A Study in Scarlet Women

August 22, 2016
Charlotte Holmes, the independent-minded, upper-class heroine of this promising series launch set in 1886 England from Thomas (My Beautiful Enemy), has no wish to be married off like her older sisters and relegated to second-class status for the rest of her life. Charlotte’s choice to lose her virginity to a married man leads to her banishment from her family’s country house. She settles in London, where she uses her gift for “discernment” to provide helpful guidance to the police under the alias Sherlock Holmes. She writes to the coroner overseeing the inquest for aristocrat Harrington Sackville to suggest that Sackville’s apparent overdose of chloral is connected to the deaths of two of his relatives who expired shortly before he did, each of apparently natural causes. That communiqué brings Scotland Yard into the case and affords Charlotte an opportunity to exercise her skills on a complex mystery. Those looking for a very different Sherlockian lead will be rewarded. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency.

Narrator Kate Reading is masterful in her portrayals in this clever historical mystery with a fabulous twist. It's centered around Charlotte Holmes, a young woman with a gift for "discernment" and getting into trouble, and who has secrets worth protecting. Reading's aristocratic British voices are spot-on, and her acting is outstanding. She depicts all types of characters--funny, touching, romantic, suspenseful, haughty, old, young, wealthy, or poor--with the same believability. This is an exceptionally fine audio experience, with a story that will grab listeners from the get-go. Let's say a prayer that more books like it follow. A.C.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine