A Conspiracy in Belgravia

Lady Sherlock #2

by Sherry Thomas

The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas's Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she's had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she's not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte's dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body surfaces where least expected. Charlotte's investigative prowess is challenged as never Can she find her brother in time--or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, Historical Mystery, Romance

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2017

About the author

USA Today-bestselling author Sherry Thomas decided years ago that her goal in life is to write every kind of book she enjoys reading. Thus far she has published romance, fantasy, mystery, young adult, and three books inspired by the martial arts epics she grew up devouring. Her books regularly receive starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications, including such outlets as the New York Times and National Public Radio.

A Study in Scarlet Women, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, and The Hollow of Fear, the first three entries in her gender-bending Lady Sherlock historical mystery series, are all NPR best books of the year. The Magnolia Sword, her 2019 release, is the first young adult retelling of the original Ballad of Mulan in the English language.

Sherry emigrated from China at age 13 and English is her second language.

“Sherry Thomas has done the impossible and crafted a fresh, exciting new version of Sherlock Holmes. From the carefully plotted twists to the elegant turns of phrase, A Study in Scarlet Women is a splendid addition to Holmes’s world. This book is everything I hoped it would be, and the next adventure cannot come too soon!” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author

“Thomas weaves a lush, intricate fantasy world around a gorgeous romance that kept me riveted until the very last page. What a breathtaking journey!” (Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series )

"Sherry Thomas is the most powerfully original historical romance author writing today."—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author



Visit Sherry at her website

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Reviews

[Yun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this series, and A Conspiracy in Belgravia is another fun one to add to the collection. But that adoration does come with some caveats.

First, the good stuff. I love strong female characters, and this series has it in spades. Charlotte Holmes is as clever and intrepid as ever, readily going about her day sussing out secrets left and right without ever missing a beat. It's so refreshing to follow a heroine who, when faced with adversity, is so confident in her abilities that she just uses her wits to get through any and all situations.

The repartee in here is delightful—Victorian, witty, a touch prudish—and I would often find myself lingering, rereading parts just to savor it some more. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the sizzle between Charlotte and Lord Ingram. Their unrequited love was so sharp and visceral without ever being directly referenced that I had no choice but to swoon.

But I have to be honest. For a mystery series, the mysteries themselves are perhaps its one weakness. There are a few too many characters and subplots, a bit too much complexity in the way of the twists and turns, for this to really be easy to follow along with. And the denouement, in which everything is revealed, doesn't feel so much shocking as vaguely confusing, leaving me wondering where it all came from. Certainly I did not see the twists coming, but I'm not clear how Charlotte was able to either.

Another quibble I have is that not all the points of view were equally riveting. Charlotte, with the force of her personality, steals the show, so whenever we turn away from her to let Inspector Treadles or Livia have a turn, my attention waned. Thankfully, those sections were short, but they did slow the pace a bit for me overall.

But those really are small quibbles, and they don't unduly impact my enjoyment. The characters, their relationships with each other, the nonstop banter in the dialogue, all make this such a charming and interesting read. I hope the too-complex mysteries will get ironed out as the series matures or as we get more familiar with the characters and events at play.

Oh, one more thing to note if you're considering this. The question always comes up if one should read a series in order, and the answer here is a resounding yes! Even though each book has a self-contained mystery, there is so much backstory and character development and relationships throughout the series that to read it out of order would just be a big pile of confusion. And I do speak from personal experience, having done just that on my first go-around and lived to regret it until I finally completed my reread in the correct order.

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See also, my thoughts on:
#1. A Study in Scarlet Women
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[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Lady Sherlock #2) by Sherry Thomas, narrated by Kate Reading  

In book one of this series, I had mentioned that I hoped that the next book would focus on Charlotte more and I got my wish. Inspector Treadles played a big part in the first book, since he did a great deal of footwork for Charlotte. This second book starts just a few days after the last book ended and Inspector Treadles is in a snit towards both Charlotte and his wife, so he was off pouting about as he does his job as Inspector, giving both women the cold shoulder. Instead, Charlotte, Mrs. Watson, and Mrs. Watson's niece do their own footwork. This made the story more fun and easier for me to understand, since there seemed to be fewer moving parts to be related by one character to another. 

I won't get into the major mystery much except to say that it involves Lord Ingram's wife and the mention of the name Moriarty. I enjoy so many little things about these books, such as how names, places, items, cases, and more, from the original Sherlock Holmes stories, are used in this alternate tale of Sherlock (Charlotte) Holmes. Charlotte's sister, Livia, has decided to write stories very loosely based on Charlotte's cases, and in doing so, she is creating the Sherlock Holmes and male Dr. Watson of the classic novels. Not only that, she is funneling her own personality and thoughts into this fictional Sherlock Holmes, allowing him to be the person she would like to be if she wasn't totally shackled by society's expectations of her.

Because Mrs. Watson is worried that the work of Charlotte is leading them into danger, she has made one of her rooms into a "gymnasium" where she is training Charlotte in the art of fighting off attackers with a walking cane. Sometimes Mrs. Watson has a strong urge to just stick out her leg and trip Charlotte but so far she's held back on that kind of warfare. There are a lot of madeleines (French butter cakes) being scarfed in this book and Lord Ingram is very much present. Not only that, Lord Ingram's brother is making it hard for Charlotte to turn down his marriage proposal, not because she has any romantic feelings for him at all, but because he is willing to provide support for Charlotte's sisters. And then there is the chance that Charlotte's half brother is involved in very dangerous deeds or could even have been murdered recently. I have so much fun with these stories and I loved the very last line of this one. Once again, Kate Reading does a fantastic job of narrating the books and I was able to keep up with the complicated case better this time. 

Pub September 5th 2017

[Navessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this second installment, the Lady Sherlock series officially becomes my favorite historical fiction series of all time.

Nothing else even comes close. Five stars are NOT ENOUGH. <— I have literally never said that in a review before.

*deep breath*

Sherry Thomas is a goddess. She has literally given me everything I have ever wanted from this genre.

