Grade 9
“Elementary, my dear Watson” takes on a whole new meaning in this refreshing take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Written from Jamie Watson’s point of view, the great-great-great-grandson of iconic John Watson, this book illustrates the high school lives of both Jamie and a girl named Charlotte Holmes, the great-great-great-granddaughter of sleuthing legend, Sherlock Holmes. Charlotte not only inherited the name, but the smarts and gifts of deduction her grandfather had.
It all started with a murder at a high-class high school, Sherringford Prep. From the second the two long-lost partners meet, their family history begins to take hold, and they immediately have a connection. Quick-witted and shy Charlotte makes a difficult team member with athletic and strong-willed Jamie Watson at first, but as the story progresses, so does their relationship. Jamie wants a normal life, and Charlotte wants to escape what her family thinks of her. With each other’s help, they both understand what it means to have real family and find out how it feels to have a friend who always has your back.
This book was set in a snow-clad Connecticut town, illustrated with beautiful imagery. With each word, I was watching the story play out like a five-star film in my mind. The characters were very realistic, and as you find out their weaknesses and strengths, they become more three-dimensional and as concrete as people we know in real life. This mystery also includes what all good novels do: a villain. The villain embodies every quality that Doyle’s classic culprits did, which makes A Study in Charlotte all that more captivating.
I would recommend A Study in Charlotte to as many people as possible! The book truly takes the classic mysteries we all know and love and transforms them into an updated and relatable plot, filled with characters that re-imagine Sherlock and Watson. I personally enjoyed this book because of my infatuation with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing and mysterious flair. The only red flags I would raise would be for both slightly harsh language and notes of substance abuse. All-in-all, this book was very well written, and I cannot wait to see what else Cavallaro has in store for the young adult mystery community.
