A Study in Scarlet Women

I enjoyed this book as a feminist twist on the traditional Sherlock stories. The exploration of how different Sherlock's stories would be as a woman in a time when gender inequality was so pronounced is provocative and allows for different plot vehicles. Some of those vehicles are questionable if not a little cutesy for an otherwise gritty story. Other than that tone mismatch, I liked the concept, was engaged in the mystery, and found the characters likable, though not terribly well-developed. I did get frustrated that a romantic plot-line was introduced, wary of it wading into the dollar romance category... but then again, the little tweenie part of my heart kind of enjoyed that, too.

From what I've read, the later books in the series are better and this just lays the groundwork. So I may continue on with it.

TW: non-explicit sexual abuse of minors.

I was suggested this book by my bibliologist at MyTBR – in this case TBR stands for tailored book recommendations. I thought it would be fun to tell someone all about my book preferences and see what they would recommend ... and it totally was.

One of the things I wanted was books with strong female characters, thrillers and mysteries, historical stuff.

This Sherlock Holmes retelling for me. I loved the Victorian setting. I've read histories of the time, biographies of Queen Victoria, and recently read The Five about the women murdered by Jack the Ripper. The Five revealed in depth the overwhelmingly odds stacked against a woman in that time if she didn't have the protection of a man or respectability.

This is clearly the place and time where A Study is set, and Charlotte definitely deals with that reality. The tone is fairly light, and I of course didn't worry that Charlotte would come to real harm, but I enjoyed how it echoed the truth of the time.

The mystery was pretty good. I don't think it was the main reason I enjoyed the story, which for me would be the characters and setting. Without spoiling anything, I appreciated how it dealt with sensitive matters of import as opposed to having the motive be frivolous and unrelatable. What would you kill for is always an interesting question. What I'm saying is I liked the resolution, but the journey was more fine than fascinating.

One of the main characters is an Inspector Treadles. I am very interested in where his story goes, and how he evolves. He is a great blend of progressive and a man of his time, with limiting beliefs about women, and their agency. I want to know how continued contact with an intelligent, independent woman shapes him – and his marriage – going forward.

I also love Charlotte's sister, Livy, and her confidante Mrs. Watson. Livy is every bit as interesting as Charlotte, and more trapped in her life than Charlotte, which I don't imagine will continue for too long. I want to see what her future holds.

I like what Mrs. Watson brings to the table, and the tools and insights she offers.

Charlotte herself is of course perceptive, but not without blind spots of flaws. She is cool-headed, but also capable of love, and capable of compassion that can lead her into making mistakes. I love that she loves fashion, and how that and her angelic appearance allows for people to underestimate her. I think she wears the clothes she does for her own enjoyment, and I think her efforts to keep it at 1 and 1/2 chins, or whatever, is based on what she and she alone likes to see in the mirror. I am a fan of stories that don't claim that the only women who can be heroes are ones that fully emulate traditionally masculine ideals.

It was a little challenging keeping the characters straight, since I feel I should come up with a criticism. That is the thing that bothered me the most.