Can't Wait Wednesday No. 73: A Question of Holmes, by Brittany Cavallaro

Welcome to "Can't Wait Wednesday"!

This is a weekly event hosted by

Tressa @ Wishful Endings!

This is also where we excited book bloggers showcase future releases we're eagerly anticipating! 
For more information, 
please click HERE.


There's also a Linky widget, so participating blogs can link up!

Here's my choice for this week!

 A Question of Holmes

(Charlotte Holmes, Book 4)

Brittany Cavallaro

Hardcover, 320 pages

Katherine Tegen Books

     March 5, 2019

Classics Retellings, Contemporary Fiction, 

Mystery,Romance,

Young Adult Fiction 

        

The fourth book in the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes series! 

Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson think they’re finally in the clear. They’ve left Sherringford School—and the Moriartys—behind for a pre-college summer program at Oxford University. A chance to start from scratch and explore dating for the first time, while exploring a new city with all the freedom their program provides. But when they arrive, Charlotte is immediately drawn into a new case: a series of accidents have been befalling the members of the community theater troupe in Oxford, and now, on the eve of their production of Hamlet, they’re starting all over again. What once seemed like a comedy of errors is now a race to prevent the next tragedy—before Charlotte or Jamie is the next victim. 

 Why I can't wait for this one!

Okay, so THIS time, I HAVE read the first book in this bestselling series, and the second, as well, although I didn't finish the second one. I do plan to give it a second chance, though, because I think the whole concept is a TERRIFIC one! I mean, the female descendant of the great detective, and the male descendant of his famous sidekick? LOVE IT!! Of course, this adds the possibility of some romance, which I totally dig. Interestingly, Cavallaro brings in some family dynamics, as well. So on to the third book! (Before I start on it, though, I will be SURE to give the second book that second chance, and then read the third one.)

The previous books in this series! Click on the covers for my reviews of the first two, and for the GR page of the third.

Brittany Cavallaro is a poet, fiction writer, and old school Sherlockian. She is the author of the Charlotte Holmes novels from HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, including A Study in Charlotte and The Last of August. She's also the author of the poetry collection Girl-King (University of Akron) and is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. She earned her BA in literature from Middlebury College, and her MFA in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she's a PhD candidate in English literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, cat, and collection of deerstalker caps.

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Can't Wait Wednesday No. 45: The Case for Jamie, by Brittany Cavallaro

Welcome to "Can't Wait Wednesday"!

   

This is a weekly event hosted by

Tressa @ Wishful Endings, and inspired by "Waiting On Wednesday", which used to be hosted by

 Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

For more information, please click HERE.

As in the previous meme, this one showcases future releases  we book  bloggers 
are eagerly anticipating!!
There's also a Linky widget, so participating blogs can link up!

Here's my choice for this week!

 The Case for Jamie

(Charlotte Holmes, Book 3)

Brittany Cavallaro

Hardcover,  368 pages

Katherine Tegen Books

     March 6, 2018       

Classics Retellings, Mystery, 

Sherlock Holmes 

Young Adult Fiction 

   

The hotly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes trilogy, in which Charlotte and Jamie finally face their longtime enemy…and their true feelings for each other.

It’s been a year since the shocking death of August Moriarty, and Jamie and Charlotte haven’t spoken. Jamie is going through the motions at Sherringford, trying to finish his senior year without incident, with a nice girlfriend he can’t seem to fall for. Until strange things start happening to him. Strange things that might mean nothing at all—or that someone is after him again.

Charlotte is on the run, from Lucien Moriarty and from her own mistakes. No one has seen her since that fateful night on the lawn in Sussex. Charlotte wants it that way. She knows she isn’t safe to be around. She knows that her Watson can’t forgive her.

Holmes and Watson may not be looking to reconcile, but there is someone who wants the team back together. Someone who has been quietly observing them both. Making plans. Biding their time. Someone who wants to see one of them suffer and the other one dead.

In this final explosive book in the Charlotte Holmes trilogy, Holmes and Watson face the ultimate test: they must unravel the case of their lives without unraveling each other. 

Why I can't wait for this one!

Okay, so I didn't enjoy the second novel in this series quite as much as I had the first one, but still, the characters are GREAT, and really, I'm now thinking that I should reread the second novel, and give it another chance. After all, I ADORE Sherlock Holmes retellings, and this series presents a very imaginative, fascinating take on the famous detective and his sidekick -- through their modern-day descendants, who become romantically involved, as well as partners in solving crimes. Besides, I LOVE that Cavallaro has made Holmes' great-great-great granddaughter as brilliant and quirky a detective as her legendary ancestor! So yes, I'm ALL IN for this one!!



