Narrator Kate Reading returns to perform the sixth installment in the Lady Sherlock historical mystery series. This reimagined Sherlock Holmes character is an independent, headstrong young woman; her companion is the widow Mrs. Watson. Listeners new to the series or to the Conan Doyle canon may initially feel slightly at sea. But soon they’ll be caught up in what happens when Charlotte Holmes finds herself pitted against the evil Mr. Moriarty, who claims to be worried about the welfare of his unmarried daughter. Charlotte’s investigation into the woman’s situation raises more questions than answers. Reading’s strong, consistent portrayals and variety of voices capture each character’s personality. She lets the mystery unfold gradually, avoiding foreshadowing and matching her pacing to each scene. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.
Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte's sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte's longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte-or is it the other way around?
But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty's disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers?
A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.
Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte's sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte's longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte-or is it the other way around?
But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty's disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers?
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Miss Moriarty, I Presume?
Narrated by Kate Reading
Sherry ThomasUnabridged — 13 hours, 0 minutes
![Miss Moriarty, I Presume?](http://img.images-bn.com/static/redesign/srcs/images/grey-box.png?v11.11.4)
Miss Moriarty, I Presume?
Narrated by Kate Reading
Sherry ThomasUnabridged — 13 hours, 0 minutes
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Overview
A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.
Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte's sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte's longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte-or is it the other way around?
But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty's disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers?
Editorial Reviews
10/04/2021
In Thomas’s appealing sixth Lady Sherlock mystery (after 2020’s Murder in Cold Street), brilliant private investigator Charlotte Holmes, who acts as an “oracle” on behalf of her fictional brother, Sherlock, has an appointment with a potential client, James Baxter, at her office at 18 Upper Baker Street. When Mr. Baxter appears, Charlotte recognizes him as her nemesis, Moriarty, whom she last saw at a disrupted ball at Moriarty’s château outside Paris two months earlier. Moriarty doesn’t explain his alias when he requests her assistance in extracting his grown daughter, Marguerite, from a cult based in Cornwall known as the Hermetists, and Charlotte wonders what he really wants. After consulting with the ever-attentive Lord Ash Ingram, Charlotte takes the case, and she and her friend Mrs. Watson head to Cornwall in search of answers. The more she learns about Marguerite, the more she wonders why Moriarty hired her. Meanwhile, the romance between Charlotte and Ash heats up. The interactions among the characters matter more than the convoluted plot. Cozy fans will have fun. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Nov.)
Praise for Miss Moriarty, I Presume?
“Tense and atmospherically rich, particularly in the Cornwall chapters, the novel is interspersed with brief scenes of Charlotte and Ingram’s new intimacy, including some chuckle-inducing letters. … An enjoyable jigsaw puzzle in the Holmes tradition, with gothic thrills and a dash of romance.”―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Readers will revel in seeing Charlotte and her dearest companions at the top of their game in this eventful and pivotal entry in the formidable series.”BookPage
“Miss Moriarty, I Presume? is a complex story, full of twists and unexpected turns. Settle in for a delightful read, full of red herrings and memorable set pieces and above all, let the talented Sherry Thomas dazzle you as she performs literary sleights of hand at every turn. Brava!”Criminal Element
Praise for The Lady Sherlock Series
“With an increasingly beloved detective crew, this Victorian mystery offers thrills and sharp insights into human behavior.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Murder on Cold Street
“Thomas’s skillful writing delivers many…deft observations, creating a satisfying story that entertains us while also revealing a world in which a remarkable woman must hide her talents behind a man’s name.” ―Historical Novels Review on Murder on Cold Street
“A wonderfully feminist historical mystery…Sherry Thomas has made an incredible addition to the Sherlockian canon in Charlotte, with her intense brain, flamboyant attire, unconquerable sweet tooth and uncanny ability to circumvent strict Victorian mores to suit her purpose. … Readers of Sherlockian fiction will love the Lady Sherlock series, as will anyone who enjoys a historical mystery with a bit of romantic tension.”―Shelf Awareness on Murder on Cold Street
“Bestselling author Sherry Thomas returns with the fifth installment in her captivating, Victorian-era Lady Sherlock series. … Perfect for fans of Holmes whodunits!”―Woman’s World, on Murder on Cold Street
"Sherry Thomas' fifth outing in the Lady Sherlock series is as fascinating and feminist as ever.”—Austin Chronicle on Murder on Cold Street
“Thomas… masterfully handles all the ins and outs of the mystery while layering the story with suspense and intrigue to keep readers guessing.”— BookPage on Murder on Cold Street
“Fans of traditional mysteries and Sherlockian pastiche rejoice at the site of a new Sherry Thomas, as do historical fiction aficionados, but really we all should be enjoying Thomas’ charming and romantic tales of Victorian intrigue.” —CrimeReads on Murder on Cold Street
"These books, which recast Sherlock Holmes as Charlotte Holmes, are perfect for those who adore layered stories. Unignorable questions of gender, expectation and privilege lurk beneath complex mysteries and a slowly scorching romance."The Washington Post, on The Art of Theft
"Fast-paced storytelling and witty prose add further appeal for those who like their historical mysteries playful."Publishers Weekly, on The Art of Theft
"Thoughtful yet brief remarks critique patriarchy, heteronormativity, and colonialism, fitting organically into an absorbing whodunwhat arc. An exciting addition to the mystery series; Holmes meets Ocean's 11 meets A Vindication of the Rights of Woman."Kirkus Reviews (starred review), on The Art of Theft
"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 nexteven as you do not want it to end."Kirkus Reviews (starred review), on The Hollow of Fear
"The mystery at the novel's heart is compelling...but it's once again the author's incisive and compassionate glimpses at how women survive the strictures of misogyny that place the book a cut above the rest."The Austin Chronicle on The Hollow of Fear
"This spell-binding tale is the third in the Lady Sherlock Historical Mysteries and is even better (if possible) than the last. For those who have yet to experience this new "take" on the beloved Sherlock Holmes and the Victorian realm that never disappoints, this is a series you must start reading right now!"Suspense Magazine on The Hollow of Fear
10/01/2021
In this sixth entry in Thomas's historical mystery series (after Murder on Cold Street), archenemy Moriarty approaches Charlotte Holmes to ask for her help. His daughter took refuge in a remote religious commune, but no one has seen her in quite some time. Could Charlotte please investigate? Yes, and she'll need her entire team to assist, especially Mrs. Watson and Lord Ingram. Her sister Livia also gets some page time. Because this is at heart a Sherlock Holmes mystery, things are never quite as they seem, with lots of complicated maneuvers and strategizing involving ciphers and disguises. Not to mention dead bodies. However, even in the midst of great danger, interpersonal relationships remain center stage. One of the strengths of this series is its carefully drawn and appealing cast of characters. VERDICT Existing fans will appreciate the romantic plot developments, while new readers could treat this as a standalone but would be better served by starting with book one, A Study in Scarlet Women. Suitable for those who enjoy Deanna Raybourn's "Veronica Speedwell" mysteries.—Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.
Narrator Kate Reading returns to perform the sixth installment in the Lady Sherlock historical mystery series. This reimagined Sherlock Holmes character is an independent, headstrong young woman; her companion is the widow Mrs. Watson. Listeners new to the series or to the Conan Doyle canon may initially feel slightly at sea. But soon they’ll be caught up in what happens when Charlotte Holmes finds herself pitted against the evil Mr. Moriarty, who claims to be worried about the welfare of his unmarried daughter. Charlotte’s investigation into the woman’s situation raises more questions than answers. Reading’s strong, consistent portrayals and variety of voices capture each character’s personality. She lets the mystery unfold gradually, avoiding foreshadowing and matching her pacing to each scene. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
★ 2021-08-18
The world’s most famous detective must outwit her nemesis in Victorian Cornwall.
