It’s a fantastic series-my favorite is still the third installment, The Hollow of Fear, for many, MANY reasons, ALL of them spoilery. The world-building is rich and thoughtful the characters (primary, secondary, and beyond) and relationships are well-drawn and three-dimensional it’s funny, it’s romantic, and the mysteries are solid. Unlike in so many of the other Doyle fanfic I’ve read, Thomas switches things up, and doesn’t stick to simple one-to-one parallels-the Mycroft character is entirely different, for example, in terms of actual personality and relationship to Holmes. Watson, of COURSE, but also three sisters, two horrible parents, a (married) love interest, and a police officer who very much doesn’t know how to deal with her-and then there are even more side characters who show up again and again. Sherry Thomas gives her more people in her life, too-there’s Mrs. And, it needs to be said, an enormous rack.Īll of which, of course, leads people to underestimate her. Blonde ringlets, big blue eyes, a tendency towards plumpness. In the majority of other Holmes fanfic that I’ve read, the Holmes character, regardless of gender, has been physically similar to the original-a tall, dark, string bean of a person-whereas in these, Charlotte is described as looking like someone who walked off of a old-fashioned Valentine’s card. I’ve read a lot of re-imaginings and rehashings of Sherlock Holmes, and these are easily, EASILY my favorites. Because I truly love this series, and all of the installments absolutely stood up to a re-read.

Oh, no, I had to go back and start from the beginning with A Study in Scarlet Women.Īnd, you know? I am perfectly okay with that life choice. The only real connection any of that has to me thinking about The Art of Theft is that due to my Recent Lack of Chill, I couldn’t just read the only one of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock books that I hadn’t read yet. And so if you put me in charge of CREATING said badges, YIKES.ĪNYWAY. Which is amazing, as I’ve been in a pretty serious reading slump for the better part of… two years now? Getting Beanstack for the library has been part of that for sure, as I am one of those weirdos who gets OBSESSIVE about unlocking digital badges. If I’m into cooking, I’m doing that 24/7. If I’m into watching movies, I’m attempting to watch them 24/7. If these past few months have taught-or I guess reminded, as really, I already knew this at my core-me anything, it is that I have no chill and I am super real bad at moderation.

Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas