters in the book are interesting, and compelling, and the mystery is complex. This is the first book in a what will be a new series featuring our intriguing heroine, Charlotte Holmes. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series, and renewing my acquaintance with Mr. Thomas's new characters.

I absolutely love Sherry Thomas' romance novels and was really looking forward to this. She is a stellar writer of complex relationships and steamy bed scenes. But so far in her outings as fantasy writer I've been really disappointed. The main issue is a complete lack of pacing. At one point in this novel, a secondary character who I really didn't care about at all (though none of the characters are particularly compelling) interviews a series of potential witnesses to a possible murder. The interview is long, boring and painful and it is written as such. There are no breaks in the dialogue, very little descriptors and three quarters of what the interviewees say is utterly banal. There weren't even any discernible clues or innuendos. It was excruciating and I ended up scrolling forward on my kindle to see how long it could go on for. This was the painful equivalent of writing dialogue, in an effort to be realistic, that it is replete with 'umms' and 'likes'.
In short, pacing is terribly off and the end result is a boring read. The characters were also very vaguely formed and the conceit of having a 'female' Sherlock Holmes and Watson seemed all the more hackneyed as a result.
Please run out and buy any or all of Sherry Thomas' romance novels. But skip this one.

I like all things Sherlock--but not this. The story made no sense--I could not keep track of the characters. And having an unseen bed-ridden incommunicado brother in the bedroom named Sherlock is patently ridiculous. I do not understand the good reviews. Poorly written. And will someone please tell the author when to use "me" and when to use "I".

The characters were well developed. The plot was intricately developed with twists and turns reminiscent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Even knowing the crimes, I wandered why and how victims were involved.
The ending brings relationship of Sir Ingram & his father's mistress as well as introduction of Moriarty with foreshadowing of evil.
I am an avid reader of original Sherlock Holmes as well as viewer of American and English television shows (past and present)

Amazing writing, characters, etc. - as usual, Sherry Thomas is phenomenal. My only critique and really more of a grumbling was that some of the investigation process with secondary characters was a little too drawn out for me. Otherwise, I love this take on the Sherlock Holmes stories and adored the tortured romance elements. The chemistry was hot even though it was mostly cerebral. I can't believe I have to wait another year for the next installment.

I was curious and a little skeptical of a reimagining of the Sherlock Holmes story, but Sherry Thomas has created substantive characters and a clever plot line. While told with less dramatic language than her previous stories, this story skillfully balances a fun, fast moving plot with captivating story arcs that will unfold over the next books in the series. This book has appeal beyond the historical romance genre. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

This book was recommended by Smart Bitches/Trashy Novels and I have to say that I really liked it. I loved Charlotte's character, as well as Mrs. Watson. There were lots of twists and turns in the case that I never saw coming. I loved the attention to detail of the time period and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Really, really liked the book. Charlotte isn't what I'd expect a gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes to be, but she definitely grew on me, and quickly. The mystery of the book seems simple at first and deepens as the narrative goes on much in the same way as a lot of classic mystery writers. If it isn't the sort of story that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have written, it was still wildly entertaining and engaging. I think I finished the entire book in less than 2 days, which is extremely fast for my average reading speed. I'm looking forward to reading the next book!

The story line was fairly good, but the Author was not very clear, I had a lot of trouble following, especially in the beginning. I didn't like her use of Sherlock Holmes, and really disliked the Lady Holmes character. I found myself enjoying the book more when it was following inspector Treadles.

I’m kind of obsessed with Sherlock Holmes right now. I devoured Elementary on Netflix and can read the original stories over and over again. When I saw this book listed on NetGalley I automatically became very excited. A female Holmes? YES!! The story had so much potential but unfortunately it fell flat.

I tried to read on but found it really difficult to continue. I read up to 30% and made the decision to put it down. I should want to read a book. I should be engaged and excited to find out what will happen next. With this book I simply didn’t feel that excitement. It was tough going from the first page. I just wasn’t interested in the story, the case or the characters. I was bored!

A lot of my problems were based on the fact that Charlotte Holmes was very unlikable. The character was cold and at times not the genius detective of the original stories. Yes, she was able to deduce various things but a lot of the times obvious things were beyond her comprehension. She was a very uneven character and that bothered me. The story also starts with her being caught in an illicit affair and the whole situation rubbed me the wrong way. Why does she need to be a “disgraced” woman? Argh! *shakes fist* She wasn’t the character I was expecting.

Of course, this is my opinion. There are plenty of reviews that are quite positive about the book. I just didn’t see the point in slugging my way through a book I wasn’t enjoying. I’m just so sad it ended up this way because I had such high hopes.

The premise is intriguing, but the execution falls short. Thomas has introduced a Victorian feminine voice to the familiar formula, but to what end? It is a tall order indeed to match Conan Doyle's mastery of mystery. One of the great attributes of Sherlock Holmes is that we're rarely privy to what's inside his head. He is an enigma. Charlotte is not. She's wandered in from some undiscovered Jane Austin novel, dragging along with her sisters and suitors, a cross father and an overbearing mother. The tale is too complicated and the means by which the heroine steps into the role of master sleuth stretches credibility to distraction. I so wanted to love this. I kind of liked it, but never really. I had no interest in the preview of the subsequent installment.

Oh that was fantastic! A Study in Scarlet Women. I'll be honest. I needed it just for the cover. It's amazing. The story inside those gorgeous wrappings? Enthralling and completely addictive. Reader-girl win!

The gist of it is that Sherlock? Totally a chick--and a ruined Lady at that (her own doing, and on purpose)--who's having to figure out life on her own for the first time. She figures she'll become a typist in the city but instead her powers of observation take her life in a different direction when she sees a connection between three seemingly innocent deaths and takes up with an interesting sidekick.

This was a fun twist on Sherlock Holmes with both Sherlock and Watson being ladies. I really enjoyed that. Charlotte/Sherlock was an interesting heroine. She's socially awkward and insanely smart/observant-- think Monk without the OCD. I loved seeing her make her own choices and the determination to survive on her own terms. And how she solved cases. She kind of consulted on cases for an investigator via a mutual acquaintance so the investigator had no idea she was really a woman. The secondary characters were great as well. An eccentric Watson who was an actress, the investigator that Charlotte helps, her married man-friend who watches over her and keeps her safe (they drive each other crazy and are in love with the other but he married someone else. Ah!). It was an interesting cast and all people I hope to see more from in the future.

The mystery was excellent and kept me guessing the entire time! That's so rare for me. Three deaths that everyone assumed were natural/accidental other than Charlotte. It was really interesting seeing it all come together and the sinister twists that were taken towards the end. This was one of the better laid mysteries I've read.

So why this one didn't quite make a 5 for me. The first couple chapters were rough. I really struggled with finding my footing and grasping who everyone was/who was narrating/etc. It did even out after that and I was reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open. So just a small wobble.

All in all. I'm hooked! Thomas came out strong and simply wowed. I can't wait to see what unfolds next for "Sherlock" and the people she's surrounded herself with. A Study in Scarlet Women captivated!

Note: I have the audiobook and Kindle versions of this book, and this review applies to both.

SHOULD AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY? Yes, this is an actual quote from the book. One of the characters asks his wife that, poor woman, and no, she is not the woman he is talking about.

Where to start? Maybe I'm just not into the cozy mystery type books, but this is categorized as a historical mystery/thriller, so I feel a bit cheated. It started out extremely well, but soon degenerated into a cross between Miss Marple Goes to Tea and a cheesy romance. The main character is a gluttonous female version of Sherlock Holmes who eats as much as possible and constantly laments her tendency toward a double chin, all while throwing herself repeatedly at her childhood friend, despite numerous rejections. Sorry, but I think I'll take the original version, thank you very much.

On top of this, I didn't see any real point to the story, since the only stakes to speak of were protecting the reputation of Ms. Sherlock's family. Yes, that's right: their reputation! No one was going to jail for crimes they did not commit, no one's life was at stake, no one needed any real help. Just the trappings of London high society, which the main protagonist (if she was one) was already expelled from anyway due to her own, irretrievable transgressions.

In terms of story structure, the author continually commits the high crime of throwing main plot points into the mix very late, with absolutely no foreshadowing. Isn't a mystery supposed to provide all the clues throughout? With this one, you get a last minute backstory that explains everything in chapters 21 - 23. There are 24 chapters in the book.

Another irritation was that it often felt like we were coming in at the middle of the story. She kept introducing new subplots until the very end of the book, and never explained them adequately. At times it was like listening to a conversation about people you don't know.

I won't say this book didn't have potential, since it does have a certain something that makes you want to hear more (I guess that explains the ratings). But for me the author ruined it with sloppy writing and an unlikable main character.

