Murder on Cold Street

I absolutely loved diving into Charlotte Holmes’s life of mystery and intrigue in book five of The Lady Sherlock series. This may have been the first book I read in this series, but it won’t be my last. I’m actually quite upset that I did not know of this series sooner, because I can only imagine how the fans of Miss Holmes must eagerly anticipate each installment of the series.

Inspector Treadles, Charlotte Holmes’s friend and collaborator, has been found locked in a room with two dead men, both of whom worked with his wife at the great manufacturing enterprise she has recently inherited.

Rumors fly. Had Inspector Treadles killed the men because they had opposed his wife’s initiatives at every turn? Had he killed in a fit of jealous rage, because he suspected Mrs. Treadles of harboring deeper feelings for one of the men? To make matters worse, he refuses to speak on his own behalf, despite the overwhelming evidence against him.

Charlotte finds herself in a case strewn with lies and secrets. But which lies are to cover up small sins, and which secrets would flay open a past better left forgotten? Not to mention, how can she concentrate on these murders, when Lord Ingram, her oldest friend and sometime lover, at last dangles before her the one thing she has always wanted?

Our investigation begins as Mrs. Treadles (with a very haunted past) looks to Charlotte Holmes for help in proving her husband’s, Inspector Treadles, innocence, and from here the reader hits the ground running as time is not something to waste in Charlotte’s world.

Murder on Cold Street was a fantastic locked door mystery that had twists, turns and was cleverly written. Thomas definitely has a way with descriptive writing. I felt like I was transported in almost a cinematic way into the story as I followed the characters down the streets and into houses in hunt of a killer. It was fun feeling like I was right there examining clues with Charlotte and the other cast of characters.

I especially loved the strong female characters in this story as they were vibrant and full of spirit. My favorite being the comradery between Charlotte Holmes and Miss Watson.

If you are also looking for a bit of romance, you will find it. I loved the relationship that is beginning to blossom between Charlotte and Lord Ingram. Since I’m just new to this series and jumping in with the latest book, I’m guessing that they have been back and forth or denying their feelings for each other up to this point.

If you are a fan of The Caught in Time series or the Veronica Speedwell series, than the Lady Sherlock series is one you should pick-up and dive into as soon as possible. It is the perfect historical series to cozy up with as the temperatures get colder.

Now if you will excuse me…I’m off to start this series from the beginning! 

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Books for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.