Synopsis | Goodreads
Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson think they’re finally in the clear. They’ve left Sherringford School—and the Moriartys—behind for a pre-college summer program at Oxford University. A chance to start from scratch and explore dating for the first time, while exploring a new city with all the freedom their program provides. But when they arrive, Charlotte is immediately drawn into a new case: a series of accidents have been befalling the members of the community theater troupe in Oxford, and now, on the eve of their production of Hamlet, they’re starting all over again. What once seemed like a comedy of errors is now a race to prevent the next tragedy—before Charlotte or Jamie is the next victim.
“Once Watson had liked to tell stories about the two of us in his head, and in those stories, the girl who looked like me, who had my name, had reasons for her behaviour far crueler and more romantic than mine had ever been. When we first met, I had only been trying to survive. And he had snuck in, somehow, when I was at my lowest, and now I didn’t know myself without him. His steady hands, his quick wit. How we were telling a new story, and I was holding the pen.”
This is what makes these books so good. Right here. Their differing personalities make them the perfect crime fighting duo. A Question of Holmes is the fourth and final instalment in the Charlotte Holmes series, and over the course of the series, there has always been an underlying conflict between Charlotte and Jamie where she had problems grasping and understanding relationships and feelings. Her friendship with him helped her solve it and what started out as acquaintances sparked a sweet and quirky romance built on humour and respect.
Ugh, Charlotte is head over heels in love with Watson and I absolutely loved this revelation! Brittany Cavallaro loved to toe the line and tease the possibility of this uncharted relationship and with the last book, we finally see some! She gets you to root for them, only to rip it away before it can grow into something and that just gets you craving for more. Ingenious! Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely infuriated because I wanted to see them together for so long but the way Cavallaro handled it befitted the Holmes name. It was realistic to the personalities and the parties behind the inspired classics.
So if you were rooting for these two like I was, You’ll definitely enjoy this final book, I promise! The romance is genuine and sweet and definitely heart-wrenching! That’s the last spoiler, I swear.
“I wanted to improve on that—politeness—as I disliked being bad at things. So I stuck a smile on my face and hoped it would soften into a real one.”
This quote works on so many levels, it’s ridiculous. First off, this is typical Holmes behaviour, the arrogant cockiness makes her humor unique in YA fiction because it’s sophisticated and intellectual. Being a cashier I was also able to appreciate and definitely relate to this comment.
Just like with the other three books, the witty banter between these two is on point! The chemistry between them makes this humor work so well and it has a charm to it that can’t be recreated. You will be laughing at this book quite a lot, I know I was. They challenge one another making it never dull. Each remark is like a well-aimed arrow that always hits its mark and this ability livens the very tense situations they face while chasing down their latest mystery.
I am so proud of Charlotte. She has grown so much and she deserves applause. Her eccentric childhood and upbringing has made things tougher for her and yet, here we see her excel and grow into a very confident young woman who will not allow anyone to bring her back in the past. You see another side of her, a softer side, and it was definitely a great way to finish this series with. I respect and admire her character deeply. This was the highlight of the book and anyone who has followed this series will probably agree.
Cavallaro also snuck in two references of the popular 90’s show, Friends and the fact that Charlotte loves the character Joey Tribbani just made me fall in love with these books all over again. It was funny and nostalgic and so unexpected. I felt a restored kinship with Charlotte because Joey’s my favourite character too!
The latest mystery involves murder, orchids, and a sudden disappearance of the star actress. I was really intrigued by this one. Something about it taking place on stage with actors and actresses seems to add a level of drama that seems to make it more thrilling than others. It was once again a fast-paced case that kept you guessing. Having watched cop shows for years I thought I had guessed early on what had happened and I was wrong. This story will send you on a wild goose chase and the unpredictability of it, lent it a certain charm that seems to surround all of their cases.
“Watson?’
‘Yes, pumpkin?’
‘New condition: you cease and desist all gourd-related nicknames.’
‘Done. But pinch me again, and I’ll start calling you pickle.’
‘Do that, and I will find and then publish your diaries on a website with a vociferous comments section.’
Though I was not a gourd, I was most definitely not a vinegar-soaked phallic object.”
What am I going to do without these two? It’s always sad to see a beloved series end but a happy one is a pretty good send off. This series is full of charm, wit and the occasional sweet talk.
If you haven’t read these yet but are intrigued, feel free to check my blog for my reviews on the first three books in the series: A Study In Charlotte, The Last of August, and The Case for Jamie.
