Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Katherine Tegen Books (2017), Edition: Reprint, 321 pages
Description
Mystery. Romance. Suspense. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: The first book in a witty, suspenseful new series about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever page-turner will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter. Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She's inherited Sherlock's volatility and some of his vices�??and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she's not looking for friends. But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe�??and the only people they can trust are each other… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member norabelle414
Jamie Watson has been waiting all 16 years of his life to meet her: Charlotte Holmes, his great-great-great-grandfather's best friend's great-great-great-granddaughter. They just happen to end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, and as soon as they meet a fellow student just happens to be
I'll call this book "weak", somewhat charitably. The mystery is not compelling and the clues were broadcast so loudly I could hear them a mile away. I was looking forward to meeting the young, modern versions of Watson and Holmes, and watching them meet each other. However, when the book starts they already "know" each other by reputation, despite having never met, and by taking this shortcut the author denies us the chance to see sparks fly when the two meet for the first time. That would have been the best part of the book, if it was in it. Instead, Jamie comes from a long line of identical Watsons and Charlotte from a long line of identical Holmeses. My two biggest problems with the book are somewhat related to this premise.
Firstly, this first book in a series does nothing to ease us into the lives of Holmes and Watson. Because there is no "getting to know you" period, it's high drama almost from the get-go, with constant heavy references to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, various minor characters from those stories popping up to betray the main characters, and the climax of the mystery hinging on a generations-old feud. There is so much ancillary drama that it completely overshadows the mystery, such that by the time I got toward the end I had fully forgotten that any students were attacked in the first place, or that Holmes and Watson were framed for it.
Cavallaro's effort to gender-bend the character of Sherlock is well-intentioned. Doyle's stories are a sausage fest! But by changing Sherlock to Charlotte, leaving Watson male, and keeping Watson as the first person POV, Cavallaro walks right into a much more modern but equally tired trope - Charlotte Holmes is a manic pixie dream girl. She is an enigma who comes out of nowhere to make boring Watson's life more interesting so that he doesn't have to develop a personality. She is small in stature and needs him to take care of her. Worst of all, because of the Holmes/Watson legacy, Watson has basically been stalking Holmes his entire life. He has scrapbooks of news stories about her and has written fanfic about the two of them for years. It's super creepy! Because Watson is male and Charlotte is female, obviously he must be in love with her. We are told constantly about how he feels about her, with little regard for how she feels about him. She is not interested a relationship, as is canon, but it's becauseshe was raped , not because she's just *not interested*. How tiresome.
I have noticed that this is popularly read in audiobook format, and if I had done that instead I might have been able to overlook the book's shortcomings more.
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murdered. Funny how that works. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for the attack, and another, and must work together to figure out who is setting them up and how to stop them. And by "work together" I mean Jamie needs to keep her off drugs and get out of her way.I'll call this book "weak", somewhat charitably. The mystery is not compelling and the clues were broadcast so loudly I could hear them a mile away. I was looking forward to meeting the young, modern versions of Watson and Holmes, and watching them meet each other. However, when the book starts they already "know" each other by reputation, despite having never met, and by taking this shortcut the author denies us the chance to see sparks fly when the two meet for the first time. That would have been the best part of the book, if it was in it. Instead, Jamie comes from a long line of identical Watsons and Charlotte from a long line of identical Holmeses. My two biggest problems with the book are somewhat related to this premise.
Firstly, this first book in a series does nothing to ease us into the lives of Holmes and Watson. Because there is no "getting to know you" period, it's high drama almost from the get-go, with constant heavy references to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, various minor characters from those stories popping up to betray the main characters, and the climax of the mystery hinging on a generations-old feud. There is so much ancillary drama that it completely overshadows the mystery, such that by the time I got toward the end I had fully forgotten that any students were attacked in the first place, or that Holmes and Watson were framed for it.
Cavallaro's effort to gender-bend the character of Sherlock is well-intentioned. Doyle's stories are a sausage fest! But by changing Sherlock to Charlotte, leaving Watson male, and keeping Watson as the first person POV, Cavallaro walks right into a much more modern but equally tired trope - Charlotte Holmes is a manic pixie dream girl. She is an enigma who comes out of nowhere to make boring Watson's life more interesting so that he doesn't have to develop a personality. She is small in stature and needs him to take care of her. Worst of all, because of the Holmes/Watson legacy, Watson has basically been stalking Holmes his entire life. He has scrapbooks of news stories about her and has written fanfic about the two of them for years. It's super creepy! Because Watson is male and Charlotte is female, obviously he must be in love with her. We are told constantly about how he feels about her, with little regard for how she feels about him. She is not interested a relationship, as is canon, but it's because
I have noticed that this is popularly read in audiobook format, and if I had done that instead I might have been able to overlook the book's shortcomings more.
