Parents' Guide to

A Study in Charlotte: Charlotte Holmes, Book 1

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Drugs, rape, murder in tense, edgy Holmes-Watson update.

A Study in Charlotte: Charlotte Holmes, Book 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

age 14+

Great book, better for high school

Fantastic story in the vein of the original Sherlock Holmes, great updates to the classic set-up and inclusion of original stories. But definitely for older grades, as within the first 50 pages were numerous f-bombs and references to modern drug use and a rape. Girls are objectified by male characters quite a bit. Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson defy the police and set-up of law, as did their great-great-great grandfathers in the originals, but if your child has read those it won't be surprising. The drug use shouldn't be surprising either, as the original Sherlock was an opium addict. It's a riveting read, though, and a great interpretation of Arthur Conan Doyle's creation. I just wouldn't recommend it for middle grades or below.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (6 ):

The latest page-turning entry in the Holmes-and-Watson spin-off genre finds their present-day teen descendants trying to stay alive and out of jail as an unknown murderer stalks their boarding school. A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE (playing on the title of the first Sherlock Holmes tale) offers an edgy, complicated, snarky title character in 16-year-old Charlotte Holmes; a relatable, engaging narrator and friend in Jamie Watson; and a boarding school setting full of hearty-partying rich kids and mysterious killers. There's also a bit of James Bond-style international intrigue, as it soon becomes clear that powerful hidden forces lurk just out of sight. Some of the darker elements (drugs, rape, murder, and people's lives being ruined) demand a mature reader, but the odd, compelling friendship of the two teens and the frequent plot twists keep things interesting.

Book Details

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