A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
No man is an angel, however handsome he is.
Evelina Cooper, Sherlock Holmes’s niece, is trying to find her way between two worlds: that of her uncle and Grandmamma Holmes, and her circus-performing Gran Cooper. While readying for her first Season, murder and intrigue compel Evelina to follow in her uncle’s footsteps and play detective in order to save her friends.
Evelina, Imogen, Nick, and Tobias–and the rest of the cast–are all unique characters bursting with life. The setting takes on a essence of its own, complete with magical guardians and questionable night life. The fascination with tools, mechanics, and magic puts Evelina in wonderfully awkward situations, which she uses to her advantage.
There were few places the pace slowed, and sometimes the lack of communication, though purposeful, was frustrating. The tragedy of Gran Cooper was disappointing–it would have been a good meeting.
A Study in Silks is a delightful twist on the Holmes world, full of steam engines, magic, and clockwork contraptions. If you’re a fan of steampunk, mysteries, and Sherlock, pick it up.
Musings of a Writing Reader 