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.

YESSSSSSSS. Okay, sorry, again with the retellings… I know, I have a problem, I need to diversify my reading list. But, I can’t help it. I. Adore. Retellings.

I won’t lie; I had heard enough about this book that I was a bit hesitant to pick it up in the first place… I was worried it would disappoint, or be a bit too cheesy. However, it was actually a really nice, unique take on the Sherlock story.

I will say, I am not usually one for mysteries. I find the attention to every detail and repetitive nature can be a bit slow for me in general. So, this is not a story that I would traditionally have been drawn to. However, the story tellings seamlessly wove wonderful character development and general plot into the already strong mystery. The side plots with Jamie and Charlotte allowed the discoveries and investigation of the mystery to pass by fluidly.

Also, can we just take a minute to talk about Jamie Watson? Um? Could anyone be, like, that perfect IRL? He’s a hipster nerd and I haven’t related to a character so much in a while. Thanks for ruining all dating prospects for me, Jamie; no one will ever live up to the standards you have created.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I think it is pretty friendly for those who are at this reading level. There was some language and some descriptions of drug use/addiction. There was also some description of PTSD a character was suffering from after a sexual assualt. It is pretty clear that both Jamie and Charlotte are suffering from their own mental health issues, and I think that the way that they are being discussed and handled is very well done and realistic, but may be a topic that one would want to discuss with younger readers. There was very little I didn’t like about this book, and I am excited to pick up the rest of the series!

4 out of 5.

Maddie