Charlotte Holmes—aka Sherlock Holmes—becomes entangled in a puzzling missing person case that hits close to home for her beloved Mrs. Watson in this Victorian-set mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of A Ruse of Shadows.

It’s been three years since Charlotte Holmes struck a decisive blow against Moriarty's operations in Britain, three years of relative calm and benign developments. In a buoyant mood, everyone gathers at Lord Ingram's seaside cottage in North Devon for what promises to be a perfect summer holiday. Until Mrs. Watson receives an invitation from Mrs. Carstairs, her long-estranged sister, to attend a house party nearby.

Mrs. Carstairs has married spectacularly well. She is the mistress of a great manor, a doyen of all domestic arts, and still an unforgettable beauty. Now she clamors for a reconciliation with her sister. Mrs. Watson does not trust Mrs. Carstairs's motives. Yet she cannot help but feel tremors of the old admiration for this once-beloved sister.

Then Mrs. Carstairs disappears without a trace. The next day a woman is discovered floating on the waves, her build and coloring matching those of Mrs. Carstairs. But her husband insists that the corpse fished out of the Bristol Channel cannot be his wife. So where is the real Mrs. Carstairs? Would she have purposely dragged Mrs. Watson into a murder investigation? Or was it Sherlock Holmes's involvement that she needed from the very beginning?

Published
September 29, 2026
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The Lady Sherlock

The series

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Step into a world where logic and danger collide, where the thrill of mystery is seasoned with a twist of gender-bending brilliance. The Lady Sherlock series reimagines the iconic Sherlock Holmes as Charlotte Holmes, a woman with an unmatched intellect and a knack for solving the most perplexing cases. Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, this captivating blend of historical fiction and mystery challenges expectations, with Charlotte using her sharp wit to navigate a society that would rather silence her brilliance.

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As the series unfolds, Charlotte’s sharp observational skills and logical mind make her a force to be reckoned with, though her gender forces her to hide in the shadows. Supported by an eclectic cast of allies, including a former detective turned partner-in-crime, Charlotte faces ever-more intricate puzzles, from solving crimes to uncovering the murky depths of her own past. Along the way, themes of identity, societal expectations, and the cost of genius intertwine, weaving a rich narrative that’s as cerebral as it is thrilling.

In The Lady Sherlock series, Sherry Thomas expertly combines atmospheric storytelling with complex, multi-layered characters, creating an engaging world where nothing is as it seems. With a unique spin on the classic detective genre, the series speaks to fans of mysteries, historical fiction, and those who crave a heroine who defies the conventions of her time. If you’re looking for a series that challenges the norms while keeping you at the edge of your seat, The Lady Sherlock might just be your next favorite read.

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