BRITTANY CAVALLARO
(Book 1 in the Charlotte Holmes quartet)
Synopsis:
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.
My rating: ★★★★
Categories: YA, Upper YA, mystery, crime, retelling, Sherlock Holmes, other, romance
Content:
Language: Unexpectedly, A Study in Charlotte contained a very large amount of swearing. Several minor swear words a lot of strong language (including “f” and “s”) throughout the book.
Violence: As this is a Sherlock Holmes-inspired/retelling story, it should be no surprise that the main plot revolves around murder. There are fist fights, murders, attempted murder, poisonings, assaults (physical and sexual), and blood, though most of it is only mentioned (in the case of the sexual assaults). Some of Holmes’ methods are, of course, questionable. There is also talk and even one scene where the effects of drugs are seen (the students on campus often buy from a dealer from town). There are a lot of more mature themes in the book.
Sex: As mentioned above, there is mention of sexual assault. For a YA book, sex is also oddly at the forefront. Usually it is only alluded to, but occasionally it is straight-up mentioned, talked, or asked about. There are explanations of a past between a minor and a legal adult (though it is stated that nothing happened between the two). Jamie and Holmes also develop feelings for each other, but I think the romance between them will also be more prominent in the next books.
LGBTQ: Two girls dance together at homecoming.
My Review: I wanted to like this book so much. And I did really like the plot and the idea (and I liked the dynamic between Watson and Holmes), but there was too much swearing for me and I thought the sexual content/allusions was over the top and unnecessary.