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LibraryThing member readingbeader
What if the fictional Holmes and Watson were real people? What if they had families that were still around generations later? These speculations are the basic premise of this series. Jamie Watson is sent to America to a new school on a rugby scholarship. This same school just happens to have
I enjoyed this mystery. It had light moments that made me laugh. But I also worried about Charlotte's Oxy addiction. It's dealt with just like teens might deal with a friend who using, but adults know about it, and don't step in. I wonder what will happen with it later in the series. I'm vested, so I'll be finishing this one, but at a later date.
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Charlotte Holmes as a student. They've never met, and Jamie would like to meet her. Oh, and his dad's family is also close by. Jamie's never met the new wife and his half siblings, either, but doesn't want to meet them. Jamie and Charlotte's first encounter is not exactly "meet cute," and it sets up a complicated relationship. They are accused of murder and set about to clear themselves. I enjoyed this mystery. It had light moments that made me laugh. But I also worried about Charlotte's Oxy addiction. It's dealt with just like teens might deal with a friend who using, but adults know about it, and don't step in. I wonder what will happen with it later in the series. I'm vested, so I'll be finishing this one, but at a later date.
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LibraryThing member allison_s
...I began wondering if there was some kind of Watsonian guide for the care and keeping of Holmeses.
*flappy hands*
Hands down, the best Holmes and Watson...adaptation?...I've ever had the pleasure of reading. By turns amusing, dark, cute, heartbreaking, and fun as hell.
OF COURSE, there's a
My one complaint is that there isn't more of this duo IMMEDIATELY.
*flappy hands*
Hands down, the best Holmes and Watson...adaptation?...I've ever had the pleasure of reading. By turns amusing, dark, cute, heartbreaking, and fun as hell.
OF COURSE, there's a
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riveting mystery here (murder most foul at a prep school), but the real meat of the novel is the partnership and growing friendship between this Watson (Jamie, an honorable, rugby-playing stalwart, as usual) and this Holmes (Charlotte, a violin-playing, drug-addicted eccentric, also as usual). Watson is great at respecting Holmes's boundaries while making sure she doesn't entirely run herself into the ground. And of course, they're teenagers, so there's a hint of romance, but it's completely overridden by the splendor of their glowing friendship. My one complaint is that there isn't more of this duo IMMEDIATELY.
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LibraryThing member Familiar_Diversions
Content warning for this book: rape, on-page drug use, eating disorder.
Jamie Watson is a descendant of the John Watson who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, and he's spent his whole life fantasizing about meeting Charlotte Holmes, the one descendant of Sherlock Holmes who's his age, and becoming
I really wanted to love this. I'm drawn to Sherlock Holmes-inspired books (despite only having read a small fraction of the original stories) as well as YA mysteries, so this seemed perfect for me. Unfortunately, I really disliked how Cavallaro handled the Watson and Holmes aspect, particularly Jamie's attitude.
Jamie seemed to think that the Watson and Holmes friendship was something one could inherit, like eye color. He'd meet Charlotte, they'd instantly bond, and trust and loyalty would soon follow. When things didn't initially turn out like he'd expected, I'd hoped he'd learned his lesson. Unfortunately, then the murder happened, and he and Charlotte did spend a lot of time together and start to bond. And then it was like he felt he was owed all the rest, even though he and Charlotte had really only known each other for a few days/weeks.
Every time he stumbled across something Charlotte hadn't told him, he got upset because she hadn't trusted him with all of her secrets and whole life story. To be fair, Charlotte also annoyed me. After a certain point, she treated Jamie like his unquestioning loyalty was a given, no matter how much she kept from him or how often she lied. I suspect that she, too, had some ancestry-based expectations about their relationship.
I do generally like the kind of character dynamic Cavallaro set up - the brilliant but icy and emotionally damaged detective paired up with a supportive sidekick who reminds them to eat and hydrate. And Cavallaro did make an effort to present Charlotte and Jamie's relationship as something that had a bit of time to grow and deepen. I particularly liked hearing about the little things they did together when they weren't in the thick of investigating murders, like the time Jamie bought Charlotte a big bag of candy when he learned she'd never been allowed to have any.
Even so, their friendship bothered me a lot. It didn't help that supposedly Charlotte and Jamie were each other's first friends (this is debatable - I personally think Charlotte, at least, just couldn't recognize what friendship was, because Lena sure seemed like her friend to me). They both desperately needed something in their lives that had nothing to do with their famous ancestors' lives and experiences. Instead,they had family members who went out of their way to encourage them to be together and continue the Holmes and Watson family traditions.
The ending had an "everything but the kitchen sink" feel to it, complete with a villain monologue and dastardly time-sensitive deeds. I don't know - I kept thinking I'd have liked this book a lot more if Charlotte and Jamie had been written as a modern Holmes and Watson, but without the ancestral baggage and Holmes and Watson having existed as real people in their world.
