Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Berkley (2018), 336 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML: Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, returns in the Victorian-set mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of A Conspiracy in Belgravia and A Study in Scarlet Women, an NPR Best Book of 2016. Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't. Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer. With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram-and a number of malevolent forces..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member sleahey
This continuation of the Lady Sherlock series seems to rely fairly heavily on the backstory, so was somewhat confusing for this reader new to the series. Charlotte Holmes assumes various roles in attempting to solve the murder of her friend Ingram's wife. She is assisted by Mrs. Watson, another
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woman of many talents. Her sisters Livia and Bernadine are also important considerations to Charlotte, but as we might expect, she is capable of rising to the many challenges she faces. The plot seems quite convoluted at times, moving around in time. The back-and-forth dialog is occasionally confusing, with lack of clarity about which character is speaking. Undoubtedly these concerns will not matter to fans of the series, and they will once again be eager for the next installment, which we can hope will continue to describe Charlotte's love life. Show Less
LibraryThing member ethel55
I really enjoyed this third book starring Charlotte Holmes, with yet another twist on the Sherlock idea that Thomas very deftly brings together in this mystery. Charlotte is still considered in hiding after her fall from grace. The action this time mostly takes place at the country house of Lord
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Ingram and only the discovery of a dead female body in his ice house can bring Charlotte out, disguised as yet another Holmes. There are a lot of twists and connections that come into play. The side stories take up quite a bit of time as well, so much so that at times I wondered at the purpose, but no fear, all is eventually revealed by the end. It definitely helped that I have read the two previous books. Show Less
LibraryThing member eyes.2c
Lady Sherlock is fabulous!
Brilliant Holmsian story in the tradition of that genre. The action fairly races across the page to a quite unsuspected conclusion. Charlotte Holmes is a sleuth with a capacious ability for lying, an adept brain and a love of sweet things. She makes three appearances as
Charlotte's half brother has disappeared and Charlotte's longtime friend Lord Ingram is being accused of murdering his wife. Charlotte must find the real murderer, and of course the specter of Moriaty looms in the background.
It should be corny but it's not, it's fascinating !
Move over Benedict, Thomas' Sherlock has come to play!
A NetGalley ARC
Brilliant Holmsian story in the tradition of that genre. The action fairly races across the page to a quite unsuspected conclusion. Charlotte Holmes is a sleuth with a capacious ability for lying, an adept brain and a love of sweet things. She makes three appearances as
Show More
three different people, and each is scintillating.Charlotte's half brother has disappeared and Charlotte's longtime friend Lord Ingram is being accused of murdering his wife. Charlotte must find the real murderer, and of course the specter of Moriaty looms in the background.
It should be corny but it's not, it's fascinating !
Move over Benedict, Thomas' Sherlock has come to play!
A NetGalley ARC
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LibraryThing member jamespurcell
This enjoyable series, hopefully for several more installments, continues very nicely. Not much about the consulting detective business as state secrets, secret agents and more outrageous role playing come to the fore. Charlotte needs to rescue her sisters, save Lord Ingram and embarrass Scotland
Q
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Yard and thereby hang this tale.Q
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LibraryThing member BarbaraRogers
I am absolutely gobsmacked! Stunned! It has been a full day since I finished this book and my head is still swimming. This author has a way of delivering a fresh, interesting, exciting, absolutely stunner of a story every time. Yes, I was totally stumped right to the end – and that just doesn’t
I am sure you could read this story and thoroughly enjoy it if you didn’t read the first two books in the series – A Study in Scarlet Women and A Conspiracy in Belgravia – but I highly recommend that you read them in order. The character originations and background begin in the first book and build from there. In A Study in Scarlet Women, we learned about Charlotte’s background and solved a triple murder. A Conspiracy in Belgravia starts the day after the first book ends and focuses on the search for Mr. Myron Finch and it also gives us more information on Moriarty. This book continues directly after the second book ends. Goodness that author can create some twisted tales.
The last line in book #2 was ‘Hello Brother’ and the first line in this book begins with ‘Hello Brother. Charlotte is greeting her illegitimate half-brother Myron Finch who has been hiding right under their noses all this time. He is Mott, the Holmes’ coachman. He explains to Charlotte why he has been hiding and from whom. He explains that he has stolen something from Moriarty and tells her what it is and why it is important. Just as Charlotte is about to leave, Stephen Marbleton arrives – and they realize that they are being watched and that the watchers are closing in on them. They quickly devise an escape plan and all, except Charlotte, manage to totally escape. However, Charlotte isn’t the one that is being sought, so they let her go.