Interesting take on a retelling: ✔
Compelling romantic sub-plot: ✔
Accurate depiction of a time period: ✔
Whip-smart female lead: ✔
Plots within plots: ✔
A complex cast of characters: ✔
Feminism: ✔

Honestly, I could go on and on here. This list is really never ending. So lemme try to get my shit together and stop fangirling.

*another deep breath*

The Lady Sherlock series centers around Charlotte Holmes, a woman who is so smart that normal mortals struggle with her intelligence. Especially since this is set in a time period where women were generally understood to be second class citizens, to be lesser than men in every regard.

When I say that this centers on Charlotte, I mean that these books are told through multiple third person PoVs. The cast of characters are all connected to her in some way, but they each have their own voice and story arcs that progress along with the series.

I am invested in each and every one of them. Even the characters I don’t really like, because, through Charlotte’s astounding insight, I understand them, and want them to understand themselves and become better people when they do.

Charlotte, I think, might be my favorite female lead of all time. So often when an author delivers us a woman genius, they divorce all femininity from the character. It subtly reinforces the stigma that intelligence = masculinity. It prologues the obnoxious belief that women can’t be taken seriously if they like fashion, or pretty things, or show emotion.

Sherry Thomas thinks that’s bullshit.

So she writes Charlotte with a delicious mix of wit and eccentricity. Charlotte can tell you what the weather was like in the town you passed through yesterday morning just by looking at you. But she also adores ornate gowns dressed with ribbons and bows. She takes great pleasure from sugary confections wrapped in pretty parcels.

And while her cool logic might render her outwardly calm and unshakable, she is not immune or allergic to displays of strong emotions in others. Despite what the other characters may think.

"It was all too easy, at times, to believe that she never felt anything, that inside her rib cage beat not a heart, but the metronomic device of an automaton."

She’s not unfeeling. She has a heart. Her emotions just manifest differently than how others expect.

I adored the first book in this series. This one is somehow even better. The character growth (or maybe not growth, but expansion?) is phenomenal. And the plot. Yea gods.

It starts off simple enough: an aristocratic lady searching for her long lost love.

A good analogy is that this plot is like a ball of twine. In the beginning of this book, it’s a tightly woven, orderly thing. And then it just unravels from there. Three quarters of the way through, it looks like something a litter of kittens got into and dragged halfway throughout the house. You have no idea which strands attach to each other or how to make any sense of it. It’s a convoluted jumble that you have no idea how to put back together. And then Sherry Thomas takes you by the hand and pulls you away from it to look at it from a greater distance and you realize that there was a pattern there all along. One so complex and ingenious that you’re not even mad you didn’t see it.

Seriously, the first time I read the ending of this book, I set it aside and muttered, “Well, shit.”

It’s no wonder that Charlotte reads like a legitimate genius when she comes from a mind like Thomas’.

And she does read like one. There’s a part early on in this installment where she solves a complex code called a Vigenère cipher that is truly breathtaking. And I speak as someone with a background in this. As someone who worked in binary and morse. Who listened to squeaks and beeps for the government for over a decade and whose job it was to make sense of them for other people.

So, yeah, this series will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I cannot recommend it enough for readers with long attention spans. For those who adore the classics. Or for anyone looking for a complex, yet still fun and captivating set of stories capable of wholly transporting you to another time and place.

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[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas is a 2017 Berkley publication.

In this second installment in the Lady Sherlock series, Charlotte is approached by Lady Ingram, (awkward!), wishing Sherlock Holmes would help her discover the fate of her first love after he missed their annual meeting.

The assignment turns personal when Charlotte realizes the missing person is none other than her illegitimate half-brother. If that weren’t enough to challenge Holmes & Watson, Charlotte seriously mulls over a marriage proposal, and her sister seems to have an admirer. Then a body is discovered that adds a serious element of urgency to Charlotte’s investigation…

Coded messages and an intricate plot kept me on my toes! The characters begin to take better shape and the hints of intrigue to come, blends with the current investigation creating an interesting vibe and atmosphere. We know some developments will have to be explored over an extended period, in further episodes, so it is important to pay close attention.

The plot is a bit challenging, leaving little room for wool gathering. I had to pause here and there, to think things through carefully, and I will admit, deciphering codes can make my eyes glaze over sometimes.

That said, I appreciated the extra effort required, as I think it will serve me well in subsequent installments.

This series is really shaping up nicely. I have it on good authority that it only gets better from here…

So, ‘Hollow of Fear’ here I come!

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever, devious and highly engaging sequel to A Study in Scarlet Women and picking the story up right after that one ended.
It would be impossible to discuss the plot without giving away too much of both book 1 and book 2, so I will only say that things get ever more tangled, layered and interesting and the unique female Sherlock spin Ms. Thomas offers on the original version staples is ever more convincing. And it is “technically” possible to read A Conspiracy in Belgravia without having read the first book, but that would mean losing a substantial part of the main characters’ arcs. Intelligent, deep and nuanced main characters.
The romance is relegated to the background here as well, but it crackles off the page whenever present, while the mystery aspect gains ingenuity and guile. The writing is brilliant and polished, as always with this author, with a quicker pace but at the same time evocative of the classic Victorian suspense novel.

An amazing series, can’t wait for the next one.

[J.L. Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A woman who has nothing left to lose can prove dangerous."



The second installment in the Lady Sherlock Series, Sherry Thomas's A Conspiracy in Belgravia continues to deliver on the atmospherics and intrigue of Holmes' Victorian London. Charlotte Holmes, taking on the role our iconic detective, is drawn in to what seems a fairly mundane case; however, it quickly takes an interesting turn or two and becomes an interesting challenge. Another enjoyable read.

[Southern Lady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK so here's the thing about this series -- you have to be extraordinarily patient to read it. Every single book is a miasma of confusing scenes... and you're just along for the ride.

THEN - the endings are significant. You don't see them coming at all. And that saves the series for me in all reality because things are starting to tie together. I'll definitely be reading the next one... but I think I'm going to take some time and read all of my physical TBRs if I can!!