On a positive note, the narration of Kate Reading was of course top notch. Oh, and I really liked the cover.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am in a quandary about this book. As a Sherlock Holmes fan I thought I would love this story. As a fan of Anna Lee Huber I love historical mysteries where the usual man’s part is played by a women so I should have loved this story. But this book started at a super slow pace to help us get to know Charlotte Holmes and something about her just felt off. After some thought I pinned it down to her behavior. She is very clever and has that Holmes insight but she doesn’t think her actions through which put her in places she didn’t need to be. She has a gift but was very unsure of herself at times, thankfully she found her Watson to help her out and guide her.

The mystery itself seemed complex, but introduced almost too many characters to keep straight and it is told from multiple points of view. This is not a quick read, you need to slow down to be sure you catch each detail and realize which character is telling the story at the time. It jumps around a lot without much rhyme or reason. At times I felt we were reading the story of Inspector Treadles, instead of the story of Charlotte Holmes. Sad to say he didn’t really grab a hold of my either. It doesn’t help that Charlotte was investigating 3 separate deaths and trying to determine and convince Treadles how they were connected.

Charlotte’s sister was the character that did grab me but she wasn’t present in the book as much as I would have liked. She came across as very genuine to me.

The ending was a bit of a surprise but I wanted more, the case was wrapped up for me in a way that made no sense, especially after the time put into the investigation.

As I reflect back I think the problem is something many first books in a series have, the endeavor of introducing the characters and giving readers a mystery we can sink our teeth into. I think the author just tried to cram too much into this first installment. I needed their to be less characters and more about those that remain and maybe just one death to get more acclimated to our new Holmes.

That being said I may want to read book #2, but if it was available today I wouldn’t be rushing out to purchase it. Now that I know the characters a bit and after some time has passed I may be ready for another escapade with Miss Holmes, her family and her friends. This seems to be this accomplished author’s first stab into the mystery genre, I do have confidence she will find her way.

Charlotte Holmes is a very bright woman who is highly observant of minuscule details that escape the normal person. She’s determined not to marry and just wants to get some education and become head of a school. That just doesn’t fit in with her Victorian world but she couldn’t care less. When her father changes his mind and denies her the dream of a future, she causes a scandal and runs away. Surprisingly, she hasn’t realized her dire situation, even though she thinks about what it means, until she’s almost out of money and can’t get a job because of her scandalous reputation that has quickly spread around London. Meanwhile, three deaths occur close to her home and her sister and family are blamed, bringing complete ostracism from society. Charlotte is determined to get to the bottom of the deaths!
Eventually Charlotte, her friend Lord Ingram and Inspector Robert Treadles, take her advice, supposedly given by the “real” Sherlock Holmes, a step at a time and the reader will be shocked at the eventual outcome. Meanwhile, a new friend who has reached out to Charlotte suggests she advertise her skills of “discernment” and make that her career to earn the money she needs. Lo and behold, she is stunned by the number of requests she receives, and her sharp-mindedness and intuitive sense guide many a riddle or crime into satisfactory solutions.
What is quite interesting is that solving the death of the three supposedly unrelated characters turns out to be not only clever but a bit anticlimactic. What keeps the story moving is a budding romance between Charlotte and Lord Ingram, the latter of whom has a few secrets of his own associated with “watching over” Charlotte. This very much fits in the with the noble Victorian mores of never allowing a woman to be left alone in danger but introduces a few hints of Charlotte missing the boat and thus introducing a wee lack of credibility on her part.
Charlotte is an enigmatic character indeed! On the one hand, she’s definitely got the “Sherlock” clues in hand; yet she can be incredibly naïve about her own circumstances. Certainly, she has a prodigious appetite which she guides only by observing whether she’s coming close to a double chin or more. One senses that other appetites will develop now that she and Lord Ingram may, should fortune favor them so, become closer. However, that’s a problem that will have to await another novel in the series.
All in all, A Study in Scarlet Women… is a good read that will please may fans of mystery fiction.

Sherry Thomas is one of the best historical romance authors of the past decade, so I had no concerns that she could write a good historical mystery. But Sherlock Holmes? As a woman? Even though I am a long-time Sherlockian, I am not fanatical about the sanctity of Conan Doyle's canon -- so why not? I can enthusiastically report that Thomas has pulled off this challenge in a first-rate manner.