A few months later, Charlotte and Mrs. Holmes are at a small cottage in the country. The fact that they are near Stern Hollow, Lord Ingram’s country seat, is totally coincidental. Charlotte is there so she can freely visit with her sister Livia who is attending a house party at her father’s cousin’s (Mrs. Newell) home – she has another reason for being there that also has nothing to do with Lord Ingram, but I won’t tell you about that one.
Because she is a fallen woman, Charlotte cannot openly contact Livia. Charlotte doesn’t let that stop her though. She and Mrs. Holmes have created a disguise. Charlotte will become the brother of Sherlock Holmes – Sherrinford Holmes. She has studied moving like a man and has practiced lowering her voice, so she’s ready for her role. Then – disaster – a boiler at Mrs. Newell’s home ruptures and floods the house – effectively ending the house party. However, many of the guests get moved to a neighboring estate – Lord Ingram’s – for a couple of days until they can all make arrangements for their trip home.
Speaking of disasters – not too long after his home is filled with guests – the body of Lady Ingram is discovered in his ice house. The local constabulary is sent for and they promptly request help from Scotland Yard. Inspector Treadles is chosen to accompany Chief Inspector Fowler on the case. Fowler is bent on making a name for himself and he fully intends to put the blame solely on Lord Ingram and sadly, it looks as if the evidence will support him in doing that. It appears that it will be up to Sherinford Holmes to solve the crime and save Lord Ingram. Inspector Treadles doesn’t want to believe that his old friend is guilty, but he has to do his job. What he can do, however, is keep the identity of Sherinford Holmes a secret and hope that he really can save Lord Ingram. Is that even really Lord Ingram’s wife that they found?
I hope I’ve given you enough to whet your appetite because I don’t want to go further and tell you all the secrets. Just know that it is a wonderfully exciting read with an ending that you absolutely won’t believe.
I was also happy to note that Inspector Treadles finally had his grand epiphany and realized that it was okay for Charlotte to be smart and for him to ask for her assistance and that it was also okay for his wife to want more than just being a wife. He realized she could do both and they could still love each other. I loved that part.
Another thing I loved was the development with Bernadette. I won’t tell you that either, but I love it.
Now – I have to wait and wait and wait, very impatiently for the next book where I hope to see not only another wonderful mystery but some growth in the relationship between Lord Ingram and Charlotte.
I highly recommend this incredibly complex and stimulating read.
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happen with me. I always figure out the villain early on in the book. I am sure you could read this story and thoroughly enjoy it if you didn’t read the first two books in the series – A Study in Scarlet Women and A Conspiracy in Belgravia – but I highly recommend that you read them in order. The character originations and background begin in the first book and build from there. In A Study in Scarlet Women, we learned about Charlotte’s background and solved a triple murder. A Conspiracy in Belgravia starts the day after the first book ends and focuses on the search for Mr. Myron Finch and it also gives us more information on Moriarty. This book continues directly after the second book ends. Goodness that author can create some twisted tales.
The last line in book #2 was ‘Hello Brother’ and the first line in this book begins with ‘Hello Brother. Charlotte is greeting her illegitimate half-brother Myron Finch who has been hiding right under their noses all this time. He is Mott, the Holmes’ coachman. He explains to Charlotte why he has been hiding and from whom. He explains that he has stolen something from Moriarty and tells her what it is and why it is important. Just as Charlotte is about to leave, Stephen Marbleton arrives – and they realize that they are being watched and that the watchers are closing in on them. They quickly devise an escape plan and all, except Charlotte, manage to totally escape. However, Charlotte isn’t the one that is being sought, so they let her go.
A few months later, Charlotte and Mrs. Holmes are at a small cottage in the country. The fact that they are near Stern Hollow, Lord Ingram’s country seat, is totally coincidental. Charlotte is there so she can freely visit with her sister Livia who is attending a house party at her father’s cousin’s (Mrs. Newell) home – she has another reason for being there that also has nothing to do with Lord Ingram, but I won’t tell you about that one.
Because she is a fallen woman, Charlotte cannot openly contact Livia. Charlotte doesn’t let that stop her though. She and Mrs. Holmes have created a disguise. Charlotte will become the brother of Sherlock Holmes – Sherrinford Holmes. She has studied moving like a man and has practiced lowering her voice, so she’s ready for her role. Then – disaster – a boiler at Mrs. Newell’s home ruptures and floods the house – effectively ending the house party. However, many of the guests get moved to a neighboring estate – Lord Ingram’s – for a couple of days until they can all make arrangements for their trip home.