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[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A at AAR

Reviewing mysteries is always a challenge as anyone who’s tried it will know.  And with one of this calibre, it’s even more difficult, because I want to tell you just how GOOD this book is, but I can’t tell you too much for fear of giving too much away and spoiling your enjoyment.  I could just say a) “Sherry Thomas is a genius – go buy this book!”, or b) “Don’t waste time here - go buy this book!”,   but that isn’t much of a review, so I will attempt – somehow – to do justice to this terrific story and author… and will no doubt fail miserably, at which juncture you should simply heed the advice given in points a) and b).

Note: I think it would be possible to enjoy this as a standalone, but I really would recommend reading A Study in Scarlet Women first. There are spoilers for that book in this review.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia picks up on the day after the events that concluded the previous book.  Charlotte Holmes, ably assisted by her closest friend, Lord Ingram Ashburton, and Inspector Treadles of Scotland Yard, has solved the Sackville murder case and learned of the existence of an infamous criminal mastermind by the name of Moriarty.  In addition, Charlotte worked out that that Lord Ingram – Ash to his friends – had pulled strings behind the scenes in order to make sure she wasn’t left alone on the streets after she ran from her father’s house, and orchestrated her meeting with the army widow and former actress with whom Charlotte now resides, Mrs. John Watson.  Charlotte doesn’t like being beholden to Ash, especially not as their friendship, while generally strong, has been sometimes strained since his ill-advised marriage six years earlier.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson have formed a working partnership as investigators, using the identity of Sherlock Holmes as a front for their operation.  Holmes suffers from a debilitating illness, so clients meet with his ‘sister’ – Charlotte – while the detective listens to the conversation from the next room.  It’s with some surprise that Charlotte identifies their latest prospective client, Mrs. Finch, as Lady Ingram, Ash’s wife.  Mrs Watson is concerned about accepting the lady as a client given their friendship with her husband, but Charlotte believes her need must be very pressing if it has driven her to seek Holmes’ help, and agrees to the meeting – although as Charlotte cannot afford to be recognised, the part of Sherlock’s sister will be taken by Mrs. Watson’s niece, Penelope Redmayne.  ‘Mrs. Finch’ explains that she is seeking information regarding the man she fell in love with before she married Lord Ingram, a young man deemed unsuitable by her parents, whose financial situation demanded she marry someone wealthy.

While she and her erstwhile love agreed not to meet or write to each other once she was married, they planned a yearly assignation – on the Sunday before his birthday, they would both take a walk past the Albert Memorial at 3 pm, so they could each see that the other was alive and well. This year, however, her sweetheart did not keep the appointment, and she wants Sherlock Holmes to find out why. Penelope asks Lady Ingram for as many details as she can provide, but when she identifies the man in question as Myron Finch, Charlotte is stunned. Myron Finch is her illegitimate half-brother.

While Charlotte and Mrs. Watson set about looking into the disappearance of Mr. Finch, Charlotte is also mulling over the proposal of marriage she has received – the second one, in fact – from Lord Bancroft Ashburton, Lord Ingram’s older brother. Charlotte is fully cognizant of the benefits marriage to him would bring. It would rehabilitate her – to an extent – in the eyes of society and would soften her father’s stance towards her; she could care for her sister, Bernadette (who has some sort of mental disability) and could openly spend time with her other sister, Livia and generally return to the life to which she had been born. But even though Bancroft recognises and respects Charlotte’s keen intellect, he clearly expects her to discontinue her investigations as Sherlock Holmes, and she’s not sure that’s something she’s willing to give up.

As an inducement, Bancroft gifts Charlotte with a set of puzzles, which includes a message encoded using a Vignère cipher, a fiendishly difficult code that takes Charlotte some days to decipher. Once decoded, the message leads her to an address in Hounslow, North West of London, where she and Lord Ingram unexpectedly encounter Inspector Treadles. A man has been murdered – and appears to have named his killer before he died. Could he perhaps be the missing Mr. Finch? Or could he somehow be tied to Finch’s disappearance? Or, worse still, are Finch and the murder victim somehow tied to the mysterious Moriarty, a name which seems to inspire fear in those who know it, and someone of whom even the unflappable Bancroft seems to be wary?

Well… I’m not saying. As is clear, though, there’s a lot going on in this book, and I admit that I sometimes had to refer to the numerous highlights I’d made on my Kindle to refresh my memory about something, but for the most part, the story rattles along famously as Sherry Thomas skillfully pulls the disparate mystery threads together and then unravels them, bringing events to a climax I most certainly didn’t see coming. Just as impressive as her plotting is the way in which she continues to explore and develop her characters and the relationships between them, building on what we know of them from the previous book and rounding them out even more. We don’t see as much of Treadles in this story, but it’s clear that he’s been upset by the discovery of the deceit practiced by his good friend Lord Ingram (over Holmes’ true identity) and isn’t sure what to make of Charlotte any longer. There’s a romance in the offing for Livia, who is charmed by a mysterious young man who seems to see and appreciate her for who she is and doesn’t talk down to her or dismiss her interests; and we get to know a little more of the circumstances which led to Ash’s marriage to a society beauty he later learned had married him only for his money.

Anyone with any knowledge of this author’s work will already know that her work is highly creative and imaginative; she fashions strong, well-developed and engaging characters, crafts complex interweaving plots, and her historical romances are among the best in the genre. I should, however, warn anyone hoping for romantic developments between Charlotte and Ash that things between them don’t progress a great deal (if at all). The author sheds more light on Ash’s feelings towards Charlotte, showing he knows her better than anyone (and there’s a nice touch at the end where Charlotte both acknowledges this and admits she’s glad it’s Ash who knows her so well) and Charlotte… well, she doesn’t necessarily wish Ash had married her, she would just prefer he hadn’t married at all. She’s someone who relies on observation and logic and doesn’t have room for sentiment; yet in the face of all the logical reasons she should marry Bancroft, a small part of her can’t ignore the fact that she doesn’t find him attractive while his brother… is a different matter entirely.

