Review: A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes #1) by Brittany Cavallaro

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Genre: YA Retelling, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Publication: March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Series: Charlotte Holmes #1

Length: 336 pages

Format: eARC from publisher

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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.

Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I skimmed over the synopsis for this book, I was quite interested. Sherlock Holmes and John Watson retelling? Count me in.

A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE follows the two main characters, Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson, as they are accused of the murder of fellow boarding school student, Lee Dobson, and the attempted murder of another. The characters, based off of Sherlock and John and descended from the detective pair, unravel the mystery as well as each other in this thrilling new series.

What I really applaud is the development of both characters. Jamie and Charlotte start off as quite hostile acquaintances but they end up working together and becoming best friends. There were so many layers to both characters that are unfolded as the novel went on, and it was quite intriguing to learn more about Charlotte’s methods and Jamie’s thoughts throughout.

On the other hand, I was definitely hindered by some parts of the book that just seemed to drag. There were some aspects of the novel that I felt were redundant or unnecessary to the plot, and there were also some parts of the novel that I’m still confused about. Towards the end, there was a lot of info dumping that I didn’t really catch, and there was also the inclusion of more new characters, which I was sort of bored by.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The plot was fast-paced (albeit some sections) and I loved the incorporation of the original stories within this retelling/contemporary/thriller. I’d recommend this book to those who love: sassy main characters, a strong friendship, Sherlock and John, and books that make you think.

TW// There are mentions of rape and murder in this book.

★★★½ / 5 

Have you read this book? Are you planning to? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!

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