The other books in this series. Click on the covers for my reviews.

Brittany Cavallaro is a poet, fiction writer, and old school Sherlockian. She is the author of the Charlotte Holmes novels from HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, including A Study in Charlotte and The Last of August. She's also the author of the poetry collection Girl-King (University of Akron) and is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. She earned her BA in literature from Middlebury College, and her MFA in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she's a PhD candidate in English literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, cat, and collection of deerstalker caps.

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What do you think of my
choice this week? 
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Can't Wait Wednesday No. 28: A Conspiracy In Belgravia, by Sherry Thomas

Welcome to "Can't Wait Wednesday"!

   

This is a weekly event hosted by

Tressa @ Wishful Endings, and inspired by "Waiting On Wednesday", which used to be hosted by

 Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

For more information, please click HERE.

As in the previous meme, this one showcases future releases  we book  bloggers 
are eagerly anticipating!!
There's also a Linky widget, so participating blogs can link up!

Here's my choice for this week!

 A Conspiracy In Belgravia

(Lady Sherlock, Book 2)

Trade Paperback,  336 pages

Berkley Books

September 5, 2017    

Historical Fiction, Mystery,

Sherlock Holmes

The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in the atmospheric second novel in New York Times bestseller Sherry Thomas's Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

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?

Why I can't wait for this one!

OMG!! I'm an OBSESSED fan of Sherlock Holmes, and this author has turned him, and Holmes's faithful assistant, into women, which makes me even MORE interested in this book!!!
Here is a new adventure, yet another of the great detective's brilliant exploits, except that now, as it turns out, this brilliance is due to a female brain! Are you surprised to hear that I've already pre-ordered this novel? And I would have NEVER heard of it, had it not been for the FABULOUS Barb, who blogs over at  Booker T's Farm: Books and Nails and Puppy Dog Tales!! Yes, I discovered this TERRIFIC book on Barb's "Stacking The Shelves"/"Sunday Post" post, which you can access HERE. Thanks SO much, Barb!!

Sherry Thomas writes both historical romance and young adult fantasy.

On the romance side, she is one of the most acclaimed authors working in the genre today, her books regularly receiving starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.

On the young adult fantasy side,  her debut book, The Burning Sky, book 1 of the Elemental Trilogy, has received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and been named to the Autumn ’13 Kids’ Indie Next List.

Sherry writes in her second language. She learned English by reading romance and science fiction—every word Isaac Asimov ever wrote, in fact. She is proud to say that her son is her biggest fanboy—for the YA fantasy, not the romances. At least, not yet…

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Book Review: A Study In Charlotte, by Brittany Cavallaro

A Study In Charlotte
(Charlotte Holmes, Book 1)
Brittany Cavallaro
Hardcover, 321 pages
Katherine Tegen Books
March 1, 2016
Mystery, Young Adult Fiction
Source: Barnes & Noble bookstore

Book Synopsis: The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

A Study in Charlotte is the first in a trilogy.

Basically, I have just one word for this incredible debut novel: BRILLIANT. Of course, I have many more words of praise for it, but this one word really sums up my most heartfelt reaction to it.

As a longtime Sherlock Holmes fan, I immediately felt attracted to this book. The original Conan Doyle stories are exciting, with very complex crimes (which, of course, makes the stories as fascinating as they are). Holmes is an eccentric detective whose personal flaws are just as interesting as his genius for solving difficult cases, just with the highly observant, deductive power of his mind. And Watson is the perfect, faithful partner, willing to follow Holmes to the bitter end. He is also the excellent chronicler of all the cases he and Holmes work on.

This novel brings back all those things that made Sherlock Holmes such an iconic character -- in the person of his great, great, great granddaughter, Charlotte.

I LOVED that, when creating her own version of the original detective duo, Cavallaro chose to make Sherlock's genius detective descendant Charlotte, instead of James. We've already had enough of young women adoringly admiring confident male heroes. The tables are turned here! We definitely need more daring, logically-inclined female detectives in fiction!

Charlotte Holmes is just as quirky, and just as much of a detective genius, as her formidable ancestor. She even shares his fondness for violin playing, as well as his unfortunate attraction to drugs, although her drug of choice is OxyContin. However, like her ancestor's favorite drug, cocaine, OxyContin is a derivative of opium.

