In Murder on Cold Street, we meet up again with the fearless and whip-smart Charlotte Holmes, who is now operating a successful consulting detective business under the assumed name of Sherlock Holmes, her non-existent brother. In this installment, Inspector Treadles, a colleague of Holmes' at Scotland Yard, has been found in a locked room with two dead men. He refuses to speak on his behalf, even with overwhelming evidence against him. His wife has beseeched Sherlock Holmes to find out the truth of what really happened.
One of the reasons I enjoy this series is the assortment of fun characters in here. Charlotte is as sharp as ever, while lusting after desserts and Lord Ingram. Lord Ingram, for his part, helps with the investigation, while also presenting an intriguing offer for Charlotte to take their relationship to the next level. I adore the impish and witty way the romance between those two is captured in this series, and this story continues to delight me on that front. And the ever-capable Mrs. Watson and Miss Redmayne are on hand too to contribute to the investigation, and it's wonderful to see all their camaraderie while working to exonerate Inspector Treadles.
This story also further develops one of my favorite themes of the series, which is its exploration of strong women at a time when society rejects them as anything other than ornaments and household administrators. The male characters in here slowly come to realizations about the women in their lives and the obstructions and naysaying they must face every day, just for being female. It's both heartwarming to read about, and a little bit disheartening to realize that we haven't progressed much past this in the centuries since then.
As for the murder mystery itself, it's a fun one, but don't expect any jaw-dropping or heart-stopping moments. It progresses along in its cozy way, collecting clues and unearthing secrets, until it reach its natural and satisfying conclusion. This is one of my favorite mystery series at the moment, and I'm already looking forward to the next book.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
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