A Conspiracy in Belgravia (The Lady Sherlock Series)

Loved this installment of the Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas. Once again the cases all seem disparate until Charlotte manages to put all the pieces together, this time with help of Mrs. Watson, Miss Redmane and a host of other characters that I love getting to know. I could hardly put this book down and am so sad that there isn't another I can pick up and start, especially with the last line of the book! I must know more!

Another clever twist on the Sherlock Holmes story line.
Following up on book one, the characterizations continue to work well and engage the reader.
This is an intriguingly atypical woman of her time with similarly unusual friends and acquaintances.
I found it delightful to see how her mind works. This was particularly entertaining when she is dealing with Lord Bancroft!

I love Thomas's complex brain and her profound understanding of our deepest psyches. Some of the quotes are already mentioned in other reviews, but the biggest one for me came towards the end of the book, in a quiet conversation Holmes has with Lord Ingram where he shares an insight about how or when marriage could seem possible for her. Quiet it may be, but so resounding in the reflection of Thomas's great grasp of the psyche I speak about. Sherry Thomas, you are one of the greatest - can't wait to read the next one, and please don't make us wait too long!

I was enthralled with the idea of a female Sherlock Holmes and was beyond thrilled to get an advanced reader copy of A Conspiracy in Belgravia. This story is the second installment in the Lady Sherlock series and it was truly a fun read. The mystery was layered and oh so good! This story starts directly after the conclusion of the first book, A Study in Scarlet Women, and this is a series that is built upon the previous book. I did feel like I was missing some important history by not reading the first book in this series. By the end of this story though I felt caught up and I wanted anyone considering reading this series out of order to be aware that this is a series best read in order.

The premise of the story is that Charlotte Holmes is putting her extraordinary powers of perception and calculation to work under the guise that she is assisting her fictitious brother, Sherlock Holmes, as his oracle of sorts. In this series, “Sherlock” is bedridden due to a malady but can still put his mind to great use. He uses his sister Charlotte to track down clues, interview suspects and people of interest, and other such matters that need to occur in an investigation. In order to successfully keep up this charade, Charlotte utilizes her friend Mrs. Watson and together they have created a very successful ruse.

Charlotte’s character is quite mischievous and calculating. She is the quintessential Holmes character that we have come expect from someone cast in this role. In addition to a fabulous mystery that is layered in its approach, there is a faux romance element, or at least an attempt at one, that is in my opinion quite hilarious. What I adore most about Charlotte’s character is that she does not let her gender define her in a day and age where women were only worth the man they were represented by, be it either a brother, father or husband. She adopted the Sherlock facade only because it was the easiest solution in the Victorian London setting.

I enjoyed the story, found the supporting characters to be well done, loved the mystery, laughed at the humor and want to definitely continue with this series. Was there anything I did not enjoy? Sigh, yes, Charlotte’s character was a love-hate one for me. I appreciate that she is a robust woman with a healthy appetite but I am never one to enjoy characters who fixate on their food, and I mean fixate. Then there is the fact that she likes to count her chins. The amount of times her “chins” came up by either her or the other characters was just a bit too much for me. What the heck did it have to do with anything? I just didn’t enjoy that aspect of her character at all, it was an idiosyncrasy that I could have done without.

I read A Conspiracy in Belgravia in one day, the story just flowed. I did not want to set it down because I found the plot twists kept me completely engaged. I was a bit turned off my Charlotte’s character and she may drive me away from this series but the cliff hanger at the end of this story is the reason that I must continue. I am hoping that Charlotte’s character will improve and that maybe she will have something else to fixate on in the next book. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind that she enjoyed her food and was happy with her body, I just think that for me too much of the story was dedicated to that, it was unnecessary. Overall, great story and an exciting read.

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

I am breathless. Not to mention sleepless, as I had to stay up late to finish this amazing book. Sherry Thomas is simply a genius – twisting classic Sherlockian memes into complicated knots and then gradually untying them so that we’re left with a beautiful seamless ribbon of an adventure tinged with romance. A Conspiracy in Belgravia is most definitely going on my “playing chess not checkers” shelf.

This is the second Lady Sherlock book, and as we learned in the first, Miss Charlotte Holmes has set herself up as the supposed sister of an invalid brother, Sherlock, who is brilliant at solving baffling mysteries and who occasionally assists Inspector Treadles of Scotland Yard. Charlotte is estranged from her aristocratic parents and lives with Mrs. John Watson, the colorful widow of an Army officer. Together, they maintain the facade of an ailing Sherlock living at 221B Baker Street. Charlotte interviews the clients while ‘Sherlock’ listens from his bedchamber. Only a few people know that Sherlock does not exist, including Charlotte’s sister Livia, Inspector Treadles, and Lord Ingram Ashburton – Ash – Charlotte’s closest friend since childhood.