James Watson, the boy who meets and becomes Charlotte's partner, is the original Watson's descendant, too. Like him, James becomes an indispensable ally to his own Holmes, in her quest to solve puzzling crimes. This alliance is made rather complex by the fact that this Holmes is a female. Jamie Watson has feelings for Charlotte, which, toward the end of the novel, he's more and more willing to accept. Charlotte has feelings for him as well, but is much more reticent, in keeping with her temperament, which is a lot like that of her famous ancestor.

Also like his own ancestor, James Watson is the chronicler of his adventures with Charlotte Holmes. His narrative is just as matter of fact, but just as perceptive. Through his eyes, we see just what a great detective Charlotte is. He describes her personality in detail, and admits to being baffled by its eccentricities. Still, he can't help but be fascinated, and enjoys working with her. 

The case here is not only exciting, but also hits too close to home. Holmes and Watson have been framed for murder. The fact that the victim harassed Holmes on several previous occasions, and was confronted by Watson during one of them, makes things look very bad for our two heroes.

Like the original Holmes, Charlotte is on the case immediately. She has been able to arrange to have her own crime lab, where, with Watson's help, she begins to follow clues and come to conclusions. Like Sherlock, she comes up with the craziest notions (but they only appear crazy on the surface), testing them through flawless logic, and then following through on them. She is totally unpredictable, frequently taking her partner by surprise when she suddenly goes off on a dangerous, but effective, course of action.

All this goes down while the pair are students at a private Connecticut boarding school. They have to deal not only with the suspicions of the police, but the taunts and even hatred of their own classmates, while negotiating the challenges of adolescence, as well. 

In the process, Jamie (as he is known to most people, to his great chagrin) reconnects with his estranged father, and discovers that things are not quite as he had thought they were.

The plot is diabolically PERFECT. Cavallaro references famous Sherlock Holmes cases such as "A Study In Scarlet", "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle", and others. She interweaves clues related to these cases into her own plot in a very skillful manner that is reminiscent of Conan Doyle's own great storytelling. 

The descendants of the famous detective duo are very well-developed characters. They work together beautifully. They brainstorm. They argue. They follow the inexorable, logical train of thought of the Holmesian mind. They are just enchanting!

Here are some samples of typical interchanges:

I stuffed my hands in my pockets to keep myself from fidgeting. "Do you want me to try to lie to you?"

At that, I watched Holmes fight back a laugh. "God, no, that would be pointless. No, I'll make a series of statements and you can tell me which are true. Thumb up for truth, thumb down for a lie."

********

"Because, somewhere in that brain of yours, you've decided I should know more about you, but you don't want to do it outright. No, it can't be simple, you're Charlotte Holmes. You have to do it sideways, and this is the most sideways approach you could dream up."

********

"This is completely unfair," I pointed out.

"It is." Holmes smiled to herself. "We can talk more at the poker game tonight."

"No one's going to come. Everyone thinks we're murderers."

"Everyone will come," she said, correctly, "because everyone thinks we're murderers."

********

I was delighted to once again feel the excitement of the original tales, as the 21st century Holmes and Watson took up the chase, followed all leads, and, most of all, came to incredible deductive conclusions, almost as if by magic, thanks to Charlotte.

All Sherlockian fans will be absolutely fascinated and pleased by Cavallaro's masterful use of the original material created by Conan Doyle. Readers who love the YA genre will be doubly pleased, as the author also seamlessly weaves teen angst into the plot.

I need to do some fangirling of this novel! I need to say how very MUCH I LOVE IT!! I did not want it to end..... I was fascinated, spellbound, addicted, compelled to read, totally and completely immersed in this great story that is such a tribute to the original Holmes and Watson! I have long loved these two, and now I love their descendants just as much!!

If you're a Sherlockian, you really MUST read this novel. You will get your Holmes and Watson fix, no doubt about it!

Of course, I have already pre-ordered the sequel, The Last of August, and hope that Cavallaro will turn this trilogy into a long-lasting series, just as Conan Doyle did with his own immortal characters!          

MY RATING:

Brittany Cavallaro is a poet, fiction writer, and old school Sherlockian. She is the author of the Charlotte Holmes novels from HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, including A Study In Charlotte and The Last of August (forthcoming in February 2017). She's also the author of the poetry collection Girl-King (University of Akron) and is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. She earned her BA in literature from Middlebury College and her MFA in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she's a PhD candidate in English literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, cat, and collection of deerstalker caps. 

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