The Game is Afoot in A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Study in Scarlet Women
Author: Sherry Thomas
Narrator: Kate Reading
Series: The Lady Sherlock series, book #1
Length: 11 hrs 0 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Publication Date: October 18, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher via Goodreads giveaway, audiobook borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down…

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

I absolutely adored this gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes story featuring the odd duck Charlotte Holmes as the madame detective. I've read - and watched - a lot of Sherlock retellings over the years, but recently, they've just been outstanding. And they only keep getting better! From Cumberbatch's portrayal to Ellie Marney's EVERY series to William Ritter's Sherlock/Doctor Who mash-up...I just can't seem to get my fill.

But a retelling in which, gasp, the detective of the hour is female, albeit secretly so? Now that's unique. And in immediate need of my attention. Especially the way in which Charlotte is able to pull off the deception and the way in which familiar characters are introduced to the story. It's like coming home to find that someone has rearranged all your furniture. Familiar and yet not.

The streets of London are in the capable hands of Charlotte Holmes with Sherry Thomas at the helm, though. I was a bit confused at first, what with the flashbacks and, erm, the shocking events that led to Charlotte pretending to be Sherlock, but soon all became clear and the real mystery was afoot. And it was rather ingenious, the way it unraveled.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the bit of Sherry Thomas' writing that I've read so far, including her YA series and one of her historical fiction novels, and I cannot wait to continue her Lady Sherlock series. I liked the small taste of romantic tension we got in this first installment, especially considering that love is probably at the very BOTTOM of Charlotte's list of priorities, and I can't wait to read more of her adventures and romantic liaisons...especially the scandalous ones!

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Sherry Thomas is one of the most acclaimed romance authors working today. Her books regularly receive starred reviews from trade publications and are frequently found on best-of-the-year lists. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.

English is Sherry’s second language—she has come a long way from the days when she made her laborious way through Rosemary Roger’s Sweet Savage Love with an English-Chinese dictionary. She enjoys digging down to the emotional core of stories. And when she is not writing, she thinks about the zen and zaniness of her profession, plays computer games with her sons, and reads as many fabulous books as she can find.

Find Sherry:

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