This mystery had me hooked from the very first page. The twists were clever without feeling forced, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story surprised me in the best way. A truly satisfying and well-crafted read.

The prose is gorgeous, the characters are compelling, and the mystery had me hooked!

I don't often find books from a widow's POV, and the author does a wonderful job of showing women navigate a world that's condescending towards those who have experienced extreme loss. Feminist themes were thoughtfully woven throughout!

I also really enjoyed the glimpse of what a young Sherlock Holmes might look and act like, and this side character did not disappoint!

The mystery is complex, building from what at first feels like smaller cases and escalates to a web of lies and secrets that kept me guessing. I was reading at a park with my e-reader and audibly groaned when my device died unexpectedly around the 82% mark. I immediately went home to charge it so I could keep reading and get to the bottom of the case.

The romantic tension between Lady Holmes and Mrs. Hudson was really well done, and it was so easy to ship these two. I'm excited to see what this author writes next!

WOW. This was SOOOO good!!! I started last night and had to spend my entire afternoon finishing because I was just that hooked. This story is so beautifully written, so well told, SO engaging…I genuinely loved it. And I can’t wait for the next one!!

Thank you tremendously to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the early access!

What a fun debut! Mattea’s writing is beautiful and propulsive, and I loved the twist on classic characters we know and love.

This was a moving historical mystery with compelling characters and a great plot. Can’t wait for the next one from Mattea

5 stars.

Written by debut author Mattea Orr, the premise hooked me right away.

Female detectives. Falling in love with each other. What’s not to like?!

In all seriousness, this is an excellent book. Normally, I have a high bar when it comes to detective stories. I can enjoy them occasionally, when they’re written well (loved Knives Out with all its sequels), but I’m a Romantasy babe at heart. I need epic stakes; I need sweeping passion between unconventional characters with the weight of the world on their shoulders. Charming me with a whodunit isn’t easy.

But this book did it.

This book is about two women in 19th-century Victorian England who go against their whole world telling them they can’t be detectives (or anything else for that matter, except obedient wives). But, luckily, they don’t give a shit, and keep on investigating, and fall in love in the process. With the life of a detective, and with each other.

If you liked The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, you’ll like this one too.

Even, if you enjoyed The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, you’ll find things to love in this one, too, I believe.

And, of course, if you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan, make sure to read this, cause this is not a retelling, actually, but an origin story.

An excellent one.

What I loved

I loved the relationships between the sapphic love interest and the 8-year old son of the other woman. I endorse patchwork families, and I support the realistic depiction of them in history.

Even more personally, I loved the historical depth. If you know me, you know I’m as big of a history nerd as I am a romantasy girly. So, an authentic, well-written depiction of a Victorian town in rural England would win me over any day. Hudson being an ex-telegram operator was an original and unexpected addition. Her tapping her skirt in Morse code when nervous was a brilliant small detail, which made her character real and believable and alive. Loved it.

The investigation was all right; not Knives Out-like twist-and-turn-y, but properly carried out and explained. The thrill was there, especially in scenes like the thunderstorm escape (which I cannot explain without spoilers).

Do I recommend?
Hell yes.

Read my full review (including the spoilers I couldn't put in here): https://feliciasalber.substack.com/p/a-sapphic-sherlock-holmes

This was very entertaining and I enjoyed it, however I would like to note the formatting for kindle is awful and I. Got pulled out of the story by trying to figure out where I supposed to be at. Loved the story though!