I have to admit that I am a sucker for any book that has anything to do with Sherlock Holmes, so a story that focuses on a much younger sister? I was in. I picked it up thinking it was YA, but when I got home, I realized it was middle grade. Normally it would have gone back to the store, but I decided that I could not pass up the opportunity to read a story that involved Sherlock Holmes in some way, so I opened it up to read it thinking that if I didn't like the first chapter, well, I knew a used book store that would take it off my hands.

I read it in just a couple of hours, then I signed up for a middle grade readathon thinking that I could surely find enough books to read in that age range, if nothing else, I have a nine year old and I had just picked up a book for him along with this one. Yeah, this was amazing.

I really don't have any words to describe how I truly enjoyed it, but it was very enjoyable, believable, and the characters well done and well developed. Set in the late 1800s in England, mostly in London. It truly was an amazing story and all I have to say, must read. I can honestly see how this is considered a middle grade book, but it was enjoyable even for someone who reads mostly adult books and only dips into the younger age bracket on books when it comes to either mysteries or fantasy/sci-fi books. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and feminist books.

What happens when you put someone working for a ruler who is fearful of betrayal in the midst of the greedy group who is looking to betray him? Apparently, you end up with a kidnapping and romance.
Enemies to lovers in the Highlands of Scotland on the run for their lives from the enemies of the king while trying to reach the king to let him know that his fears were correct.

Somehow, and I've not figured out how, Hannah Howell has once again managed to make the impossible seem plausible. I mean, if you were hiding out in a cave, trying to hide from those who searched for you, just snagging whatever was in your packs that just happened to be in the stable with your horse when you make your escape, surely you wouldn't have to worry about food? It would already be there, wouldn't it? And then take an extra mouth with you? You would surely not run out of it, no matter how long you stayed holed up.

I do mock one point of this story, but it just seems like that is something that is consistent throughout any of her books--whoever has some sort of bag, it seems to hold everything you need at the moment, and not weigh very much. I guess we can't have the characters starving to death while they are on the run, can we?

It is an enjoyable read, if not always believable throughout when you stop to think about it as it settles in your mind, but somehow, in the middle of the story, of reading about it, those details don't always matter.