Speaking of disasters – not too long after his home is filled with guests – the body of Lady Ingram is discovered in his ice house. The local constabulary is sent for and they promptly request help from Scotland Yard. Inspector Treadles is chosen to accompany Chief Inspector Fowler on the case. Fowler is bent on making a name for himself and he fully intends to put the blame solely on Lord Ingram and sadly, it looks as if the evidence will support him in doing that. It appears that it will be up to Sherinford Holmes to solve the crime and save Lord Ingram. Inspector Treadles doesn’t want to believe that his old friend is guilty, but he has to do his job. What he can do, however, is keep the identity of Sherinford Holmes a secret and hope that he really can save Lord Ingram. Is that even really Lord Ingram’s wife that they found?
I hope I’ve given you enough to whet your appetite because I don’t want to go further and tell you all the secrets. Just know that it is a wonderfully exciting read with an ending that you absolutely won’t believe.
I was also happy to note that Inspector Treadles finally had his grand epiphany and realized that it was okay for Charlotte to be smart and for him to ask for her assistance and that it was also okay for his wife to want more than just being a wife. He realized she could do both and they could still love each other. I loved that part.
Another thing I loved was the development with Bernadette. I won’t tell you that either, but I love it.
Now – I have to wait and wait and wait, very impatiently for the next book where I hope to see not only another wonderful mystery but some growth in the relationship between Lord Ingram and Charlotte.
I highly recommend this incredibly complex and stimulating read.
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LibraryThing member ladypembroke
There is nothing I can say about this novel that wouldn't be considered a spoiler. It's very twisty and turny and not solved until the very end. It cannot be read as a standalone, I will say that.
LibraryThing member Herenya
I could not put this book down, because the stakes are so high and personal. But in the end I didn’t find it a wholly satisfying mystery because so much of the tension is the result of Charlotte concealing a lot about her suspicions and plans.
It’s fun watching Charlotte from the perspective of
Disappointment over the ending’s revelations aside, I liked the journey to that ending and thought one of the twists was handled with particular deftness. And I am eager to read The Art of Theft as soon as I can.
It’s fun watching Charlotte from the perspective of
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someone else when she’s in disguise, and I don’t mind some misdirection, nor Charlotte keeping thoughts to herself. That fits with Charlotte’s character (and also is a detective’s prerogative). But concealing things from the reader which Charlotte has confided to her friends -- the extent of that felt contrived. Unnecessary.Disappointment over the ending’s revelations aside, I liked the journey to that ending and thought one of the twists was handled with particular deftness. And I am eager to read The Art of Theft as soon as I can.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Charlotte Holmes' half brother disappears. Moriarty seems to be involved and Lady Ingram appears to want Sherlock's help. This opens up a can of worms that will involve Lord Ingram and will mean that Charlotte will have to make decisions about the case to help him rather than to just solve the
I really enjoy this series and these characters, they're fun to read and interesting people in their own right. While Charlotte is clever sometimes she needs help to understand motivations.
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mystery.I really enjoy this series and these characters, they're fun to read and interesting people in their own right. While Charlotte is clever sometimes she needs help to understand motivations.
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LibraryThing member samnreader
This is a 4 but a weird 4. I'm not even sure it's a 4.
Can I explain? Probably not much. I liked this, but I didn'treally like or love it and I'm trying to understand why exactly.
And I guess it comes down to being weirdly plot-driven (which is why I end up giving up on the majority of series that
Can I explain? Probably not much. I liked this, but I didn'treally like or love it and I'm trying to understand why exactly.
And I guess it comes down to being weirdly plot-driven (which is why I end up giving up on the majority of series that
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feature the same protagonists) and in this one the threads didn't quite work for me. Frankly, I didn't exactly guess the mystery, but I wasn't confounded either. I missed the depth of character development & relationship development that was pieced together masterfully in the first 2. I don't know what to make of it, and I'm reducing my rating bc I'm finding I'm ultimately irritated upon more reflection. I just can't exactly articulate why. Show Less
LibraryThing member TGPistole
I particularly enjoy how this series develops the characters as well as providing an interesting plot.
LibraryThing member booklovers2
Book 3 of the Lady Sherlock series; Charlotte & Lord Ingrim continue their friendship and it couldn't be more important of a friendship. As their lifelong friendship is highlighted, Lord Ingrim & Lady Ingrim's relationship and the break becomes a bit of a problem as the details unravel when Lady
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Ingrim's body shows up on the estate. Another great mystery with Sherlock Holmes to the rescue! Show Less
LibraryThing member cyderry
Charlotte Holmes is still masquerading as Sherlock Holmes - well, not really masquerading. Charlotte pretends that she is helping Sherlock who is bedridden while actually she is the detective. However, in this case Charlotte actually takes on the persona of Sherlock's brother, Sherrinford Holmes to
I thought that this episode felt a bit too staged - the house party spoiled by a broken cistern, body placed in the ice house to be discovered by the staff, unknown pregnancy, misidentification.
Just a bit too many coincidences.
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assist Lord Ingraham who is under suspicion for the death of his estranged wife after her body is found in his ice house.I thought that this episode felt a bit too staged - the house party spoiled by a broken cistern, body placed in the ice house to be discovered by the staff, unknown pregnancy, misidentification.
Just a bit too many coincidences.
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LibraryThing member gpangel
The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas is a 2018 Berkley publication.
This third installment in the ‘Lady Sherlock’ series gets even more interesting…
When Lord Ingram’s estranged wife turns up dead, naturally Scotland Yard considers him to be a prime suspect, and naturally Charlotte will try
Wow! This was a very good episode in the series! The mystery wasn’t as difficult to follow as the last installment and some very stunning twists caught me off guard.
I loved all the developments, the very well-plotted story line, and the wonderful characterizations- but the dialogue in this installment was exceptional.
I loved the conversations that involved Inspector Treadles which prompted him to examine his own attitudes towards women and take a closer look at his relationship with his wife. Good stuff!
Charlotte’s costumes and disguises were also fabulous, and she gave me more than a few chuckles- such a great character!
The conclusion was a real stunner! Again- Wow! Did not see that coming!
I was hoping to have caught completely up with the series before the sixth book was released, but obviously, I am not going to make that deadline-
But- I’m still hoping to get caught up before the end of the year. As exciting as the series is, I won’t have any trouble finding motivation to achieve that goal!
4.5 stars
This third installment in the ‘Lady Sherlock’ series gets even more interesting…
When Lord Ingram’s estranged wife turns up dead, naturally Scotland Yard considers him to be a prime suspect, and naturally Charlotte will try
Show More
to discover who was the real murderer. Wow! This was a very good episode in the series! The mystery wasn’t as difficult to follow as the last installment and some very stunning twists caught me off guard.
I loved all the developments, the very well-plotted story line, and the wonderful characterizations- but the dialogue in this installment was exceptional.
I loved the conversations that involved Inspector Treadles which prompted him to examine his own attitudes towards women and take a closer look at his relationship with his wife. Good stuff!
Charlotte’s costumes and disguises were also fabulous, and she gave me more than a few chuckles- such a great character!
The conclusion was a real stunner! Again- Wow! Did not see that coming!
I was hoping to have caught completely up with the series before the sixth book was released, but obviously, I am not going to make that deadline-
But- I’m still hoping to get caught up before the end of the year. As exciting as the series is, I won’t have any trouble finding motivation to achieve that goal!
4.5 stars
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LibraryThing member JorgeousJotts
3.5 stars rounded up. This one had some slower parts, multiple long interviews and a lot of characters sitting around rehashing circumstances. And it bounced around in time more than the others, which on one hand gave us the opportunity to reexamine scenes in different contexts, but on the other
All of that said though, it was still interesting and clever and I was engaged enough to want to keep reading. I especially enjoy this cast of characters, and feel invested in them.
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was a little repetitive and felt like it was largely to keep us scrambling. Overall I think the main drawback was that it felt less like we were solving the case along with Holmes, and more like she was just slowly parsing out information to us when she got around to seeing fit. That we were purposely being kept in the dark and out of the loop. All of that said though, it was still interesting and clever and I was engaged enough to want to keep reading. I especially enjoy this cast of characters, and feel invested in them.
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LibraryThing member PattyLee
I started this series a while ago and then discovered I’d waited long enough for three more installments to be published! Where was I and why didn’t I catch on sooner? So, I have deliciously and with great abandonment read three in a row. The fourth should come in tomorrow and I’m going to
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get right to it. Like candy, only better. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
The Hollow of Fear
4.5 Stars
Lord Ingram Ashburton is framed for his wife's death and Charlotte must uncover the truth before he ends up on the gallows.
Series note: Once again the story continues from where the previous book ended, so it is vital to read the books in order.
Much better than the last
The highlight of the book, however, are the interactions between Ingram and Charlotte, and the intriguing developments in their relationships.
Looking forward to the next book. Thank goodness it's already out!
4.5 Stars
Lord Ingram Ashburton is framed for his wife's death and Charlotte must uncover the truth before he ends up on the gallows.
Series note: Once again the story continues from where the previous book ended, so it is vital to read the books in order.
Much better than the last
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installment. The plot is more cohesive and moves at a faster pace. There are numerous twists and turns, and some of the revelations at the end are quite shocking.The highlight of the book, however, are the interactions between Ingram and Charlotte, and the intriguing developments in their relationships.
Looking forward to the next book. Thank goodness it's already out!
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LibraryThing member mktoronto
Oh the twists and turns! And the ending! Loved it and can't wait for the next one.
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018-10-02
Physical description
336 p.; 5.5 inches
ISBN
0425281426 / 9780425281420
Local notes
Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer. With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram--and a number of malevolent forces.