There’s so much more to A Conspiracy in Belgravia than I can possibly say here. The characters, the relationships, the mystery … all are richly detailed and superbly constructed, making this a truly compelling, un-put-downable read. I stand by my original points a) and b). Just go and buy it.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas
Book Two of the Lady Sherlock series
Publisher: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 5, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in the atmospheric second novel in New York Times bestseller Sherry Thomas's Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body that surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

What I Liked:

This sequel novel was incredible, quite possibly even better than A Study in Scarlet Women. I don't read nearly enough mystery fiction novels, but I'm glad I started reading this one. Clearly Sherry Thomas can write anything, and I'd enjoy it!

In this second book, Charlotte Holmes has a new set of cases that are puzzling and strange. Lady Ingram has sent a request for Sherlock Holmes, to find her childhood love, who did not meet her at their annual rendezvous. There is something peculiar about this request, and Charlotte knows it's not just the case of a missing man - especially when Lady Ingram cites that the man is Myron Finch, Charlotte's half-brother. Throw in a dead man and some business from the previous novel, and it is clear that this is no ordinary situation. Charlotte and Mrs. Watson must find Myron Finch before any unpleasant business catches up to him - or them.

There are so many moving parts to this story, which was fantastic! Charlotte takes on several cases, and some of them intersect. The primary one is that of Lady Ingram, but there is also a woman who believes her housekeeper is trying to poison her. There is the matter of the dead man, whom Charlotte happens upon by chance, in some ways. In the end, all of these plots come together, except one. I thought it was so neat, how everything connected. As you're reading the story, you wonder about each individual case. But then as the climax draws near, it becomes obvious that many things are connected.

Thomas had me guessing about everything, right up until 98% of the book, when all is revealed. Don't get me wrong, the author drops information here and there, enough to make you think you understand what the mystery is. But the big reveal is nothing like I would have expected. I must applaud Thomas for how she set up the crime and the mystery!

Charlotte is so, so clever! I can't imagine writing such a clever character being easy! She is so perceptive and intelligent - nothing gets past her. She is so formidable when using her brain. Thomas did an amazing job of writing Charlotte.

The other characters were equally as well-developed and likable. I enjoyed reading scenes from Mrs. Watson's POV - she is a very kind and intelligent woman. Most of the book is written from Charlotte's POV, but all is from third-person, so the author had the freedom to have scenes from different characters' POVs. It was mostly Charlotte and Mrs. Watson. Mrs. Watson is a fantastic sidekick, and I liked seeing her friendship with Charlotte grow and solidify more.

Lord Ingram is a big part of this story, though he plays less of a big role as he did in the first book. His presence is always noticed, even though he is barely in the book (in terms of being in the same space as Charlotte). He is as honorable and clever as always, though of course not nearly as clever as Charlotte. He is a good man.

We also got to read from Livia's POV, and I liked that. Livia is a sweet girl, and her part of the story was fun to read. Fun, and sometimes a little wistful, but also hopeful. She has begun writing the tales of Sherlock Holmes and I think it's obvious that she loves it.

In terms of romance, there is even less of it than there was in book one, at least for Charlotte. She does get a proposal but not from who we as readers would want (that couldn't happen anyway). However, this proposal thing is dealt with by the end of the book. Fret not!

I won't say too much more, especially in terms of the mystery. Suffice it to say, Thomas has written a really good mystery that will be difficult for most readers to crack, until the end.

What I Did Not Like:

I would say the only thing I would complain about is the lack of romance. I understand why, but I want romance between Charlotte and her man! I think it'll be more possible in the next book, but still. The setup of the possible romance is so strange. But I guess it might move in a good direction in book three. Maybe? I don't know!

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend these books to fans of mystery novels. This is a historical fiction novel that is purely mystery-based. And if you hadn't noticed yet, it's a gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes story. It's great for adults or young adults, even though it is published under an adult imprint. I kept guessing at the mystery until the very end, which is the mark of a great mystery novel, to me!

Rating:

4 stars. I can't wait to see what is in store for Charlotte next! I do hope certain things proceed (you know what I'm talking about), but I also hope certain things are addressed and brought to light, in book three. Basically, I have a lot of expectations for book three!






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[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally love this book. Charlotte Holmes is such a fabulous character and I enjoyed the book so much that not even half-way through did I order the first book in the series. I had no problem whatsoever getting into this book. However, I'm deeply curious to learn more about Charlotte's past transgressions that made her being shunned by her family and society. And, most of all I want to know more about her "creating" Sherlock Holmes. And, the case she was involved in the first book.

The story starts off interesting with Charlotte being contacted by Lady Ingram to find her first love. This case becomes very "personal" since Lady Ingram, of course, is the wife of Charlotte's dear friend Lord Ingram. A man that she, well, Charlotte may be very analytic, but if there is one man for her, would that be Ash Ingram. So, yes, very personal case. Still, Charlotte being Charlotte doesn't mean that she will let her emotion's rule the case. Not even when it's revealed that it's her own half-brother the Lady is looking for. Then, we have the proposal from Lord Ingram's brother Bancroft (Made me think of Mycroft, of course, lol) that Charlotte ponders over during the book. I found the case interesting, and yes I was surprised by the ending.

Now Charlotte, of course, like Sherlock Holmes has a weakness and if he needed the seven-per-cent solution is Charlotte's more the seven cookie solution. Yes, she needs cookies, not cocaine. Love that.

This is a book that surprised me. I did not expect to love it as much as I did. I love reading Sherlock Holmes pastiches and this is beside the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King my favorite so far. And, I have only read one book.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!

[K.J. Charles]

Another brilliant installment in this intensely enjoyable series. This is extremely character-led murder mystery, where a huge part of the pleasure and indeed plot hangs on the interactions of Charlotte Holmes and her close family and companions in detection.

It starts the day after book 1 ends and I'm glad I read them back to back as I suspect it might have been a tad hard to follow otherwise. These definitely need to be read in order to grasp the interwoven threads, which are done magnificently. It's also much better edited than the first, am glad the publisher raised their game.

Terrific. Cannot wait to find out what happens in the ongoing story. I'm off to get #3.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 in 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.

