The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas

December 20th, 2018 Kimberly Review 31 Comments

20th Dec
The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas
The Hollow of Fear
by Sherry Thomas
Series: Lady Sherlock #3
Narrator: Kate Reading
Length: 10 hours and 51 minutes
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Narration: 5 cups

Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, returns in the Victorian-set mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of A Conspiracy in Belgravia and A Study in Scarlet Women, an NPR Best Book of 2016.

Under the cover of Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't.

Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.

With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram-and a number of malevolent forces.

2018 Fave historical MURDERMYSTERY well written smartfunny

This series is brilliant. One of my favorite Sherlock Holmes retellings EVER! The Hollow of Fear  by Sherry Thomas is the third book in the Lady Sherlock series. I picked up all three audiobook versions, and FINALLY in November listened to them all for a challenge. I am still kicking myself for waiting. Grab a cup of Christmas coffee while I fangirl and demand that you acquire these titles post haste!

A well-honed mysteries, a delicious slow burning romance and brilliant characters made this audio and the entire Lady Sherlock series one of personal favorites this year. I laughed, became engaged in solving the mystery and most of all swooning, enjoying and loving this cast of characters.

I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan and over the years I’ve read my share of retellings. I’ve also watched all the movie and the tv adaptations.  Sherry Thomas’s take on this iconic character and books is among my favorite.

For those considering the story/series I recommend reading or listening in the order of their release. While each holds its own case to be solved, the overall arcs and character development scream to be read in order.

  • In The Hollow of Fear, Charlotte must investigate her toughest case thus far. Lord Ingram is suspected of murdering Lady Ingram when she is found dead in the ice building of their estate. The mystery that unfolded was so clever that even I was astounded when all was revealed.
  • We meet a new character, Sherringford Holmes, supposed brother of the ailing Sherlock Holmes and suspiciously shaped like Charlotte Holmes. *winks* I loved  every moment.
  • We spend quite a bit of time with Lord Ingram, a favorite character of mine since the beginning of this series. He really has gotten him into quite the mess, and all evidence supports he is involved. It was exciting seeing Charlotte work to solve the mystery and of course clear the devilishly handsome Lord Ingram.
  • Secondary characters like Mrs. Watson and Charlotte’s sister Livia added interesting side-threads. I loved that we got to know Livia more.
  • We see movement in the slow-burning romance, and I loved every moment of it. The way Charlotte’s mind works combined with her forward, logical thinking adding some humor in addition to tender, romantic encounters.
  • As a parent of a child with Asperger’s I feel comfortable around Charlotte and while some find her thinking unconventional or shocking I can only nod my head.

The Hollow of Fear was my favorite listen to date, Kate Reading narrates the series and beautifully captures Charlotte many sides. I could not imagine listening to the series without her. Each character has a distinct voice and she enhances the tone, mystery and pacing of this brilliant story.

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas was my favorite listen to date, Kate Reading narrates the series and beautifully captures Charlotte many sides. #loveaudiobooks Click To Tweet
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

31 Responses to “The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas”

  1. sjhigbee

    What a great review! I love the sound of this series – I’ll have to see if I can catch up with it in the coming year…

  2. Jessica at Booked J

    I NEED to get my hands on this. I love Sherlock retellings and I’m so excited for the day I finally get to this one. Although, I am nervous about getting confused over the story itself, as I already read another series about a very different Charlotte Holmes. I’ll definitely have to get my head on straight before then, or else I’ll muddle two very different stories together and be a mess! Haha. Thanks for sharing, though. This is a great review and has me even more excited to get to these books.

    Jessica at Booked J recently posted: Five Audiobooks I Hope to Finish in 2019
    • Kimberly

      I worry about that sometimes too when I read similar retellings or series. Somehow we manage to keep it all sorted through,

  3. Anne

    They are so popular I’m still waiting for book 1 from the library. Fabulous review! I’m looking forward to reading this series. From Goodreads it looks like 2 more are in the works! Anne – Books of My Heart

  4. Sophia Rose

    Yes, there were so many interesting details in this one that I loved (the Ash and Charlotte encounters and her sister’s romance, taking care of their other sister). Sometimes a year’s wait between releases seems so long. 😉

    • Kimberly

      Yes the side threads only managed to further endear me to the series. Well at least I will be ready for the next release!

  5. shooting

    Ooh high praise indeed! You have officially convinced me I need to grab the first book ASAP (it’s on my shelves, so not too hard haha).

    -Lauren

  6. kindlemom1

    Yesss! Seriously a favorite for all the reasons you mentioned. I’m so excited that more people are finally discovering this hidden gem because it needs so much attention because it really is fabulous.