But even that probably wouldn't have fixed a few other aspects of the story that bothered me. For example, Charlotte's eating disorder, which I don't think was ever referred to that way. But what else do you call it when a person thinks it's perfectly normal and okay to have last eaten yesterday, and takes 20 minutes to eat a single almond when they do eat? She should have barely had the energy to move, and yet there were multiple scenes in which she was faster and more nimble than Jamie - her eating disorder was presented more like an amusing quirk than something that would have had actual physical consequences. Overall, here were a bunch of really heavy and serious aspects to Charlotte's history and behavior that I don't think were handled as well as they could have been.
This wasn't terrible and did have several enjoyable moments, but I don't plan to read the next book.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Jamie Watson is a descendant of the John Watson who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, and he's spent his whole life fantasizing about meeting Charlotte Holmes, the one descendant of Sherlock Holmes who's his age, and becoming
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her friend and sidekick. When he gets sent to Sherringford, an American prep school, the one bright spot he clings to is that it's the same school Charlotte attends. Unfortunately, he has no idea how to talk to her, and she doesn't seem at all interested in talking to him. Then a student they both hated is murdered in a way that references a Sherlock Holmes story, and they're the prime suspects.I really wanted to love this. I'm drawn to Sherlock Holmes-inspired books (despite only having read a small fraction of the original stories) as well as YA mysteries, so this seemed perfect for me. Unfortunately, I really disliked how Cavallaro handled the Watson and Holmes aspect, particularly Jamie's attitude.
Jamie seemed to think that the Watson and Holmes friendship was something one could inherit, like eye color. He'd meet Charlotte, they'd instantly bond, and trust and loyalty would soon follow. When things didn't initially turn out like he'd expected, I'd hoped he'd learned his lesson. Unfortunately, then the murder happened, and he and Charlotte did spend a lot of time together and start to bond. And then it was like he felt he was owed all the rest, even though he and Charlotte had really only known each other for a few days/weeks.
Every time he stumbled across something Charlotte hadn't told him, he got upset because she hadn't trusted him with all of her secrets and whole life story. To be fair, Charlotte also annoyed me. After a certain point, she treated Jamie like his unquestioning loyalty was a given, no matter how much she kept from him or how often she lied. I suspect that she, too, had some ancestry-based expectations about their relationship.
I do generally like the kind of character dynamic Cavallaro set up - the brilliant but icy and emotionally damaged detective paired up with a supportive sidekick who reminds them to eat and hydrate. And Cavallaro did make an effort to present Charlotte and Jamie's relationship as something that had a bit of time to grow and deepen. I particularly liked hearing about the little things they did together when they weren't in the thick of investigating murders, like the time Jamie bought Charlotte a big bag of candy when he learned she'd never been allowed to have any.
Even so, their friendship bothered me a lot. It didn't help that supposedly Charlotte and Jamie were each other's first friends (this is debatable - I personally think Charlotte, at least, just couldn't recognize what friendship was, because Lena sure seemed like her friend to me). They both desperately needed something in their lives that had nothing to do with their famous ancestors' lives and experiences. Instead,
The ending had an "everything but the kitchen sink" feel to it, complete with a villain monologue and dastardly time-sensitive deeds. I don't know - I kept thinking I'd have liked this book a lot more if Charlotte and Jamie had been written as a modern Holmes and Watson, but without the ancestral baggage and Holmes and Watson having existed as real people in their world.
But even that probably wouldn't have fixed a few other aspects of the story that bothered me. For example, Charlotte's eating disorder, which I don't think was ever referred to that way. But what else do you call it when a person thinks it's perfectly normal and okay to have last eaten yesterday, and takes 20 minutes to eat a single almond when they do eat? She should have barely had the energy to move, and yet there were multiple scenes in which she was faster and more nimble than Jamie - her eating disorder was presented more like an amusing quirk than something that would have had actual physical consequences. Overall, here were a bunch of really heavy and serious aspects to Charlotte's history and behavior that I don't think were handled as well as they could have been.
This wasn't terrible and did have several enjoyable moments, but I don't plan to read the next book.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
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LibraryThing member jess_reads
I received this as an ARC/eGalley from the publisher. This review was originally published on Edelweiss on December 2, 2015:
As a Sherlockian, I make it my aim to seek out and experience any iteration of the Great Detective and his friend and biographer, Dr. John Watson. I also enjoy reading YA and
It's refreshing to see a female personification of Holmes in Charlotte, and Jamie Watson is charming in his own right. There are plenty of references to the original stories, and naturally they are descendants of the famous duo, and that comes with all sorts of expectations and baggage. It's also pretty funny.
This novel addresses addiction, rape, and family problems in addition to a murder investigation and high school crushes. It's not particularly brutal, but I would recommend this to a more mature reader.
