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(4 / 5)
Charlotte Holmes #3
I have always been a big fan of this series, and while I still very much enjoyed A Case for Jamie, it just didn’t quite live up to its predecessors. I think that the greatest failing of this novel is that Watson and Holmes are kept apart for the majority of it. While it was interesting getting to see how the function and sleuth on their own, and while I very much liked getting such a large dose of Charlotte’s POV, I couldn’t help but miss the dynamic between the two characters that I found so captivating in A Study in Charlotte.
What I will say, is that this novel shows some excellent character development in both Jamie and Charlotte. And perhaps this somewhat discounts my previous complaint, but I think that the development we see here could only happen while the character’s are apart. Most importantly, the two learn to recognize the toxic aspects of their relationship and begin to try to repair them. After the cataclysmic events of The Last of August, its not surprising that the characters need some time to heal. But by the end of the novel, I feel like things are starting to move if a better and healthier direction.
The ending was hopeful and bittersweet. It felt so much like an ending, but also a new beginning, which leaves me very much uncertain as to where the series will go next. (Yes, there is at least one more. I thought is was going to be the end too!) Overall, while not my favorite story in the series, it definitely did a lot to grow our characters and set them up for a more exciting and adventurous future.