Thomas' series continues with the life of Charlotte Holmes, the woman detective masquerading as her fictitious brother, Sherlock, shortly after the events of Murder on Cold Street (2020). While Charlotte; her lover, Lord Ingram; her companion, Mrs. Watson; and her sister, Olivia, are hoping they haven’t riled Moriarty, the hope is soon dashed. The feared criminal mastermind, calling himself Mr. Baxter, wants Charlotte to take on a case involving his wayward daughter, who has secreted herself at a religious retreat in Cornwall. But is that all he has in mind? Left no real choice, Charlotte & Co. begin their investigations into Miss Baxter as well as into Olivia’s sweetheart, Mr. Marbleton, whom Moriarty has coerced back into his web. Tense and atmospherically rich, particularly in the Cornwall chapters, the novel is interspersed with brief scenes of Charlotte and Ingram’s new intimacy, including some chuckle-inducing letters. Thomas counts on readers being familiar with the way Arthur Conan Doyle wrote Holmes’ confrontation with Moriarty in "The Final Problem," but she provides a new (female solidarity) twist to get to that point rather than keeping us guessing about how she's going to adapt the famous ending. It’s an interesting application of the romance-genre structure, in which the predictable climax is less important than the journey toward it—something Thomas knows well as a romance author—but the way she sets up the twist and the ending by switching the point of view to a minor character is a bit clunky. Charlotte herself appears less like the neurodiverse character she's been established to be in previous novels, but her love for food and her loose allegiance to social mores and role-playing are still charming.
An enjoyable jigsaw puzzle in the Holmes tradition, with gothic thrills and a dash of romance.
Product Details
BN ID: | 2940177054209 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Penguin Random House |
Publication date: | 11/02/2021 |
Series: | Lady Sherlock Series , #6 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
Read an Excerpt
One
Dear Ash,
Allow me to set the scene.
The day is cold and drizzly. A fire crackles in the grate. I am seated at the desk in my room, a cup of hot cocoa to my left, and a plate of still-warm plum cake to my right.
I've portrayed my usual sybaritic setting, you say? Why, patience, my old friend.
For what do I see when I look down but enough lace and frill to astonish Louis XIV himself, an eruption of white foam upon a wildly pink sea. Yes, I am wearing my very first tea gown, which you kindly gifted me at Christmas.
Alas, I had to put on a dressing gown over this fuchsia splendor. Even with a fire in the room, the tea gown by itself is still too insubstantial a garment for this time of the year.
Now that you can picture me, let me relay some news.
It has been three weeks since we eliminated both milk and bread from my sister Bernadine's diet. Not only does she no longer curl up into a ball after her meals, holding her innards in pain, she has gained five pounds. Madame Gascoigne remains astonished. Earlier she was convinced that nothing could be more wholesome than milk and bread. But I've long suspected that it must be some very common foodstuff that caused Bernadine's perennial gastrointestinal distress. At home I couldn't persuade my parents to agree to a scientific trial, but here I was able to put my ideas to the test.
I would have liked to give Livia a thorough account of Bernadine's improvement. Unfortunately, what with the sums I remitted home last December for the family's upkeep, my parents have become much more interested in the contents of the post and Livia can no longer count on always being the first person to examine incoming letters. In the end I conveyed my news in a small notice in the paper.
But in a small notice, there is no room to describe Bernadine's new peacefulness or the beginning of a healthy blush to her complexion. Similarly, I can assure Livia that Sherlock Holmes flourishes, but must wait for a future moment to let her know that Mrs. Watson and I solved five cases in the past three days and that my esteemed partner levied from one client an exorbitant seven pounds eleven shillings for our trouble. Mrs. Watson can always smell those who will be happier with the services they receive if they are charged more, a valuable skill too seldom taught to young ladies such as my former self.
Ahem. Are you impatiently scanning this rambling letter, my friend? Well, skim no more, for here is where I at last thank you for the lovely, lovely microscope I received for Valentine's Day.
I have heard of elaborate Valentine's Day cards that can conceal a watch or some other small valuable items inside, but I must be the first person of my acquaintance to find a Valentine's Day card amidst the scattered straws of a packing crate.
I digress. But what a shining beauty. What a perfect apparatus. After the unboxing, I sat and admired the microscope for a solid quarter hour before opening the instructional manual you'd so thoughtfully sent along.
After learning the controls, I quickly went through the dry-mount slides that had been supplied alongside the telescope. This past week saw me invade the kitchen on numerous occasions, to Madame Gascoigne's wry amusement, to borrow bits of vegetable matter that I then sliced with a scalpel to make my own wet-mount slides.
I'll spare you a full treatise of what I've learned about dyeing the specimens and illuminating them for maximum clarity and resolution,
as this letter is running long. But allow me to express my gratitude
once again. I adore the microscope and I can't say enough good things
about it.