It is very easy to see Sherlock in Charlotte Holmes's personality, mannerisms, and intellect. Conan Doyle never showed us the very young Sherlock, so Thomas is free to experiment here. Charlotte is the youngest of four daughters born to the unhappily-wed Sir Henry and Lady Holmes. Henrietta, the eldest, has modeled herself after her unpleasant mother, and is married to a Mr. Cumberland. It remains to be seen whether she has adopted her mother's habit of slapping hapless servants and unruly daughters. The next sister, Bernadine, is so withdrawn that she is no longer taken out in society; today we probably would diagnose her as autistic, perhaps epileptic, and anorexic to boot. Sister Livia, Charlotte's only friend, has had eight unsuccessful Seasons and is prone to depression. She at least takes pleasure from writing incessantly in her journal. One other member of the family is Mrs. Gladwell, the widow of Sir Henry's cousin, whom Charlotte has figured out is also Sir Henry's mistress.

Charlotte is her father's pet and her mother's despair. She is sharply intelligent and blessed with an amazing memory as well as powers of observation and deduction. She is forthright to the point of rudeness and so completely uninterested getting married that she has turned down several proposals. She is quite beautiful and has allowed her mother to dress her in the height of fashion, but underneath the veneer Charlotte is a determined non-conformist.

Although they play relatively minor roles in the book's plot, I mention Charlotte's family because Thomas paints a particularly affecting portrait of them in the first few chapters. It wasn't really necessary, but it sets up the story so nicely. Such is the mark of an extraordinary writer. Moreover, this part of the story is written from Livia's point of view and suggests that Livia may be the chronicler, i.e., a sort of Watson to Charlotte's Sherlock.

Charlotte's ambition is to become headmistress of a girls' school, which is really quite silly, as she has never been to school, but that seems to be the only professional option available to a gently-bred young lady. Her father encourages Charlotte's aspiration, but as the book opens Charlotte is infuriated to see that he is succumbing to his wife's pressure to marry her off.

Although Charlotte is supposedly very smart, she embarks on a farcical scheme to get herself ruined (by a carefully selected married man) and thus made ineligible for marriage. The scheme goes spectacularly awry, and Charlotte flees her home and reckons she can find some type of respectable employment. With no references and no experience, she is finding it rough going. Until, that is, she meets and instantly feels an affinity for a colorful, older lady whose army officer husband died in Afghanistan. This Mrs. Watson is a comfortably-wealthy but lonely former actress who has unsuccessfully been looking for a paid companion. She is intrigued by Charlotte's special talent for solving mysteries, and when she offers Charlotte the position as her companion, the reader can see that she envisions them as partners in adventure.

Aside from her sweet sister Livia, Charlotte has one other friend: Lord Ingram Ashburton, to whom she has been close since childhood. Indeed, when Lord Ingram enters the plot, it is clear that he and Charlotte are in love with one another. Not that they would admit it, for he is unhappily married and far too honorable to act upon his improper feelings. Lord Ingram, a gentleman archeologist, has served as a go-between for Charlotte and Scotland Yard's Inspector Treadles (ah, we have our Lestrade) where Charlotte's talent has helped solve a few cases. Treadles, however, does not know that Charlotte is Sherlock; he thinks she is Sherlock's sister.

This, then, is the set-up for the mysteries that confront Inspector Treadles when Sherlock Holmes publishes a letter connecting three, apparently unrelated and apparently natural, deaths:

"It has come to my attention that Mr. Harrington Sackville’s death, by apparent overdose of chloral, may not be an isolated incident: Lady Amelia Drummond preceded him in death by a week and a half; the Dowager Baroness Shrewsbury followed a mere twenty-four hours later. Lady Amelia was first cousin to Mr. Sackville’s elder brother by the same father, Lord Sheridan, and godmother to one of Baroness Shrewsbury’s children."

With this shocking announcement – and how could I resist saying it? – the game is afoot. I found this book to be quite as good as any Conan Doyle mystery (and I have read them all many times). The characters are intriguing and well-drawn, and the pacing is excellent. As with any mystery, not everyone is completely honest, but neither did I notice anything so misleading as to be considered unfair. Although this book is not a historical romance like many of Sherry Thomas's other books, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries in a historical setting. I can't wait for the next book, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, due out in September 2017, where Charlotte's client is looking for her missing lover. And that client is none other than Lord Ingram's wife!