Title: A Study In Charlotte
Author: Brittany Cavallaro
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: March 2016
Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Contemporary, Mystery
Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One
Synopsis can be found here.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
Wow. That was a lot of fun. Well thought out, clever, dramatic fun.
Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson meet, finally, for the first time at boarding school. They’ve heard so much about each other, as they are the descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Immediately, Jamie is drawn to Charlotte which is a good thing because they are both being framed for a classmate’s murder! Or is something even more sinister happening?
Well written and witty, A Study In Charlotte is a wonderful book. The murder mystery keeps you guessing until the last page. What really puts this story above and beyond others is Charlotte herself. Charlotte is intelligent, clever, anti-social and slightly off. She is blunt and hard, battling her own demons and trying to clear her and Jamie’s names. I love Charlotte. I like her toughness, her soft side and her vulnerability. She’s not like other Sherlocks, but the spirit of the character lives on in Charlotte.
Jamie is a wonderful character on his own. His observations and quick wit is attractive but what really makes him awesome is how he recognizes Charlotte’s intellect and allows her to drive. He takes the back seat again and again, only asking to be kept in the loop and help when he can. I love that. I like how Jamie is so supportive and excited to meet Charlotte, learn more about her, and as his feelings grow, try to rationalize what it would be like to be in love with a Holmes.
There’s not a lot of groundbreaking detective work but overall, the plot moves along quickly and doesn’t get bogged down in too much detail or overblown twists. Charlotte plays things close to the vest so we only have Jamie’s point of view to theorize who the killer really is. Which is fine because really, this book is about Charlotte and Jamie. A match made for great, great things ahead.
The second book comes out next year. I can’t wait. I’m a Sherlock fan… but now I’m a huge Charlotte fan too.
Kimberly majored in Songwriting and currently works full time in the music industry. When she's not listening to music, knitting or writing, you can find her outside reading her favorite genres: Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.