One of the (many) things that marks the Lady Sherlock series out as superior to so many other historical mysteries is the incredible amount of character development going on. More layers of Charlotte’s complex personality are peeled back here, and we learn a lot more about Lord Ingram and his unpopular wife ... The story is very cleverly constructed, making excellent use of flashbacks in the latter part to complete the bigger picture ... The Hollow of Fear is yet another tour de force from Sherry Thomas ... A mystery filled with as many twists and turns as any Conan Doyle fan could wish for, a fascinating character study, and an unusual romance, it’s easily the best book of the series (so far) and my only complaint is that I have to wait until next year for another helping.
This book wrecked me, from giving me twitchy tense reading in the beginning to requiring that I ignore everything around me and read in a parking lot so I could finish it at the end ... I’m invested in the characters, especially Livia and Mrs. Watson, and in the eventual happiness of all of them. They’re each, along with ancillary characters who also reveal their true nature beneath their social disguise, trying to right wrongs and restore some form of safety if not justice for those around them. That was exactly what I wanted to read, and I might have to go back and re-read the series again—something I rarely, if ever, do. If you like historical mystery with a very hefty and savory helping of critical analysis of social expectations, sexism, and the roles women are expected to play, you’ll very much like this series.
Charlotte Holmes’s cover is nothing if not impressive: far more than being the great detective’s amanuensis, she is the embodiment of 'Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective' to her clients ... To say more would be to deprive readers of the pleasure of watching Charlotte, aka Sherrinford, at the height of her powers ... The Hollow of Fear is an absorbing tale of detection, with a fascinating, iconoclastic woman at its core.
Charlotte Holmes remains a challenging heroine in some respects. Her condition, presumably somewhere on the autism spectrum, means that she sometimes frustrates the people around her with her reaction, or lack thereof, to events. As a reader, I guess I share a bit of that frustration? Charlotte is lovable and sympathetic (as well as admirable) in her own way, but her very nature makes it hard to relate to her. But in some ways the challenge makes her a more rewarding character to follow through the series, as well ... Overall, The Hollow of Fear is a solid entry into the series that advances the character development and leaves me anticipating book four.
This third book in the series picks up exactly where A Conspiracy in Belgravia ended, which may be confusing to readers who have not read the earlier entries. Atmospheric and leisurely paced, with careful development of an elaborate story line, the title also offers a thought-provoking view of the expectations and roles of women in Victorian England ... Thomas's fans and readers of the Conan Doyle canon, especially The Valley of Fear, will appreciate the intricately crafted mystery, although others may find it difficult to follow.
Every new mystery in this gender-swapped retelling of Holmes has been drawing together the chess pieces of a complex game involving the disgraced gentlewoman and detective Charlotte Holmes, the ominous Moriarty, the upright Lord Ingram, and his icy wife ... for once, the reader doesn’t know everything that Holmes does, and it heightens the suspense in her race to save the life of someone in whom we are heavily invested ... The resolution, as well as the spell cast by Thomas’ language and clever use of disguise to reveal a devastating understanding of human flaws and desires, leaves one with a good book hangover. A novel in which you cannot wait to find out what happens next—even as you do not want it to end. For everyone who wants their mysteries spiced with plentiful twists and a delicious dose of sexual chemistry.
Sherlockians who also love romance novels will best appreciate Thomas’s third Lady Sherlock mystery set in Victorian England ... Those who find Thomas’s creative reimagining plausible and don’t mind anachronistic language will have fun.
