A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

The Baskerville Affair, Book 2

Synopsis: When a bomb goes off at 221B Baker Street, Evelina Cooper is thrown into her Uncle Sherlock’s world of mystery and murder. But just when she thought it was safe to return to the ballroom, old, new, and even dead enemies are clamoring for a place on her dance card.

Before Evelina’s even unpacked her gowns for a country house party, an indiscretion puts her in the power of the ruthless Gold King, who recruits her as his spy. He knows her disreputable past and exiles her to the rank alleyways of Whitechapel with orders to unmask his foe.

As danger mounts, Evelina struggles between hiding her illegal magic and succumbing to the darker aspects of her power. One path keeps her secure; the other keeps her alive. For rebellion is brewing, a sorcerer wants her soul, and no one can protect her in the hunting ground of Jack the Ripper.

Review: I confess that I haven’t read the summary of the book before starting it and I discover it now that I’m doing my post. Indeed, after the first volume, I was so curious about the further adventures of our dear Evelina that I got into it as soon as possible.

With the first book I got used to the sudden changes of perspectives in the story. It was so much easier this time to figure out who we were talking about. And at the contrary of the previous story, I was much moere interested in the other different characters than Evelina. Indeed, I enjoyed this time to follow them all. We learn a lot about each persons and every change brings something important to the story. And of course, all the protagonists we knew are here! You surely understand it now, I was much more conquered by this new novel and I hope it will be the same for the third volume.

After trying to forget Tobias, Evelina is ready to return into society. Especially when Imogen calls her and asks her to keep her company. Being convinced that she would not meet her former love, our young heroine only thinks she will have to take care of Alice, the future wife (something that is hard enough). Yet just arrived, and during the big party, Tobias shows up after knowing the arrival of the young woman and when she thought she could resist, she finds herself compromised while kissing him before Imogen and Keating. Not to soil her reputation and her family name, Evelina has no other choice but to put herself under the yoke of this infamous man who expects to be able to use her. And for that, she will be sent on the streets of Whitechapel with a difficult plan to execute despite the talents she has acquired from her uncle missions. And while everybody looks for her, Evelina will have to withstand very dark temptations, working for a man she thought was dead and hunt without knowing it a killer raging around her. But more than that, she will have to think about her relationship with Nick and Tobias and she really wants.

I admit that I was sad to see what happened between Alice and Tobias. It is true that I would have loved to see Evelina and Tobias have a nice story together, but of course, this also goes for Nick as I particularly appreciate him. Yet when we see how Tobias leaves his wife and the mother of his child behind, my heart can only be broken for her, given the consequences. Because although he does not like Alice, she hoped to have a different life. And despite the plans that were made ​​for them, I was hoping for Tobias to see her as the woman with whom he will spend his life and at least try to help her to adapt. Regarding Evelina, we understand her actions and yet she doesn’t share her burden and takes everything on her shoulders even if it is not her job to do that. But she doesn’t really think of the fact that she could share her burden and endangers herself. Fortunately, her friends are still always there for her, and I admit that I was very happy to see Nick here for her too. He wants to protect and secure her, yet everything is more complicated than expected. But their relationship is very cute and we can only hope that this will change to the next novel.

I did not expect either to meet Jack the Ripper, and it is true that I am always very interested by books about him. I do not really expect to find such a guilty although the name has passed through my mind a few times. But this is not the only revelation that we have here and we will learn more about the automatons as we discovered them in the first novel. Many things happen in this novel and I’m pretty excited to learn more now! The end was pretty explosive and I look forward to see where the author will take us! Very impatient to follow the adventures of Evelina now that her life took a course that we could never have predicted.

4-5

mellianefini

6 thoughts on “A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

  1. This sounds like a pretty good series I love Jack the Ripper stories they’re kind of fascinatng and freaky! The girl on the cover reminds me of someone from TV but I can’t recall who. Hmm. But yeah the change of perspective sounds like one that grows on you. I really like multiple POVs, though. Great review! 🙂

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