Shortly before our story begins, Charlotte had helped expose a triple murderer, and here I must offer a suggestion: read A Study In Scarlet Women first. While this book could be read as a standalone, I think that a reader’s understanding and enjoyment would be enhanced by reading them in order.

Charlotte receives a note requesting an appointment from a Mrs. Finch, but Charlotte immediately recognizes the notepaper and realizes that the letter comes from Lady Ingram Ashburton. The situation is rather tricky, as Ash and his wife are not a happy couple, living virtually separate lives under the same roof for the sake of propriety and their two young children. Moreover, Ash and Charlotte are secretly in love with one another, although they would never admit it or act upon it. Ash is too honorable, and Charlotte is too unromantic to think of love. There is a palpable undercurrent of attraction though.

Charlotte accepts Lady Ingram’s request, but to avoid being recognized by her, Mrs. Watson’s niece Penelope poses as Sherlock’s sister. It turns out that Lady Ingram is looking for help in locating a young man, Myron Finch, with whom she fell in love before marrying Ash. For financial and social reasons, they could not marry but they agreed to meet once a year at the Albert Memorial, not speaking or acknowledging one another but merely passing to see that each was still alive and well. This year, however, Mr. Finch did not appear, and Lady Ingram wants Holmes to locate him and discover the reason. Imagine Charlotte’s surprise when Penelope repeats this story to her, for Myron Finch is Charlotte’s illegitimate half-brother, a son her father had supported but kept a secret from his wife and daughters. (Charlotte knows about him because she and Livia routinely snooped in their father’s office when he was out of town.)

Charlotte is in for another surprise that day, when Ash’s older brother, Lord Bancroft Ashburton, pays her a call and proposes marriage. (For you Sherlockians, Bancroft is a Mycroft Holmes sort of character who holds a position in the government and can pull strings when needed.) Bancroft is the opposite of his brother Ash – cerebral, decidedly uncharismatic, and obsessively curious about everything and everyone. Charlotte agrees to consider his proposal, as it does present some advantages for her. Marriage to Bancroft would redeem her reputation in society, which was ruined when she ran away from home after being deliberately caught in flagrante with a married man. It would enable a reconciliation with her family and enable her to offer care for her mentally disabled sister Bernadette and to visit openly with Livia. However, she would be required to give up her Sherlock Holmes persona and distance herself from the socially unsuitable Mrs. Holmes. Bancroft offers her a consolation, though: “given that mental exertion gives you pleasure, I shall be happy to supply the necessary exercises. After all, I come across them on a regular basis.” With that, he gives her a dossier of six envelopes containing the details of unsolved mysteries. One of them involves breaking a virtually impossible cipher, but Charlotte is up to the job, which leads her and Ash to a London house where Inspector Treadles is investigating a murder.

Of course, I cannot resist saying that from there, the game is afoot. It is far too complicated to even begin to describe how this murder ties into the search for Myron Finch, but it does. In the incredibly skillful hands of Sherry Thomas though, the intricate plot works and everything falls into place at the end. Not only is the adventure marvelously structured, the characters are fascinating. Charlotte is logical and unromantic, and yet she hesitates to marry Bancroft given that she finds his brother more attractive. We feel great sympathy for Ash, trapped as he is in a miserable marriage to a deceitful woman who only married him for his money. Little sister Livia meets a mysterious young man who seems to like her despite her oddities and quirks. We also learn more about the tribulations of Inspector Treadles, a man happily married to an heiress but living on a detective’s income. He has women problems. His wife admits that she would like to run her father’s business, and the “magnificent boon to his career,” Sherlock Holmes, “turned out to be a woman with loose morals and no remorse.”

Once again, Thomas inserts little factoids from Conan Doyle’s Sherlock stories. Livia is finding her inner muse and begins writing her own mystery story about a massacre in Utah related to a religious cult. (Sherlockians will immediately recognize elements of A Study in Scarlet.) And the arch-criminal Moriarty makes his presence known.

I read this on my Kindle, making lots of notes and highlights and flipping back to read some passages again. It is not an effortless read, even for someone who loves complex mysteries. But the effort is well worth it. Sherry Thomas is superbly talented, and it shows on every page of this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

One more thing. Just when you think you have it all figured out – there is the last line of the book. Wow! I did not see that coming. Can’t wait for the next one.

Good to the last word, "brother". A mystery full of intrigue and masterfully crafted. Charlotte is astute and calculating while still enjoying her madelines and tea. Mrs Watson takes a stronger role in this second book, utilizing her professionally honed talent. I couldn't have asked for a better read and can't wait for future exploits.

I continue to be impressed with Ms. Thomas's ability to establish several different mystery story-lines and then weave them together so that the culmination of the primary mystery is based on the solving of the lesser mysteries. As in the first book in the series, I thoroughly enjoy how all of Arthur Conan Doyle's characters have been re-imagined as women - even the culprits (except for Moriarty - for now it seems like he remains a man). My only, very minor complaint, is the speed with which the romance between Charlotte and Lord Ingram is progressing. I hope that things heat up a bit more in "The Hollow of Fear."