If you already like Sherlock Holmes stories, this is a must read. If you like realistic YA fiction and/or mysteries, this is a good story and may introduce you to one of the most influential and recognized characters in Western Literature today.
As a Sherlockian, I make it my aim to seek out and experience any iteration of the Great Detective and his friend and biographer, Dr. John Watson. I also enjoy reading YA and
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I was happy to experience both in the same story.It's refreshing to see a female personification of Holmes in Charlotte, and Jamie Watson is charming in his own right. There are plenty of references to the original stories, and naturally they are descendants of the famous duo, and that comes with all sorts of expectations and baggage. It's also pretty funny.
This novel addresses addiction, rape, and family problems in addition to a murder investigation and high school crushes. It's not particularly brutal, but I would recommend this to a more mature reader.
If you already like Sherlock Holmes stories, this is a must read. If you like realistic YA fiction and/or mysteries, this is a good story and may introduce you to one of the most influential and recognized characters in Western Literature today.
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: The descendants of the famous Sherlock and Watson unite in a promising start to a detective series.
Opening Sentence: The first time I met her was at the tail end of one of those endless weekday nights you could only have at a school like
The Review:
I have not read the original Sherlock Holmes stories but I adore the BBCs Sherlock television series so I have a tad bit of prior knowledge about Sherlock and Watson’s shared history. Before I begin the review, I must point out that I enjoyed it tremendously and was very close to giving this a five star rating.
This isn’t a retelling of the adventures of Sherlock and Watson, it is a story based on the descendants of the famous twosome, Charlotte Holmes and James Watson. The two naturally fall into the roles of their great-great-great-something grandfathers’ as detective and sidekick. The main difference is that these kids have grown up in the shadow of their ancestors’ famous histories and have a reputation to uphold.
“There is nothing interesting about explosions. She ruined a perfectly good lab that I had painstakingly assembled, bit by bit, from things I’d taken from Mr. Lamarr’s biology room – oh, don’t look at me like that, I’ve seen you toast marshmallows on those burners, you’re just as guilty as I am – and really the only thing I’ll miss were my copies of your great-great-great-grandfather’s stories. Categorically worthless.”
I loved both of the main characters. Charlotte is just as practical, observant and appears just as emotionless as Sherlock was described to be. She’s also inherited the same tendency to distrust everyone and use drugs as an outlet, much to James’s frustration.
“I’m bad with words.” She sat down next to me. “Too imprecise. Too many shades of meaning. And people use them to lie. Have you ever heard someone lie to you on the violin? Well. I suppose it can be done, but it would take far more skill.”
Then there’s James Watson, who has been developed as a brilliant character to complement Charlotte’s nature. He’s funny, smart and although he’s constantly trying to figure out the inner workings of Charlotte’s mind, he still ends up being many steps behind! James’s instinct to protect Charlotte, despite knowing that she’s a genius and more than capable of taking care of herself, was rather sweet.
“It’s fine,” I said, sitting at the edge of her bed. “You’re probably still catching up on sleep. It’s not healthy to go three days without it, you’ll start hallucinating.”
“Yes, but the hallucinations are always fascinating.”
In terms of the detective investigation itself, the mystery and danger was very convincing. Charlotte was framed for the murder so convincingly that there were several times when I too had my doubts!
“…Unfortunately, I was wearing this when I heard” – she indicated her outfit with a frustrated hand – “and so I decided to stay away from the dorm so that nobody would see me. It’s bad form to be dressed as a burglar on the night if anyone’s murder, much less that of someone you hate.”
This book is full of suspense, humour and a hint of romance and I enjoyed reading it sooo much. Then why wasn’t it given a five star rating? Although A Study In Charlotte was original in its own way, I couldn’t disregard the constant references to the original Sherlock and Watson adventures. The author was trying to recreate that magic and did an excellent job, but her use of those already hyped and well-loved stories to make this book work came across as a little cheeky. I look forward to reading the rest of this series to discover what other crazy adventures the new Holmes and Watson get up to!
Notable Scene:
I was forcibly reminded that she was from London, like me. For a moment, I felt so homesick I thought that I’d make an even worse show of myself and throw myself at her feet, beg her to read me the phone book in that extravagant voice that had no business coming out of such a thin, angular girl.
FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of A Study in Charlotte. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: The descendants of the famous Sherlock and Watson unite in a promising start to a detective series.
Opening Sentence: The first time I met her was at the tail end of one of those endless weekday nights you could only have at a school like
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Sherringford.The Review:
I have not read the original Sherlock Holmes stories but I adore the BBCs Sherlock television series so I have a tad bit of prior knowledge about Sherlock and Watson’s shared history. Before I begin the review, I must point out that I enjoyed it tremendously and was very close to giving this a five star rating.