[Obsidian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. I really enjoyed the first book and the second one was a disappointment compared to that. I think Thomas tried to bite off more than could be reasonably followed in this book. Maybe some of it could have been pushed to a third book. Having Charlotte Holmes and Mrs. Watson taking on cases, having Charlotte solving ciphers for Lord Bancroft, and the follow-up to Moriarty and the half-brother we heard about in the last book all thrown together didn't make for an engaging read. Don't even get me started on Inspector Treadles and his nonsense about women. The man goes around ticked that the brilliant Sherlock Holmes is Charlotte Holmes. And then is even more unhappy when his wife admits she wishes she could run her father's business.

After the events in book #1, Charlotte and Mrs. Watson are still doing their detective business as Sherlock Holmes. However, things become awkward when Lord Ingram's wife comes asking for help in finding her first love. There's a lot of hand-waving away why Charlotte agrees to work on this case, but ultimately that case leads to a larger mystery that I didn't think was put together very well.

Charlotte is still quite good at deducting. But you do read a lot about what she eats, her tea, and how hungry she is at all times. Why Thomas switched Holmes addiction to Charlotte being an over-eater or glutton (I honestly don't know what she is doing with this) is baffling to me. She could have her addicted to something else and or just not at all. Since you already set up that Sherlock Holmes is not real, and that Charlotte's sister Olivia is going to write stories about the man, who cares that you try to mirror every little thing in those stories.

I can't really get a handle on the other characters. Mrs. Watson barely felt in this one. We do have her teaching Charlotte about self defense which I liked.

Olivia Holmes is in and out of this one. She's not really integral to the plot, but having her get romantic notions about someone that may be in danger made me just sigh. I am guessing based no how this book ends, he will pop up in the third book.

Lord Ingram and Charlotte...I don't know. Due to the events in this book one wonders what will happen next. I actually liked the idea of Charlotte getting married to Lord Bancroft (have fun reading about what happens next). At least it would have moved the book to a different place than I think most readers would have expected.

The writing didn't grab me like in the first one and the flow was not good. The only parts I found interesting where getting Charlotte's and Mrs. Watson's POV. I would recommend Thomas cut down on the back and forths to Inspector Treadles in the next one. She could have left him out entirely and nothing would have been missed since he ends up just being a minor player in this. I think we only see him since he will have a larger role in book #3.

The ending felt vaguely unsatisfactory since you have a lot of revelations that didn't quite make sense to me at all. I even re-read some of the sections again and just gave up. I think books like these have to leave clues that readers can pick up on as well. Otherwise it's not really fun to read. You just have the author throwing out twists.

[Lyuda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started the series, I was apprehensive of how successful my favorite HR writer is going to be navigating the uncharted territories of historical mystery. My fears were put to rest as I loved the first installment and this one even a tad better.

The story picks up right after book one ends. And rather than describing the plot which would be difficult to do without spoilers, I want to share what I felt navigating the story.

The best analogy I can come up with is viewing a painting by an Impressionist. At the beginning, if staying too close to the painting, all you see is small "broken" vivid brush strokes of oil paint. They appear to be randomly selected, unorganized, going in different directions, and in no way related to each other. Take a few steps back, and your eyes will have to adjust to its blurriness, you start to see the purpose of these strokes. They start making sense. Take more steps back and you reach the perfect end distance where it all comes together and you can truly appreciate the shimmering effect of these not-so-random strokes, marvel at the whole picture they present and you want to see more. That’s exactly the experiences I had while reading the story.

And the best part of the story? Miss Charlotte Homes herself, of course! Oh, if I can hug a fictional character, I would hug her. Although, on the second thought, since she would prefer not to be touched, I would bake a delicious pastry to satisfy her ever-present sweet tooth. The pastry would be light enough so she wouldn’t have to worry about reaching the "maximum number of tolerable chins".

Charlotte's superb mental abilities and lack of emotional empathy to other are the most fascinating aspects of her character.

It seems there is a proliferation of stories with female detective set in Regency or Victorian times. These women are smart, capable and…too anachronistic of the times. Not Charlotte. In Charlotte’s characterization, Sherry Thomas's talent shines through. Charlotte has a brilliant mind, amazing ability of deduction. She solves almost impossible problems, able to connect what appears to be random things and events and does it better than any man around her but is able to do all of this within the boundaries of Victorian England female and not just any Victorian female but unmarried and socially ruined one...The author didn’t just insert Charlotte into Sherlock’s area of expertise, she made a character completely different from the well-known man. Charlotte has to be creative in her investigation in order to preserve the illusion of Sherlock Holmes to the man on the street and the police.

And although the mystery is solved at the end, there is so much of family and relationship dynamic left to explore. Can’t wait for the next installment!

[Roobie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.5 stars⭐️

To be thought of as the perfect woman for a man isn't a compliment to a woman,
it's more about how a man sees himself—and what he needs.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is second in a series with some relationship and plots that carry over from story to story. So I recommend reading them in order.

Having read the first, you know what to expect. Fortunately, Charlotte doesn't go through a period of author-induced helplessness that points out the plight of women in Victorian England. So there's that. Instead, we have every man (save Lord Ingram, natch) turn out to be incapable of respecting a woman who has ambition and/or intelligence. I was particularly disappointed in Treadles who is becoming estranged from the wife he loves, and who loves him, because she, gasp, once wanted to run a company. Not because she has ambition, but because he can't provide her dreams to her, himself. I find this silly, frankly. But then, I've always found powerful women attractive and have never understood the need to feel superior to someone you "love". And yeah, I used sarcasm quotes because seriously, that superiority stuff never made sense to me in a loving relationship. Having Treadles' viewpoint at all in this story was totally manufactured, so I hated it even more. He didn't interact with Charlotte at all and his "investigation" never went anywhere as a result. So he's a complete non-entity and including his floundering had literally no point beyond keeping us up-to-date on his descent into a misogynistic hell of his own devising.

But the bigger disappointment was Bancroft. He's hyper-rational and issues a marriage proposal to Charlotte that rests on recognizing her talent and explicitly feeding it by giving her challenges to solve. Only, apparently, all that goes out the window if it's actually helpful or useful in any way? The man is an idiot, it turns out.

I worried about Lord Ingram there for a bit. But he comes around.

