Charlotte Holmes and the Locked Box

Lady Sherlock #1.5

by Sherry Thomas

A short story set in the timeline of the first Lady Sherlock novel, after the main mystery has been solved and before the end of the book.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Short Stories, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller

6 pages, ebook

First published August 19, 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

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Holmes and the Locked Box  (Lady Sherlock #1.5)

After reading the first book in this series and before starting the next one, I was able to enjoy this single, simple case that was brought to Sherlock/Charlotte. The players involved in the story are just Charlotte, Mrs. Watson, the client, and the ever present Madeira cake. For as distant and aloof as Charlotte can seem, she has great insight into the heart of humans and that is what I like about these stories. 

This short story is available at 
http://penguinecards.com/Charlotte%20...

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first story I read in the "Lady Sherlock" series and I really enjoyed it. A very short and clever little mystery. I'm looking forward to starting this series with book one!

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short, chapter-like, peek into a lovely and sophisticated historical romantic mystery series showing a concentrate of our Miss Charlotte Holmes’s uncanny logical and deductive abilities.

[Serge · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having recently read A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas, I decided to read this short story that is set in the same time period as the book takes place, before the book ends but after the mystery is solved. We get to see Miss Sherlock and Mrs. Watson teaming up again and helping a woman named Mrs. Gleason solve the mystery behind a locked box she received from her close friend for her birthday.

Even though I only recently finished the first book, it was nice and cozy going back into this world for a few minutes. It wasn't really anything spectacular and didn't add much to the story, but it was an alright read. I wish the mystery was more interesting, or gave us a perspective we hadn't really seen from the first book. Nevertheless, I don't regret reading it. I recommend this short read if you enjoyed the first book and were left craving a little bit more of Miss Holmes and Mrs. Watson, but not quite ready to plunge into a full Lady Sherlock novel yet.

[Blackjack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever mini-mystery (very mini at only 8 pages!) and sweet insight into Charlotte and Mrs. Watson's relationship. The only thing missing here is Ashburton.

I'm literally counting down the days now until October for Book 3!

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series and love that the author gave us this short story to hold us over, I loved every page of it and can't wait for book three to be out!

[starryeyedjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet and yet I was still moved to tear up a bit. I love the greater mysteries Charlotte Holmes faces, but these little side ventures are just as appealing.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short story. Almost just a scene. I really enjoy a Holmes who is so literate of people and feelings. Not because it comes naturally— quite the reverse, to Holmes people are all odd and illogical— but because they have studied.

Also Watson continues to be the best.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Available online. Here is as good a time as any to record that interstitial stories are the jimmies of pure joy on the layer cake of a good series. This one is only one tiny vignette but it manages to incorporate many of the highlights: the Holmes/Watson friendship, the consulting detective business, some character quirks, and a firm historical grounding for the mystery and the resolution which is very much an aspect of women's lives of the era. Some authors use their historical periods as a shared fictional universe: even where the plot relies on some detail of Regency life the story could be readapted to a different time and place with some extra scene setting. Thomas has an unusual insight into the ways in which her late Victorian era affects people which wouldn't be the same as any other place or time. I don't feel that I am expressing this well, but it makes Thomas' historical books deeply rewarding as well as entertaining.

[Grisette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Very, very short story. But a nice bonus when I am currently so obsessed by this series! The story itself rendered a neat homage to the original short stories of Arthur Conan Doyle. And I liked the emotional message behind the client's story.

What I had a harder time with is the solving of the cypher. I did admire the way Charlotte deduced that the answer was a Roman numeral, but I found it weird that Mrs Watson thought that 1651 translated to either MCDLI or MDCLI. There is no either in Roman numerals, there are rules! But then my guess is that the erroneous approach is entirely Mrs Watson's as Charlotte herself never stated that there were two solutions to the cypher!

[Amy Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable short story written about Charlotte Holmes, Sherlock's sister. She has begun solving cases for clients due to his poor health. She has the keen and stunning acumen that her brother does and this story is delightful and refreshing!

This is a great quick read with a curious riddle. Great when you are in a reading slump or just need a break from a long book you're reading. I would highly recommend this story and it only takes a few minutes to read.

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute short story about Holmes and Watson.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Holmes and the Locked Box features a clever mystery and was a great addition to the series.

Charlotte Holmes and Mrs. Watson attend to a client who has received a mysterious birthday present from an old friend. The gift is a locked box with a lettered combination lock and a slip of paper with a clue to discovering the code that opens the lock. But not all is as it seems with the gift and Charlotte has just the right solution in mind for the client.

This was a fun addition to the series that only took a few minutes to read, the story is less than 10 pages long. I thought the locked box idea was quite clever and I loved the solution Charlotte came up with on how to open it. Despite being considered stand-offish, Charlotte has her moments where she truly understands what someone needs and helps them get it. This client and case were the perfect example of that. I'd love to see more of these little one offs of Charlotte and Mrs. Watson solving quick cases, they'd be a lot of fun to read.

Overall I enjoyed Charlotte Holmes and the Locked Box and would recommend it to readers of the series who would like a small look at the work Charlotte and Mrs. Watson do.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute vignette, a moment of Charlotte-as-Sherlock Holmes helping a client. Charlotte might see all but she also knows how to read a room and is literate of feelings - the was a touching and encouraging scene which made the female Sherlock Holmes twist work so well. To be honest, this "story" so short that it was probably a scene cut from the first book but I don't mind a sweet freebie.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it was a little longer. I love this series.

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short free piece, not too memorable, but I just might keep reading the series.

[Snowleesi · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a scene than a short story (deleted scene, maybe?), and if you love Charlotte Holmes already, you will delight in this snippet. The only thing missing is Ashburton!

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just a few pages long. It shows the type of mystery that Holmes solves.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cute addition to the Lady Sherlock anecdotes.

[Genres and Journals *Tia* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of my favorite characters solving a very short case together.

[Spiderorchid · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice glimpse into the world of Sherry Thomas' series but too short to be more than a two-star "okay" rating. I'm looking forward to reading the first novel in the series and see how it works when the author has time to really tell a story.

EDIT: I have now read all three books in the series and loved them. The plots and characters obviously need the time and space a full length novel provides to really develop and Thomas' worldbuilding and characterizations are great. I'm always skeptical when an author re-invents the Sherlock Holmes universe (most of the time, it doesn't work), but this is a perfect blend of elements from the original books and a completely different and independent storyline.

Highly recommended.

[Jessica-Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waffling about whether I should pick up book two of this series. I read the first book in early 2018 and I liked it, but not enough to really motivate me to keep reading the series. Now almost two years later and I was wondering if I shouldn't just take it off the TBR altogether. This short story was a great reminder of what the series is about and how interesting the style of it was. Maybe it will finally get me reading book two in 2020.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. One scene only. I deducted a star for purely selfish reasons - that it was exceedingly brief and that i shall now have to wait until October to read the next installment in the series.

[Navdha · Rating 3 out of 5]

So short but still so satisfying! Definitely captures Charlotte's personality and the tone the actual books set.

[Penny Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick fun read

[Susan Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick little bite, an amuse bouche to whet your appetite

[Angela]

Cute little story. I liked this.

[Beth Roger aka Katiebella_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short story. Really short. You could read the whole thing while brewing a cup of coffee for your next read. Right to the point. A little quick mystery for Mrs. Holmes.

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

0 stars

Only a couple pages and I wish I hadn't bothered reading them.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short novella which is sort of a locked room mystery.