This isn’t a retelling of the adventures of Sherlock and Watson, it is a story based on the descendants of the famous twosome, Charlotte Holmes and James Watson. The two naturally fall into the roles of their great-great-great-something grandfathers’ as detective and sidekick. The main difference is that these kids have grown up in the shadow of their ancestors’ famous histories and have a reputation to uphold.
“There is nothing interesting about explosions. She ruined a perfectly good lab that I had painstakingly assembled, bit by bit, from things I’d taken from Mr. Lamarr’s biology room – oh, don’t look at me like that, I’ve seen you toast marshmallows on those burners, you’re just as guilty as I am – and really the only thing I’ll miss were my copies of your great-great-great-grandfather’s stories. Categorically worthless.”
I loved both of the main characters. Charlotte is just as practical, observant and appears just as emotionless as Sherlock was described to be. She’s also inherited the same tendency to distrust everyone and use drugs as an outlet, much to James’s frustration.
“I’m bad with words.” She sat down next to me. “Too imprecise. Too many shades of meaning. And people use them to lie. Have you ever heard someone lie to you on the violin? Well. I suppose it can be done, but it would take far more skill.”
Then there’s James Watson, who has been developed as a brilliant character to complement Charlotte’s nature. He’s funny, smart and although he’s constantly trying to figure out the inner workings of Charlotte’s mind, he still ends up being many steps behind! James’s instinct to protect Charlotte, despite knowing that she’s a genius and more than capable of taking care of herself, was rather sweet.
“It’s fine,” I said, sitting at the edge of her bed. “You’re probably still catching up on sleep. It’s not healthy to go three days without it, you’ll start hallucinating.”
“Yes, but the hallucinations are always fascinating.”
In terms of the detective investigation itself, the mystery and danger was very convincing. Charlotte was framed for the murder so convincingly that there were several times when I too had my doubts!
“…Unfortunately, I was wearing this when I heard” – she indicated her outfit with a frustrated hand – “and so I decided to stay away from the dorm so that nobody would see me. It’s bad form to be dressed as a burglar on the night if anyone’s murder, much less that of someone you hate.”
This book is full of suspense, humour and a hint of romance and I enjoyed reading it sooo much. Then why wasn’t it given a five star rating? Although A Study In Charlotte was original in its own way, I couldn’t disregard the constant references to the original Sherlock and Watson adventures. The author was trying to recreate that magic and did an excellent job, but her use of those already hyped and well-loved stories to make this book work came across as a little cheeky. I look forward to reading the rest of this series to discover what other crazy adventures the new Holmes and Watson get up to!
Notable Scene:
I was forcibly reminded that she was from London, like me. For a moment, I felt so homesick I thought that I’d make an even worse show of myself and throw myself at her feet, beg her to read me the phone book in that extravagant voice that had no business coming out of such a thin, angular girl.
FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of A Study in Charlotte. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member ethel55
Holmes and Watson have heirs! And some of the Holmes heirs still assist Scotland Yard! I really enjoyed this take on the Holmes/Watson story, particularly with a teenage female Holmes at the crux of story. Sherringford is a prep school in Connecticut that both these English teens wind up at,
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although they haven't yet met in person. Jamie plays rugby and when another player who has a reputation among the girls winds up dead, the mystery starts to knit together. Cavallaro must be quite a fan. From the replication and updating of some of the crimes, to the idiosyncrasies we know so well, she did a wonderful job with both Charlotte and Jamie. The frailty that Charlotte exhibits (from lack of food and drugs), along with her single minded drive, worries her new companion, but Jamie steps up and tries to learn the ropes as her Watson. I found I really liked the other family members that were introduced too. It's a curious world here, one with so many Holmes/Watson choices for crime fighting. Show Less
LibraryThing member cay250
looking forward to book 2
LibraryThing member starsandscribbles
had heard nothing but great things about the book, and was wondering if it would be worth it to listen to the audie. There have been times where I listened to the narrator with a British accent, and I shut the darn thing off because it put me to sleep.
But this audie was definitely worth listening
I wasn't expecting Jamie and Charlotte to become a couple in the book, but the relationship works and the timing was perfect. Charlotte possesses all of the traits that today's readers would associate with the typical "Sherlock Holmes" character: she hates her family, her brother Milo and her have a complicated relationship (at best), smoking, doing drugs, she lacks empathy, and has a knack for deducing.
But she doesn't expect Jamie Watson. Jamie fantasizes about the great adventures that he and Charlotte would eventually have when he attends the same boarding school as her. However, Jamie must be chided for putting Charlotte up on a pedestal. I think Jamie has his own selfish expectations about what hanging out with Holmes would be; he wants to live out the stories that James Watson and Sherlock Holmes have done many years before. But Jamie realizes that Charlotte has her own problems that stem from this fame, and Charlotte comes to develop a strong and deep friendship with Jamie, which helps her break down her own boundaries and sees just how far she is willing to go when matters get very serious. Each have their own flaws, and that's one of the main components about why this adaption works.
