Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body that surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Amazon US) (Amazon UK) (Audible)

Some time ago there was a deal on a few of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock books on Audible so I bought a few because they were highly rated and a good price. I finally got around to listening to one of them, which I thought was the first in the series but discovered that A Conspiracy in Belgravia is the second book in the series. Oh, well, I’ll go back and listen to volume one soon.

I loved the feminist take on Sherlock Holmes, who, as anyone that has read the original stories knows, was the biggest misogynist out there. So take that, Conan Doyle!

Charlotte’s Holmes sister, Livia, is writing stories based upon Charlotte’s cases, creating the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson that everyone has come to know and love. She has to do this because of the constraints society put on women at the time. No one would believe that a woman and her sister could solve baffling cases. But that’s just what she does.

Charlotte is so intelligent she can play all those little tricks and games the “real” Sherlock did in the books, using her powers of observation to reveal everything about a person when first meeting them. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy high fashion and looking her best. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. That’s what makes Charlotte so compelling: she’s a feminist in a time when women were considered men’s property, yet maintains her feminine exterior to blend in to society so she can covertly solve mysteries using her brain.

Enjoy this book for what it is: an expertly crafted mystery in the Holmes and Watson style, featuring a fearless yet feminine heroine with the smarts to not need the help of any men. Highly recommend!

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