A Ruse of Shadows

The Lady Sherlock Series, Book 8

By: Sherry Thomas

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Charlotte Holmes is accustomed to solving crimes, not being accused of them, but she finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position as the bestselling Lady Sherlock series continues.

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?

©2024 Sherry Thomas (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A Ruse of Shadows is an unmissable high point of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock, a joyfully original historical mystery series with a romantic twist.”—BookPage

“Thomas’s intricate story is populated with complex and engaging secondary characters both new and returning.”—Library Journal

“The consistently well-drawn characters serve as an anchor, and the occasional glimpse of Charlotte’s love for her family and her lover, Lord Ingram Ashburton, adds a needed touch of warmth to the clever but clinical jigsaw structure of the mystery.”—Kirkus

A great addition to the series

I couldn’t put it down. This is one of my favorite series and this book did not disappoint.

Amazing... I loved it

Another amazing intricately plotted tale of the battle of wits and chess moves between not only Charlotte and Moriarty but also between her and Lord Bancroft. There was another difference I noted in this book that I had not noticed before. There were several short incomplete scenes between various characters (there are many in her sphere now after 7 previous books) that leave you tantalized and scratching your head regarding what is happening. They were, of course, all explained in the end which left me feeling like I wanted to immediately go back and listen to it again. I was also delightedly satisfied to see the relationship between Charlotte and Ash progress ever so slightly yet significantly.

No words

Love the characters & the plot. Charlotte is my favorite heroine. I hope this series doesn’t come to an end anytime soon.

Waiting for the next installment

I await each installment

The number of moving parts and characters always keep me riveted
Kate Reading’s ability to create the vocal personalities is superb
Thank you, Ms Thomas

One of the better books in the series

I was a little nervous about this book, simply because the last two had fallen flat for me - the mysteries were good, but there was less character development. This book was much more in line with my other favorites (Hollow of Fear and Murder on Cold Street). The mystery was first rate as always, but in this book, we see the character stories continue to develop along with the progression of the mystery. As an added bonus, we get new characters to care about.

Teased the brain and rewarded the reader without condescension

Teased the brain and rewarded the reader without condescension. If you are new to this series give yourself the pleasure of starting from the beginning.

Excellent!

Sherry Thomas does it again! You have to really pay attention to all the details since there are so many things happening at once. Ms. Thomas also goes past and present in this book, but as always, she is able to explain every little detail and how the pieces all come together. The author is so talented! I can’t wait to hear the next audiobook in this series. Well done Ms Thomas!

The Best One yet

This Lady Sherlock sequel made my soul happy! It’s the one I’ve been desperately waiting for and it did not miss!

A bit confused.

I love this series and am always waiting for the next instalment.
But I will admit that this book had me baffled. There was many a moments when I had to go back in the chapter to see if I missed something. But I hadn't.
On the whole I liked the book but not as much as the others.

Mystery Intrigue Romance

As usual Sherry Thomas has outdone herself giving us another adventure with Charlotte Holmes and associates. From the 1 page to the last it never let down. I absolutely love this series and highly recommend it.