And why am I going on about these men when the book is all about female empowerment and achievement? Did I completely miss the point?!? Probably. I mean, the women have a romping good time with lots of shenanigans that seem like fun. They do disguises, learn a martial art, brandish guns in a very satisfying way (not sarcasm), and infiltrate a soup kitchen (also not sarcasm, this was actually pretty interesting stuff). So the adventure is interesting. And the plot is, well okay, the plot meanders a lot with three investigative threads that converge a bit artificially, I think. I mean, it holds together in the end, so the artifice is actually in making them appear separate for as long as it did.

And I continue to find Olivia's storyline the more intriguing as the sister left behind, amusing herself with making up a Sherlock storyline for a book she wants to write that closely resembles our actual-world reality as if she were Arthur Conan Doyle.

Anyway, this is four stars, for all the men were so disappointingly monotoned. I still like Lord Ingram best. But then, I'm pretty sure that's deliberate as he's the only guy who can tolerate powerful women and not feel lessened by it. That I'm conscious of that, even as I admire him, drags me down more than a little, though.

A note about Chaste: There's no room for romantic shenanigans in this story. The tension between Charlotte and Lord Ingram mounts. More so as we see Lady Ingram in such negative light in this story. Developments there are on track for eventual consummation. Probably illicitly, but maybe not.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so much fun diving back into the atmospheric and mysterious Victorian London world that Thomas has created in her Lady Sherlock series. Once again Charlotte and her friends were a treat to see and conspire with. As a mystery always rich in detail and curiosity slowly unfolds as Charlotte puts her deductive talents into play and figures it all out before anyone else and before the danger becomes too great to those she knows and loves. And she does it all while trying to keep it a secret as much as possible from those who don't know that the famous Sherlock Holmes, is none other than Charlotte herself.

Set in a time and place that women were suppose to be almost anything other than clever and ambitious, I love that Charlotte doesn't turn away from the challenge to shock those around her and stand tall and true to who she is with little thought to what society will think about it.

This book, this series, has some of the most romantic lines that never were. Lines that are thought but never spoken out loud. Truly swoon worthy and in large part other than the whole this book rocks all by itself already thing, it is one of the main reasons I keep coming back time and again to Ms. Thomas' writing. It is just so well written and so beautiful in both mystery and prose and the tragic love story that might never be.

I devoured this in a night and was sad that I didn't take longer with it. I wanted to both savor and eat it up. I sincerely hope the next book will be here before I know it. I just can't get enough of this series, rich with a mystery that keeps me on my toes and characters that are every bit as fun and intriguing as the story line itself.

*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[❀⊱RoryReads⊰❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid and enjoyable, better than the first book.

For some reason this series, although there's nothing really wrong with it, has left me strangely unmoved. I remember the excitement of waiting for the release of the next Irene Adler by Carole Nelson Douglas or the new Mary Russell by Laurie R. King and this series just doesn't make me feel the same eager anticipation. I think back fondly of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody and Sharyn McCrumb's Elizabeth MacPherson as though they were old friends. I don't feel that way about Charlotte Holmes or Mrs Watson. I want to love them but the characterizations just aren't interesting or complex enough. Sherry Thomas is a good writer but the magic is missing.

[Veronique · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

“To be thought of as the perfect woman for a man isn’t a compliment to a woman, it’s more about how a man sees himself—and what he needs.”

It turns out that I’m really enjoying these Lady Sherlock stories! Thomas has created a singular version of the famous detective - not only a woman, but one that keeps surprising me - and this is not just due to her surprising love of food and taste in clothes! Add to this a powerful cast where women shine in a plethora of roles, and you get a novel that I couldn’t stop reading.

Once more we have several narrators, not just Charlotte, but also her sister, Mrs Watson, etc. All add disparate elements that combine into an image of Victorian society, warts and all. The plot seems more straightforward than the first instalment, but don’t be fooled. If you pay attention, you may get an inkling of where you are being led to, although some details are hidden from the reader, or rather not divulged in their entirety. I don’t mind. Ultimately, yes, the mystery is compelling, but the strength of these novels are in the characters, what motivates them, and how they behave.

Sherry Thomas has my undivided attention, hook, line and sinker :O)

[Desi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much to say here. Great book. Perhaps the mystery was a little scattered and unwieldy. I’m not sure I believe in the eventual villain, it was mighty convenient to the plot. And the way everything tied together with personal entanglements was also a wee bit to ‘nice’ to be true as they say.

But fantastic writing as always and great personal relationships. Loved the characters, and insights they delivered about each other.

It moved along at a clipping pace. And somehow had that sherlockian veneer I couldn’t tell you how to achieve. It was a bit like reading with the tele in your head playing an episode of delightful Benedict Cumberbatch era set England only you don’t get to watch wondering why you find his weirdly odd face so beautiful #jolilaid (I digress).

Look forward to the next book.

[starryeyedjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obviously loved the previous book -- I re-read it prior to starting this sequel. But I did not expect to love this second book even more. I mean, the second book is rarely as good as the first, but in this case, it is just. So. Unbelievably. Good! I love all of the relationships in this series -- the intrinsic ones and those with side characters that develop along the way -- and the banter and camaraderie just elevate them for me. Then you've got the mystery that ties them all together, but even the side gigs that Charlotte takes on are equally as intriguing. But I think the thing that sealed this installment as my favorite of all of Sherry Thomas' novels thus far was that ending. I was utterly speechless...and then I was screeching. And I already want to read it again.

[Andree · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will state right off the bat that some of the 2 star rating might have to do with me being in the wrong mood for this when I read it; however, I can't imagine ever giving it higher than three stars, SO.

I went into this book with some trepidation, because there were things I didn't like about the first book in the series - how long it took to get going, how it required Holmes to be as stupid as a turnip, unable to predict simple cause and effect - but those were mostly tied up in the setup, and theoretically dispensed with for this book. I will say, that this book probably starts better, in the sense that you (and Sherlock) are thrown into the case almost immediately, without getting distracted by a more boring parallel plot around Treadles solving the case on his own, while Sherlock's busy with other things. I was disappointed with what Treadles there was, because he's apparently decided to go all threatened/insecure-male because his wife and Sherlock have proven themselves to be women with brains. A little nuance would have helped there, but it's nonexistent as far as I can see.