Yours,
Holmes
P.S. But the letter isn't so long that I can't append a postscript or two. Apologies for using my own shorthand from this point forward as I answer the questions you posed in your letter. No, since you last inquired, I have not heard from either of the gentlemen in question. Our erstwhile companion in mischief has been silent since his abrupt departure last December. And my kin, after his brief but welcome message in the papers early in January, has also abstained from further communication.
P.P.S. I do worry a little about Livia. Granted, the swift acceptance of her Sherlock Holmes story for publication in Beeton's Christmas Annual put her in a state of euphoria. But euphoria never lasts long in the Holmes household and she has been stuck there too long without a respite.
P.P.P.S. The surveillance has been more or less the same. I wonder what will come next.
P.P.P.P.S. Were you beginning to believe, my friend, that I would never arrive at addressing your other Valentine's Day gift?
I am wearing them now, those very pink silk stockings and the no less frou-frou suspenders, beneath my tea gown. For a moment I marveled at how you managed to locate the exact same fabric as the one used in the tea gown, only to realize that the entire ensemble had been conceived and executed at the same time, but given to me in two installments.
I am amazed, Ash.
It warms the cockles of my heart, knowing that to an already scandalous tea gown, you chose to add an even more outrageous pair of stockings. One of these days you must recount for me what passed between you and the dressmaker. I hope she was appalled-and secretly titillated, of course.
And now we come at last to the reason that I am replying to you only now, after the passage of an entire week: I needed time to compose a suitable response to your extraordinary gift. It is in the smaller, waxed-sealed envelope. I hope, with every fiber of my being, that it will achieve its intended effect.
Dear Charlotte,
I have marvelous news. Mrs. Newell, our beloved Mrs. Newell, has invited me for a visit. A fortnight away from home!
Of course, part of me bemoans the fact that we shall be in the dreariest stretch of the year, the last bitter dregs of winter. I'm tempted to reimagine this visit at the height of summer, with the sun all warm and liquid-or at least warmer and more liquid-and myself in muslin, strolling the parklands for days on end.
But I'm grateful. Oh so grateful to be given this reprieve. I will not describe for you the latest scenes of domestic strife in the Holmes household. Suffice it to say that whatever good cheer our parents derived from the funds you provided-and from being temporarily away from each other-evaporated after they were once again reunited under the same roof. In fact, they loathe each other more after an absence.
But let me waste no more ink on them.
Now that I have expounded sufficiently on this latest development in my life, allow me to at last thank you for the wonderful typewriter. (And how clever of you to have hidden it inside a box of painted pebbles from Bernadine's "institution." Neither Mamma nor Papa displayed the least interest and I was able to whisk the box away to my room.)
For weeks after I received my news, I smiled until my cheeks hurt: I am no longer a mere scribbler, but a scribbler for whose words publishers-or at least one publisher-would part with real pounds sterling.
And I can't thank you enough-you, Mrs. Watson, and especially Miss Redmayne-for finding the chap who would lend me his name for this story. I do chafe a little at the thought of this deception, at the contortions I must perform and the credit I must sacrifice. But then I think of you, you whose very perceptiveness and audacity inspired the story. I think of the rigmarole you go through in order to make a living and tell myself that if you can put up with it, so can I.
But your genius is incontrovertible. Whereas my story has yet to face its true test. What if everyone who opens a copy of the Christmas Annual simply skips over my tale? Or what if everyone does read it but loathes it? I usually manage to keep such thoughts to the side, but sometimes, when Mamma is in an ill humor-
Let me not speak any more about that. Instead let me thank you again for your generous present and your even more generous note. You are right that I would be unlikely to use this typewriter, for as long as I live under our parents' roof, for fear of attracting their attention. But I held your note close to my heart and imagined, as you asked me to, the day when I would be free. When I can dash up and down staircases, saunter from room to room, and, my goodness, even pound upon the stubborn keys of a new typewriter without incurring anyone's disdain and wrath.
Here's to that day. Here's to us.
Eternally yours,
Livia
P.S. I am all right. I miss our young friend and I worry about him. But I understand that it may be a long time before we can do anything and I am determined to be patient. And to be useful, when the day comes.
