Want an “at a glance” look at what I thought? Check out my Review On A Post-It or my “Final Thought”
It’s set in a world where Sherlock and Watson really existed and their two of their descendants in the modern world end up going to the same boarding school. A murder happens at the school, Jamie & Charlotte are suspects and they work together to solve the mystery and clear their name.
WAHHH I JUST REALLY WANT THE NEXT SEASON OF SHERLOCK but this was fun in the meantime
There’s been a lot of great Sherlock retellings lately and I really enjoyed this fun spin on Sherlock Holmes. I loved the idea of this being set in a world where Sherlock & Watson had actually been real people and weren’t fictional characters. It’s our same contemporary world except the renowned duo were real people with a line of descendants and Arthur Conan Doyle was their literary agent which I thought was super fun.
We follow the descendants of Sherlock and Watson, Charlotte and Jamie, who have just met each other for the first time at their boarding school after knowing so much about each other and their families for so long. They are thrust together after a murder happens at school and Jamie and Charlotte become suspects naturally and they realize they are being framed! So the pair team up to figure out who might have it out for each other while getting to know each other outside what they think they know about each other. I thought it was really fun (I mean, as fun as murder can be) that the crimes that were being committed were ripped from the cases that the original Sherlock and Watson solved/wrote about. Is it someone who has a vendetta against their families? Is it something else — a super fan, a personal issue etc.? I had fun trying to figure it out!
I liked Charlotte but I felt she was soooo similar personality-wise to the Sherlock on the BBC show. Like too much. Or maybe that was what I brought to the reading experience? I’m not sure but I just kept picturing a female Benedict Cumberbatch. I just would have liked it if she was Sherlock-esque but not exactly like him. Felt a little lazy to me personally because I would have liked some similarities as a descendant but not someone that felt like a female carbon copy. That’s just me personally though. It’s been forever since a read any Arthur Conan Doyle so pretty much all I have in my mind is the show version.
The mystery itself was, for the most part, engaging. It wasn’t a super shocker or anything but it was fun enough to follow along and try to piece together if you are in the mood for a quick and fun mystery. Not quite as dark or compelling as the show or other retellings for me but satisfied the mystery mood I’ve been in.
+ interesting enough mystery, fun retelling premise
– Charlotte and Jamie not being compelling and unique enough
Should you read it? I think if you are looking for a fun mystery or a fun Sherlock retelling, absolutely!
Should you buy it or borrow it? I’d say borrow but that’s because I rarely read mysteries twice and I only keep favorite books/books I’d reread on my shelves.
fans of YA mysteries and also people who are newer to the genre, people looking for mysteries that aren’t super dark, people who like Sherlock retellings
A Study In Charlotte was a fun mystery that had a fun premise of being set in a world where Sherlock and Holmes were real and two of their descendants pair up in modern day to solve a crime that has clues from the original Sherlock and Holmes’ work. Wasn’t my favorite but I certainly enjoyed it!
* Have you read this one? What did you think? Similar or different from me? I would LOVE to hear regardless!
*If you haven’t read it, does it feel like something you’d be into?
Tell me your favorite Sherlock retellings or mysteries!!
Emma @ Miss Print says
I totally agree with you on the similarities to the BBC version of Sherlock. While this book was a fun premise it felt surprisingly not unique for a female Sherlock. I also thought it was interesting that the characters seem keen to be seen as more than their prescribed familial roles (detectives! writers!) only to have the book essentially be Sherlock-lite with a lot of the same themes/plot devices found in the original texts.
Jamie says
YES all this. I didn’t think about that last point about them wanting to be more than their prescribed familial roles but then they were the same. That is a much better way to describe how I felt about the characters!! I wanted them to be MORE. Glad I wasn’t the only one that felt that way. It sure was fun but not what I’d hope with the characters for them to be their own!
Nicole says
I’ve add this on my TBR list ever since I saw I first read the blurb, but I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews about it. I’ll probably definitely borrow it first. I loved your review! 🙂
Jamie says
Yeah, definitely a borrow first is a good idea I think! The cover is so pretty that if you love it and want to own it it will be an instabuy because SERIOUSLY THAT COVER. Plus I think there will be more books which I do plan to read!
Heather H says
I haven’t read this one yet but I love Ellie Marney’s Every Breath series…have you read it yet? Another cute Sherlock retelling 🙂
Jamie says
I haven’t read that one but I want to sooo bad! It’s been on my TBR for forever! Must library this soon. Or maybe buy? Is it a series I’m going to want to own??
Heather H says
I got the first two from the library & ended up buying the third to get it quicker!! 🙂 I think you would definitely enjoy them.
Jen @ BookLoversAlliance says
I definitely agree that Charlotte is way too similar to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock. That was all I kept thinking while I was reading and it kind of bugged me. I liked the book overall but I think I would have liked it a lot more if she had a more unique personality with only a few of Sherlock’s characteristics.
Jamie says
Yes! I’m glad I’m not the only one that thought that. I couldn’t tell if it was just ME interjecting him into it or if it really was that similar…which it seemed like it really was. I just wanted her to be her own person.
Kyra @ Blog of a Bookaholic says
OOH this looks really good! I haven’t ever really watched Sherlock and I’m not familiar with his character, so maybe I’ll enjoy this? I also prefer lighter mysteries so I’ll definitely give this a go!
Jamie says
Yes this actually would be perfect for you then!!
Bee @ Quite the Novel Idea says
I hear a lot of fairly positive things about this one so if I’m ever in the mood, I’ll try to pick it up! 🙂
Jamie says
Definitely a good one if you want a quick and more light mystery!
JoLee says
I liked A Study in Charlotte a lot. I read a bunch of YA Sherlock Holmsian tales for a recent blog post (here’s the url in case you are curious: http://www.intellectualrecreation.com/2016/03/reading-on-theme-young-adult-sherlock.html). It was a really fun post to put together. A Study in Charlotte was definitely one of my favorites of the five.
Jamie says
Ooh will have to check it out! I def plan to read more Sherlock-esque books!