That said, Sherlock is involved in the case right from the start, but it's hugely complicated (involving codebreaking and espionage and mostly muddy personal feelings), and her major contribution seems to be codebreaking, rather than strictly observation (though I might have missed that). I was not particularly engaged in the case, mostly because the plot of it exacerbates what I identified as a third potential problem for the series, namely: Lord Ingram. And I mean this particularly in his capacity as potential doomed love-interest. As I said in my review of the first book, I could have dealt with it if it had been subtle, if it had been repressed and unspoken. This book chooses instead to focus the case around Lord Ingram's wife, with a heavy dose of his brother (who works in intelligence). So obviously the personal drama gets ramped up to about a million. Not only does Lord Ingram's brother propose to Sherlock (and use access to classified data as an incentive to force her to accept, but OF COURSE Lady Ingram is revealed as evil and in league with Moriarity. OF COURSE SHE IS. Of all the irritatingly dramatic ways for this to go... For one thing, it just feels to easy. Especially as Lord Ingram's brother withdraws his proposal once he sees how valuable/clever Charlotte is - she clearly needs to keep working in Intelligence, and obviously his wife could never deign do that. Blergh.

The one bright spot is Olivia, who continues to be the far more interesting character to me (possibly because she's not forced to try and be two things at once - the great hyper-rational detective, who is also at the center of one of the most melodramatic character arcs in the world). She starts writing Holmes' adventures, but more interestingly, meets a mysterious stranger, who charmingly talks about books to her and of course turns out to be tied to the Moriarity plot in the first book, but happily is secretly working against Moriarity. The thing is, Olivia is the perfect character to play this role. I don't understand why most of the personal drama can't center around her, while Charlotte's personal issues are kept more repressed. It would be much more Holmesian.

Add to that, Mrs. Watson is barely in this, and when she is, all she seems to do is be afraid of dictating to Charlotte, instead wanting her to feel like an equal in the partnership. Which Charlotte doesn't seem to suffer from at all. It's a weird Watson/Holmes dynamic, and didn't work for me. It worked better in the first one when you could clearly see what Mrs. Watson brought to the case-solving, as opposed to this one, in which she just seems to be bank-rolling the operation, and feeding/clucking over Charlotte.

I just, I think the reason I didn't like this is that I knew it was going to go all drama-lama about five pages in, but not so much due to a particularly complicated case, but due to personal drama around Charlotte. From Treadles, from Lord Ingram, from his brother, from his wife... And you know what? That is not Sherlock Holmes for me. The tone of this book is all wrong. There's no room for clever detachment and crime solving, because of the overabundance of melodrama.

Some melodrama is no bad thing, but in a book about a protagonist who's supposed to be highly rational, this was a bit much. Having Charlotte react mostly calmly to it all doesn't make it go away. If the majority of the melodrama could be centered around Olivia in the future, I would much appreciate it. As it stands, I'm far more interested in that plotline anyway.


Also, editing to add that the way this is going, and how I perceive Lord Ingram's future/current role, it feels like he's essentially Watson in everything but name (while also being something of a love interest), and Mrs. Watson is being cast as a combination between Mrs. Hudson and the Baker St. Irregulars. In fact, the role of Watson seems to be heavily diluted in this series, in that it's currently being shared between Lord Ingram, Mrs. Watson, and Olivia. Olivia makes sense, in that she's just taking care of Watson's role as scribe of Holmes' adventures, but I'm not wild about how the roles of the other two are being parsed/probably going to be parsed.

And I still find it somewhat ironic, that in a series that seems to be so much about all the limitations and stereotypes around women, the first thing that happens when Holmes is feminized is that she gets a super-tragic love interest. Just sayin'.

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

While I enjoyed Charlotte Holmes as “Sherlock Holmes”, I did not fully love the mystery at the heart of A Conspiracy in Belgravia. It took me about 50 pages to even fully follow the story line, and I found the mystery and its resolution to be more convoluted than necessary. Charlotte Holmes and Mrs. Watson saved the book for me; I enjoyed both characters immensely. Charlotte’s love triangle was intriguing also. Thanks to Penguin First to Read for a copy of the book; all opinions are my own.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A+ for narration and an A for content at AudioGals.

This second book in Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series is one of my most awaited releases of this year, and it fulfilled all my expectations. A Conspiracy in Belgravia picks up the day after the previous book, A Study in Scarlet Womenconcludes, and while might not be absolutely necessary to have read or listened to that in order to fully appreciate this latest instalment, I’d strongly recommend it, as one of the real delights of both books is the way the author presents and develops her characters. While we’re given enough information here to work out who is who and how everyone relates to one another, it’s not the same as experiencing it first hand in book one.

Please note that as this is an ongoing series, there are spoilers for the previous book in this review.

Listeners of A Study in Scarlet Women will know that Charlotte, having thoroughly disgraced herself, ran away from home and is now living with Mrs. John Watson, a former actress and widow of an army officer. She and Charlotte have gone into the private investigation business together; Charlotte presents herself as the sister of Sherlock Holmes, an invalid with an exceptional talent for detection who listens to his clients from his sick bed while his “sister” speaks to them from the sitting room next door. Only a very few people know that Sherlock doesn’t exist, and the aim is to keep it that way.

You can read the rest of this review at AudioGals .

[Joanna Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything I thought it could be and more. Thoroughly enjoyable!