Some parts are heavy -- especially where the murderer talks about retrospectively planning Charlotte's rape and how Jamie & Charlotte can never really trust each other until the very end -- but somehow it works. It shouldn't, according to "the human laws of relationships", but it does.
The animation that the narrator works into the telling of the story strengthens Jamie's character, and it provides cliffhangers when necessary. The epilogue, which is from Charlotte's point of view, is great in itself and I'm hoping we will see more books in the series, and more stories with multiple points of view (from Charlotte and Jamie together).
But this audie was definitely worth listening
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to.I wasn't expecting Jamie and Charlotte to become a couple in the book, but the relationship works and the timing was perfect. Charlotte possesses all of the traits that today's readers would associate with the typical "Sherlock Holmes" character: she hates her family, her brother Milo and her have a complicated relationship (at best), smoking, doing drugs, she lacks empathy, and has a knack for deducing.
But she doesn't expect Jamie Watson. Jamie fantasizes about the great adventures that he and Charlotte would eventually have when he attends the same boarding school as her. However, Jamie must be chided for putting Charlotte up on a pedestal. I think Jamie has his own selfish expectations about what hanging out with Holmes would be; he wants to live out the stories that James Watson and Sherlock Holmes have done many years before. But Jamie realizes that Charlotte has her own problems that stem from this fame, and Charlotte comes to develop a strong and deep friendship with Jamie, which helps her break down her own boundaries and sees just how far she is willing to go when matters get very serious. Each have their own flaws, and that's one of the main components about why this adaption works.
Some parts are heavy -- especially where the murderer talks about retrospectively planning Charlotte's rape and how Jamie & Charlotte can never really trust each other until the very end -- but somehow it works. It shouldn't, according to "the human laws of relationships", but it does.
The animation that the narrator works into the telling of the story strengthens Jamie's character, and it provides cliffhangers when necessary. The epilogue, which is from Charlotte's point of view, is great in itself and I'm hoping we will see more books in the series, and more stories with multiple points of view (from Charlotte and Jamie together).
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LibraryThing member PaperDollLady
A Sherlock Holmes- tie-in, though, in my opinion, that felt a bit overdone. What kept me reading and immersed in the tale was Jamie Watson's sharp narrative voice. Not your usual "dull" Watson in this book, and I would've like to have seen the father-son relationship between Jamie and his dad
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explored even more. Show Less
LibraryThing member Beammey
This is the first Sherlock book not written by Doyle that I've actually liked. The story line is good, the characters stay true to their original inspiration, the world building is great. I loved this story and I'll continue with this series (so glad it's going to be a trilogy!). I would recommend
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this book. 5 out of 5 stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
James Watson has always heard the story about the Holmes family and their connection to his own family, and has always dreamed of meeting his counterpart, Charlotte Holmes. When he gets uprooted from London and sent to the same boarding school she attends, he has his chance--and when a mystery
Sherlock Holmes is my all-time favorite character, Holmes and Watson my all-time favorite literary friendship, so I'm always intrigued by a re-telling or continuation of their story. I loved the idea that their families had continued on, and their great great great grandchildren were meeting to solve a mystery together.
James and Charlotte are great complex characters in their own right, and the formation of their relationship is handled in a really realistic and compelling way. The side characters are great too, from James' father (who has a list of over one hundred things any Watson needs to know about their Holmes), to Charlotte's brother Milo (reminiscent of Mycroft).
The mystery is also excellent. It has a lot of twists and turns, and exciting moments. I really enjoyed the way the book kept nodding to the Holmes and Watson canon with the crimes.
It's so nitpicky of me, but with a book I enjoyed this much there's very little to say I didn't like. I wanted to know more about how Holmes had a child to continue on his lineage, because it seems to run so against type (even if he was married to Mary Russell ;) ). There was one sentence, almost a throwaway, about it, but I feel like it didn't necessarily make sense. I get that it had to happen though to have this story happen at all.
This is a great book. I always get both excited and nervous about Holmes' reimaginings, because I love the originals so much, but not only has Cavallaro done the canon proud, but put her own unique spin on it. I am really looking forward to the second book in the series!
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arises mimicking famous Holmes and Watson stories, he just may realize his dreams.Sherlock Holmes is my all-time favorite character, Holmes and Watson my all-time favorite literary friendship, so I'm always intrigued by a re-telling or continuation of their story. I loved the idea that their families had continued on, and their great great great grandchildren were meeting to solve a mystery together.
James and Charlotte are great complex characters in their own right, and the formation of their relationship is handled in a really realistic and compelling way. The side characters are great too, from James' father (who has a list of over one hundred things any Watson needs to know about their Holmes), to Charlotte's brother Milo (reminiscent of Mycroft).
