Tag: Holly Hepburn

Here’s the blurb

Harriet White is no stranger to odd correspondence. Ensconced in the basement of the Baker Street building society, her job is to reply to the mail they receive on behalf of Sherlock Holmes.

But while letters to the fictional sleuth may be plentiful, telegrams are rare, and so when she receives one describing the grave situation of celebrated author Philip St John, her interest is piqued. The writer describes St John as being consumed by terror, seeing ghostly apparitions on the fens, and only at ease in the company of his loyal wolfhound.

Before long, Harry finds herself in Cambridgeshire under the guise of being Holmes’ assistant. The residents of Thurmwell Manor believe their master is cursed. Harry is sure there must be a logical explanation, but inside the echoey halls of the grand gothic house, her confidence in science and reason begin to crumble…

Can Harry solve the mystery before the fens claim their next victim?

Join Harriet White in 1930’s London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett.

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/thecursedwritersocial

My Review

The Cursed Writer is the second book in the Baker Street Mysteries. I’ve read book 1. Check out the review for The Missing Maid.

Events start immediately after the end of book 1, with our detective Harry returning to her poky office after the thrilling ending to her first mystery. She could be forgiven for being a little glum when she finds herself typing the same reply to every message she receives, but never fear—an urgent telegram soon lifts her from her melancholy. It has her adopting her detecting hat once more.

This time, we’re taken to the Fens in Cambridgeshire to investigate a strange mystery surrounding the sudden change in author Philip St John’s demeanour. His nephew desperately seeks the aid of celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street. So desperately, he’s prepared to spend the money to send a telegram and not just a letter. And not just one, but two! While Harry tries to determine how she can uncover more about the telegram without revealing that Holmes is, of course, a fictional character, she is also embroiled in a few other little mysteries, which, for some time, appear irrelevant but offer excellent continuity from book one until they become increasingly relevant.

Harry’s two trips to the Fens are very Holmesesque, providing us with an eerie atmosphere in the depths of winter, and it felt very true to form.

The mystery elements themselves are very well strung together, and while I might have guessed part of the solution, the eventual conclusion was even better than I could have hoped.

This was a thrilling continuation of the Baker Street Mysteries. I was entirely hooked and devoured the story in a few sittings.

Meet the author

Holly Hepburn writes escapist, swoonsome fiction that sweeps her readers into idyllic locations, from her native Cornwall to the windswept beauty of Orkney. She has turned her hand to cosy crime inspired by Sherlock Holmes himself. Holly lives in leafy Hertfordshire with her adorable partner in crime, Luna the Labrador.

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A GLORIOUS SHERLOCK HOLMES-INSPIRED MYSTERY FOR FANS OF NITA PROSE AND JANICE HALLETT

London, 1932.

When Harriet White rebuffs the advances of her boss at the Baker Street building society where she works, she finds herself demoted to a new position… a very unusual position. Deep in the postal department beneath the bank, she is tasked with working her way through a mountain of correspondence addressed to Baker Street’s most famous resident: Mr Sherlock Holmes.

Seemingly undeterred by the fact that Sherlock Holmes doesn’t exist, letter after letter arrives, beseeching him to help solve mysteries, and Harry diligently replies to each writer with the same response: Mr Holmes has retired from detective work and now lives in Sussex, keeping bees.

Until one entreaty catches her eye. It’s from a village around five miles from Harry’s family estate, about a young woman who went to London to work as a domestic, then disappeared soon afterwards in strange circumstances. Intrigued, Harry decides, just this once, to take matters into her own hands.

And so, the case of the missing maid is opened…

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/missingmaidsocial

My Review

The Missing Maid by Holly Hepburn is a cosy crime with a rather delightful premise involving 221B Baker Street and Sherlock Holmes.

When our heroine finds herself somewhat unceremoniously ejected from her plush office in the bank, she’s somewhat wary of being redirected to the post room, but once there, she discovers her job is, if anything, somewhat tedious. However, as she types standard replies to the requests asking Sherlock Holmes to resolve problems for those writing to him, she finds herself struck by one of the requests. She is determined to do all she can to help the family while pretending to be Mr Holmes’ secretary.

The mystery leads her to some rather dodgy places in 1930s London, and she gets involved with some rather shady characters as well. She also discovers that the talent for solving crimes is not as easy as she might have hoped.

Harriet, or Harry as she’s called throughout the book, is a fun character with the fiery determination to be expected from a well-to-do young lady trying to make her way in the world in the 1930s when most seem to think all she should do is settle down and marry someone who can keep her in the way she’s accustomed. And that includes her mother.

Her wealthy background both opens doors and precludes her from gaining entry to everywhere she might wish to go. She also has to rely on a family friend for legal advice. This feels quite true to the period.

The mystery’s resolution is well constructed, and I particularly liked that it’s not ‘easy’ for Harry to solve the crime. It takes determination and acknowledging that she can’t do everything herself. 

A delightful, cosy crime sure to appeal to fans of Sherlock Holmes and Golden-era crime novels.

Meet the author

Holly Hepburn has wanted to write books for as long she can remember but she was too scared to try. One day she decided to be brave and dipped a toe into the bubble bath of romantic fiction with her first novella, Cupidity, and she’s never looked back. She often tries to be funny to be funny, except for when faced with traffic wardens and border control staff. Her favourite things are making people smile and Aidan Turner.

She’s tried many jobs over the years, from barmaid to market researcher and she even had a brief flirtation with modelling. These days she is mostly found writing.

She lives near London with her grey tabby cat, Portia. They both have an unhealthy obsession with Marmite.

Connect with the author

https://twitter.com/HollyH_Author

https://www.instagram.com/hollyh_author