To be perfectly honest, I did not go in expecting to love this book. The first I was lukewarm about. It had a lot of necessary premise setup and backstory and set the stage for a potentially great series, but I felt the promise was better than the story on its own. I walked away somewhat satisfied that I had gotten to read a new ST book, but also wishing she was still writing in my favorite genre, historical romance. But now, and I cannot believe I am writing this, I am happy for the switch and grateful that more will get to experience her genius. I wish there were more books like this, with such attention to detail in the character development and time period. This book doesn't really start with a bang, but it builds and takes you on a journey. It raises your anticipation to where you find yourself waking in the middle of the night to finish it before starting your day. Three hours is enough sleep, right? This is a rewarding read, and I am excited for the next installment.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to review because I love Sherry Thomas, and I love the first book in this series. But my favorite elements from the first book were sadly lacking in this one. While this book was very well researched, Charlotte came to conclusions that were not clear to the reader, and it was very easy to get confused as to what was going on. Characters and situations from the first story were not well explained when they were reintroduced, and the plot really fizzled. I understand that this book is meant to set up Moriarty, but there was no real plot going on. The mystery of the housekeeper, Lady Ingram's mystery, and Charlotte being followed were all little mini-mysteries without much excitement. The mystery with Myron Finch was so convoluted that it began to get tiresome. I'm still going to read this series, and I'm sure my library will buy a copy of this book, but I do hope the next book is more exciting than this one. Also, the cover is awful.

[fleurette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I wish I’ve read it earlier. I still haven’t read the first book in this series starting with the second one that I required for some challenge. But it’s not big deal. I could still fully enjoy this story.

The idea of Sherlock Holmes being a woman is nothing new. There are some stories like this out there (however, to be totally honest, I haven’t read any of them somehow). But Charlotte Holmes is not just some female copy of Sherlock. No, she is a fully developed, complex character with a proper background and unique personality. The same applies to Mrs Watson who is not just a renamed Dr Watson but so much more. I truly appreciate how far the author has get away from the models that we all know from Doyle's novels.

Still I love this book not only for a great cast of characters, but even more for the fascinating and complex plot. There is plenty of action here and all the twists and turns you would like to see in your book. Again, the story alludes to Doyle’s works, while still being remarkable different.

I will definitely read the next book in this series. The only doubt I have is whether I read the first book in this series or not. This omission was not a problem when reading the second instalment, given that thing important for understanding the story are explained sufficiently. Yet vaguely enough for me not to know the plot of the first book completely. I am considering reading it after all to have a full view of the story of the characters. Especially since reading these novels is great entertainment.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caffeinated Reasons to add A Conspiracy in Belgravia to your Bookshelf

Charlotte Holmes is brilliant and a character you won't be able to resist. Refusing to accept her place in society, she resides with Mrs. Watson and poses as the niece of Sherlock Holmes, famous detective who solves crimes and solve mysteries. I wish I was a resident on Baker Street and could join them for tea and biscuits or perhaps berries and cream?
Fans of Sherlock Holmes that like to explore retellings, will enjoy the gender bender and originality of the tales as Thomas brings both familiar characters and twists. While Charlotte's mannerism are familiar to Holmes, readers and listeners will delight in the execution and personal touches Thomas has brought to these characters.
Charlotte is presented with several seemly unrelated cases. Some feel very personal, and hit close to home with familiar ties. However, her mind approached all of then analytically. I became completely caught up in the interviews, clues, red herrings and more.
I had an equally engaging time watching the friendship between Holmes and Watson continue. Watson is a strong secondary character who adds humor, presents questions and the perfect companion for Charlotte.
There is a romantic thread, if Charlotte were to consider it. A second possible love interest is introduced that comes with an intriguing proposal. I know who I am rooting for and I suspect Charlotte does too. I loved her analytical approach to intimacy, romance and marriage.
Kate Reading narrates the series and has become the voice of Charlotte Holmes. She offers an array of voices and accents allowing each characters personality to shine through. I cannot imagine the series without her.
Sherry Thomas skillfully creates mystery and suspense while delivering an entirely new way for me to fall in love with these familiar characters.
This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this mystery, with great narration by Kate Reading. We get a little more Moriarity information, but the best part of this series is the ever expanding set of women pulled into Charlotte's orbit as she expands her detective practice to assist people with a variety of personal puzzles and issues.
Inspector Treadles reappears, and has his head more firmly stuck up his posterior regarding 1) how Sherlock Holmes is actually a fallen women, Charlotte Holmes (how horrible!!), and 2) how his wife actually aspired to run her father's company instead of simply running a home for her husband. Why couldn't his wife just be happy darning his socks??? Oh boo hoo!
There are several threads in this story, with 1) the mystery in this story involving Lady Ingram, Lord Ingram's wife, who wants Sherlock to find her first love, who has recently gone absent. This puts Charlotte in an uncomfortable position, thanks to her friendship with Lord Ingram, and with Mrs. Watson, whose discomfort with the potential conflict that could result from the case. 2) Livia attempts to fictionalize Sherlock's exploits as a way to take some control over her life and make a little money. 3) Lord Ingram's brother makes a marriage proposal to Charlotte, who must consider this very seriously, as her social position is precarious, and prevents her from being able to provide any assistance to Livia and her sister Bernadette, both of whom are mostly ignored by their parents. 4) Lord Ingram and Charlotte continue to dance around their feelings for each other, both behaving scrupulously correctly toward the other. 5) Moriarity and his organization figure in a murder of a man Treadles is investigating; Charlotte becomes involved in the case thanks to Lord Ingram's brother's requesting Charlotte assist.
While I sometimes became a little confused by all the story threads, I loved 1) Charlotte's, Mrs. Watson and Penelope Redmayne's sleuthing and friendship, 2) Livia's relationship with Charlotte, 3) the ways in which the Sherlock team winkled information out about all sorts of things by talking to other women, whether maids or housekeepers or others, in essence, the kinds of people usually not paid a lot of attention by the men around thm. In fact, the way the author showed us how society perceives women of repute and ill-repute, and how the various women in this story use those perceptions to navigate society, was quite interesting. And the end of this story definitely has me interested to see where Sherry Thomas takes the Sherlock team next.

[Leona · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is definitely not going to be my cup of tea.

I would describe the books as "Sherlock Holmes meets Agatha Christie". Given, I'm not particularly fond of either, it's not surprising that I don't care for this one. The writing gets sluggish at times. In the first book, the author was laying the ground work. But, the second book should have flowed more easily. This was so bogged down in details, there were times I actually forgot what mystery we were solving.

It took me more than two weeks to finish, which is another strike against it, given I can usually read a good book in a day.