The mystery is also excellent. It has a lot of twists and turns, and exciting moments. I really enjoyed the way the book kept nodding to the Holmes and Watson canon with the crimes.
It's so nitpicky of me, but with a book I enjoyed this much there's very little to say I didn't like. I wanted to know more about how Holmes had a child to continue on his lineage, because it seems to run so against type (even if he was married to Mary Russell ;) ). There was one sentence, almost a throwaway, about it, but I feel like it didn't necessarily make sense. I get that it had to happen though to have this story happen at all.
This is a great book. I always get both excited and nervous about Holmes' reimaginings, because I love the originals so much, but not only has Cavallaro done the canon proud, but put her own unique spin on it. I am really looking forward to the second book in the series!
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LibraryThing member iShanella
In general, I loved this story. Fast-paced, interesting characters and a solid mystery - though I wouldn't say it left me surprised.
However there were two main things I couldn't get into, and thus the rating.
1) While an intriguing route to make Holmes and Watson real people and Charlotte and
2) Goodness gracious, do all books need romance? This one could have done without it. I found James's obsession with Charlotte to be unnerving. His suddenly calling her his best friend, only after knowing her for a few weeks, to be unbelievable. And Charlotte reciprocating any feelings whatsoever to be slightly out of character. Yes it softens her and makes her different than the other Holmes's, but I could have done with a slower progression than this strange dynamic in the first book.
However there were two main things I couldn't get into, and thus the rating.
1) While an intriguing route to make Holmes and Watson real people and Charlotte and
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James their descendants, most of the time I kept wondering, why? To what purpose? I might have enjoyed it more if this was merely a modern day Sherlock Holmes story with the female lead twist. I didn't see any part that needed the original characters to be ancestors. 2) Goodness gracious, do all books need romance? This one could have done without it. I found James's obsession with Charlotte to be unnerving. His suddenly calling her his best friend, only after knowing her for a few weeks, to be unbelievable. And Charlotte reciprocating any feelings whatsoever to be slightly out of character. Yes it softens her and makes her different than the other Holmes's, but I could have done with a slower progression than this strange dynamic in the first book.
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LibraryThing member iBeth
If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes-themed stories, this one would be a five-star story. If you're not as enamored of Holmesiana, I'd knock off a star. The crimes, for example, are unrealistic, as is the villain. But the story is told well and the characters are likeable Holmes/Watson variations. I
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particularly like the idea that Holmes & Watson traits are shared by their descendants. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tiffy_Reads
A new lovely twist on Holmes and Watson. Can’t wait to read the sequels.
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Charlotte and Jamie are the latest generation of Holmes and Watsons. They meet up a boarding school where Jamie romanticizes Charlotte and she indulges his perceptions - at least for a time. Behind the Sherlock Holmes style, Ms. Cavallaro manages to make Charlotte and Jamie real people. Charlotte
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is an addict trying to cope with the aftermath of a rape and growing up brilliant in a dysfunctional family. And Jamie, while dealing with more prosaic issues, is trying to cope with his anger at the father that abandoned his mother and went on to have a whole new happy family. Show Less
LibraryThing member justagirlwithabook
This was a fun read, though I'm not sure that I'll pick up the second one. Maybe eventually? It's a bit of a modern take on Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Watson. But in this story, our Sherlock is a girl named Charlotte, and her deductive reasoning skills are all that you'd expect from a
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Holmes. Our Watson is a boy named James, and he is also everything you'd expect from a Watson. When a murder occurs, they both end up on the heels of the case together, trying to solve things before one or both of them ends up killed. Show Less
LibraryThing member KWadyko
So good!!!! I love a good if mystery, and this is a great one for teens! It's not just a modern Sherlock...
LibraryThing member benuathanasia
It was hard to separate this from all the other Sherlock Holmes professional fanfics out there. Contemporary Holmes? Been done. Gender-bent Holmes? Seen it. Grandchildren with cloned personalities? SNOOZE!
But once I moved past the overwhelming "been there, done that" sensation, the story itself was
But once I moved past the overwhelming "been there, done that" sensation, the story itself was
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really good and I believe I will eventually continue the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member thornton37814
Jamie Watson, descendant of Dr. John Watson, attends a boarding school in Connecticut where Charlotte Holmes, descendant of the great detective Sherlock Holmes, attends. They soon find themselves suspects in a murder of a fellow student. Trust no one. A Moriarty's involvement in their problem is
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almost certain. I suspect the book moves a little slower than the average teenager's attention, but readers familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories will recognize similarities and differences between the characters in this novel and the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle books as well as parallels to the stories themselves, most of which are pointed out. It was okay, but not outstanding. I prefer Doyle's stories. I listened to the audio provided by AudioFile Sync for this summer's teen listeners. Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
The modern day descendants of Holmes and Watson meet at a New England boarding school and make a connection as it becomes clear they are being framed for murder and assault. Charlotte Holmes is a troubled drug using cast off from her wealthy family, while James Watson is raking advantage of a rugby
Well, I find that even with a slant of Holmes/Watson fun, I find middle-to-upper income level white problems less interesting than tales including diversity themes. Although a favorite gay uncle is mentioned, so +0.1.