The good news is that this is a Wonderful series -- intriguing in so many ways. The bad news is that I read it in one gulp and now have to wait what seems like forever until the next one comes out. Oh well, these are on my Keeper shelf, and I can re-read to get my fix. Keep up the excellent work, Ms Thomas. I adore the series.

Audiobook

Another great book in this series. The narrator did a fantastic job. I figured out who the step-brother was pretty early in the book. But I had no idea who the villain was and was totally shocked. Great book/great series.

Waiting for # 3! Love the development of the characters, both in time and place. The story line is both refreshing and bittersweet - a wonderful take on the Conan Doyle characters and stark reminders of what was lost as a society by the repression of women of a certain class, particularly during this era.

Ms Thomas writes in a truly lyrical manner. She creates an atmosphere which is an immersion in London of a bygone era. I have not read the first book in this series, but I hope to read the next one.

That being said, I had some issues with this book.

Because I had not read the first book, I was lost during nearly the first third of the book. There were no explanations or background information to help the reader figure out who was who and what was their relationship history. I would have enjoyed the book more if there had been some help for a reader new to the story line.

The other problem was there were too many lines to follow. At times, I felt that some of the story lines were ended too abruptly. The reader was taken in too many different directions.

Charlotte is masquerading as a detective, Sherlock Holmes. There is an elaborate set up to insure that anyone who needs help will believe that the woman who listens to their story is the sister of an ill Sherlock. But, the client is assured that the actual thoughtful solutions will come from Sherlock.

Charlotte is supported by Mrs Watson, a widow who in spite of the dangers, is beginning to enjoy helping solve the puzzles. Mrs Watson's niece, Penelope Redmayne, is also a part of the “firm” who solve problems large and small for anyone who comes to their door.

Charlotte is estranged from her family and that estrangement has created a massive scandal. Charlotte's sister Livia is in an untenable situation at home. Livia has become a timid and nervous woman who has no realization of her own value. She faces the world, but she would prefer to remain hidden away. Charlotte also has two gentlemen in her life who appreciate her brilliant mind and her ability to understand the smallest of details.

The character development is well constructed. The reader is allowed to observe the thought processes of some of the primary characters. It helped me understand Charlotte and a few of the other characters.

The plotting is exquisite. The plot is involved and leads the reader on a journey of discovery. Each thread leads the reader to a new story with interesting characters.

This is a book that held my interest. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I won this book in a contest. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

Waiting for # 3! Love the development of the characters, both in time and place. The story line is both refreshing and bittersweet - a wonderful take on the Conan Doyle characters and stark reminders of what was lost as a society by the repression of women of a certain class, particularly during this era.

Ms Thomas writes in a truly lyrical manner. She creates an atmosphere which is an immersion in London of a bygone era. I have not read the first book in this series, but I hope to read the next one.

That being said, I had some issues with this book.

Because I had not read the first book, I was lost during nearly the first third of the book. There were no explanations or background information to help the reader figure out who was who and what was their relationship history. I would have enjoyed the book more if there had been some help for a reader new to the story line.

The other problem was there were too many lines to follow. At times, I felt that some of the story lines were ended too abruptly. The reader was taken in too many different directions.

Charlotte is masquerading as a detective, Sherlock Holmes. There is an elaborate set up to insure that anyone who needs help will believe that the woman who listens to their story is the sister of an ill Sherlock. But, the client is assured that the actual thoughtful solutions will come from Sherlock.

Charlotte is supported by Mrs Watson, a widow who in spite of the dangers, is beginning to enjoy helping solve the puzzles. Mrs Watson's niece, Penelope Redmayne, is also a part of the “firm” who solve problems large and small for anyone who comes to their door.

Charlotte is estranged from her family and that estrangement has created a massive scandal. Charlotte's sister Livia is in an untenable situation at home. Livia has become a timid and nervous woman who has no realization of her own value. She faces the world, but she would prefer to remain hidden away. Charlotte also has two gentlemen in her life who appreciate her brilliant mind and her ability to understand the smallest of details.

The character development is well constructed. The reader is allowed to observe the thought processes of some of the primary characters. It helped me understand Charlotte and a few of the other characters.

The plotting is exquisite. The plot is involved and leads the reader on a journey of discovery. Each thread leads the reader to a new story with interesting characters.

This is a book that held my interest. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I won this book in a contest. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this second adventure of Charlotte Holmes. We learn more about her family and her love life takes an interesting turn. For fans of Sherlock Holmes, this is definitely a welcome addition to the canon. There were some slow moments in the story, but overall, it moved along nicely as clues were dropped about who the perpetrator was.

Book two of The Lady Sherlock series is good, just not as good as Book 1. I was really bored with all the time spent on cyphering codes. The best parts of the book are the romantic moments when Holme’s is with Lord Ingram. I’m still confused about some of the characters in the story. I’m really excited to read book 3 next.