Dear Holmes,
I met Miss Olivia yesterday afternoon-a happy surprise I had not anticipated when I'd accepted Mrs. Newell's invitation to tea.
The three of us passed a very pleasant time. Afterward Miss Olivia and I took a walk by ourselves in Mrs. Newell's gardens. There I was at last able to congratulate her on the upcoming publication, albeit not for some months yet, of her novel. She was flustered-very nearly giddy. It took me a moment to realize that although she had written to you, this must be the first time she had been able to celebrate that achievement in person with anyone.
We parted ways with promises of many meetings during her time in Derbyshire, even though I suspect that Mrs. Newell plans to surprise her with a trip to London instead.
I haven't told you this, but the previous time I saw Mrs. Newell, she pulled me aside and asked whether I had news of you. With great care I related that according to Inspector Treadles, who had met you during the course of the investigation at Stern Hollow, you seemed to be faring surprisingly well. Mrs. Newell responded rather archly that she thought I'd have more direct news. When I equivocated, she sighed and said, "Of course I understand. You needn't say more, my dear."
She is far from the only person, by the way, who had approached me in the months since your departure from Society, whether in person or by post, and inquired after your well-being. I have become expert at deflecting questions about you, especially from those who simply desire to gossip or, worse, entertain themselves at your expense. But it does make me wistful that I also cannot answer the ones who are sincerely concerned.
I barely know some of the individuals. But over the years they have benefited from your perspicacity in one way or another. It comforts me that despite your public disgrace they have not forgotten your generosity. Some of the inquiries come with heartfelt offers of help attached. Yours, Holmes, has been an existence that has made a material difference in the lives of many.
In other news-
In other news, my letter-writing was interrupted by the post, which brought new correspondence from you. Upon opening the seal of the inner envelope and seeing that it was written entirely in your own shorthand, my heart fell, fearing news of the most unwelcome sort from our adversary.
Imagine my utter disorientation, then, when I realized that it was not the literary equivalent of a beacon lit in alarm.
I am flabbergasted-flabbergasted-Holmes, by what you saw fit to transmit by post. Did you for a moment think of all those who had labored to revolutionize our system of letter delivery, eliminating abuse and corruption and instituting efficient modern methods so that
we may send a letter anywhere in the United Kingdom for all of one
penny?
Or were you smiling to yourself at how much smut you could convey in half an ounce of ink and paper? No, no, I'm sure your face remained impassive throughout, but dear God-in my stupefaction I have now profaned in writing for the first time in my life. But dear God-I might as well repeat the offense now-how can one penny ferry this much epistolary prurience to my doorstep?
You shoved a stone's worth of obscenity into a small, defenseless envelope. And then affixed our sovereign's blameless visage upon the entire enterprise to give it a gloss of respectability, so that it may safely pass through many pairs of trusting hands before landing with an inaudible exhalation of sulfur upon my desk.
As soon as I finished reading, I glanced at the window to
make sure there wasn't a rain of fire and brimstone outside. I then
sent a prayer of thanksgiving heavenward that your erotic tale was composed entirely in shorthand. Even if twice I was brought up
short by what the man was doing with his "crock"-and laughed out loud the second time-it did not lessen my gratitude that I needed
not fear this tale's discovery by an overeager servant or my unwary descendants.
And then I paced. And occasionally rested my forehead against the cold glass panes of the window, as if that could restore clarity of thinking and purpose of action. I hope you are happy to learn that I shall be completely useless the rest of the day and very likely half of tomorrow as well.
Oh, Holmes, what have you done?
Your bewildered servant,
Ash
P.S. To at last finish that previously abandoned train of thought, in other news I still have not managed to speak to the children about my impending divorce.
Every night, unprompted, they pray for their mother. They pray for her good health, her happiness, and her safe return without expecting their wishes to be granted in the near or even the intermediate future.
About her continued absence they are wistful, rather than forlorn. It is but a condition of their existence now. Some children stutter. Some are frail and sickly. And Lucinda and Carlisle have a mother who no longer lives with them.
I admire the resilience with which they have borne this great change to their lives. At the same time, I suspect that what I see, this seeming equanimity, is but a steadfast patience: They can endure her absence because they believe deeply and unquestioningly in the certainty of her return.
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