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scholarship away away from the too costly school in London. The characters were decent, though James Watson is a bit too good to be real, but the story telling is weighed down with an over elaborate plot and has real pacing issues.Well, I find that even with a slant of Holmes/Watson fun, I find middle-to-upper income level white problems less interesting than tales including diversity themes. Although a favorite gay uncle is mentioned, so +0.1.
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LibraryThing member acargile
Book one, this series revolves around Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson, the descendants of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Jamie has always been fascinated with Charlotte, but he’s never been around her much until he ends up at the same boarding school in America. His mother finds the Holmes
Shortly after Jamie’s arrival, there’s a murder and it’s assumed Jamie or Charlotte are the culprits. The murdered student was far from a nice guy and had run-ins with both of them. Jamie now has what he’s always wanted--a case to solve with Charlotte Holmes. She’s a lot more to deal with than he could have imagined. With the help of his father, he learns the “rules” for dealing with a Holmes.
Of course the mystery is solved in the end, but the machinations of the Holmes family becomes clearer. The sacrifices the Watsons make to help the unappreciative Holmes and the mysterious relationship between Charlotte and Moriarty give it more depth than an amusing modern retelling of Holmes and Watson. I really fell into this story, but I do enjoy Sherlock Holmes, especially the PBS version. Charlotte is as difficult and as “Holmes” as a girl could be--so, she’s difficult. I look forward to hearing more of the series. I found these when Audiobook Sync released this novel this summer. Consider listening to it!
Jamie has always been fascinated with Charlotte, but he’s never been around her much until he ends up at the same boarding school in America. His mother finds the Holmes
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family to be worth little of her time, so she discourages Jamie’s interest. When he moves to the United States to be closer to his father, he finds himself as a classmate to Charlotte. Charlotte is not your average student. She’s famous for solving a case at a young age and has little regard for people. She seems close with her roommate who dates Jamie’s friend. She also seems to like drugs more than she should, a Holmes problem.Shortly after Jamie’s arrival, there’s a murder and it’s assumed Jamie or Charlotte are the culprits. The murdered student was far from a nice guy and had run-ins with both of them. Jamie now has what he’s always wanted--a case to solve with Charlotte Holmes. She’s a lot more to deal with than he could have imagined. With the help of his father, he learns the “rules” for dealing with a Holmes.
Of course the mystery is solved in the end, but the machinations of the Holmes family becomes clearer. The sacrifices the Watsons make to help the unappreciative Holmes and the mysterious relationship between Charlotte and Moriarty give it more depth than an amusing modern retelling of Holmes and Watson. I really fell into this story, but I do enjoy Sherlock Holmes, especially the PBS version. Charlotte is as difficult and as “Holmes” as a girl could be--so, she’s difficult. I look forward to hearing more of the series. I found these when Audiobook Sync released this novel this summer. Consider listening to it!
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LibraryThing member veeshee
This novel was good. But that's all I have to say. It wasn't spectacular. It wasn't special. As I kept reading, I found myself growing disinterested. There was no charm, no fun, no wit to anything. While Charlotte does embody Sherlock's character, she doesn't have any charm to make me want to like
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her or even admire her. Jamie's character is reduced to a bumbling, hot-headed teenager who just seems besotted by Charlotte. They didn't seem to really work well together, at least not as well as the real Sherlock and Watson did. I found the premise of the novel itself to be quite interesting, but I was quickly able to deduce who was the perpetrator behind the murder. The reasoning behind it was passable but the author really was trying to work on too many different angles, making it all quite muddled. Overall, this was a decent book but it did nothing for me. I think I'm just going to wait for the new season of Sherlock for my next Holmes and Watson fix. Show Less
LibraryThing member BraveNewBks
Very fun idea: descendants of the Homes, Watson, and Moriarty families continue to have interesting relationships. Teenage Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson have a case to solve at boarding school. Clever and cute.
LibraryThing member whatsmacksaid
I cannot say enough good things about this. The writing was absolutely superb, even breathtaking in places. You can totally tell that the author is a poet.
The mystery was masterfully constructed, and the main relationship is deep, intense, and respectful. Holmes has boundaries, and Watson respects
The mystery was masterfully constructed, and the main relationship is deep, intense, and respectful. Holmes has boundaries, and Watson respects
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them. It is beautiful and I loved it, and I went out and bought the second book before I'd gotten to the halfway point. Show Less
Awards
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2017)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2017)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2016-03-01
Physical description
321 p.; 5.31 inches
ISBN
0062398911 / 9780062398918