The Missing Maid by Holly Hepburn
Discover the series debut of Sherlock Holmes' new assistant, Harry White. She knows Sherlock doesn't exist, but the people writing to him think he's real.
A few weeks ago, I discovered this great new series about Sherlock Holmes' "assistant" Harry White. After reading the second book in the series, The Case of the Cursed Writer, I had to go back and check out the series debut.
Harry White works at 221b Baker Street, where she's assigned the job of replying to letters to Sherlock Holmes. Harry knows that Holmes is a fictional character, but the people writing to him think he's a genuine detective who can solve their problems.
Harry's curiosity is piqued by one particular letter, and she soon finds herself investigating in the name of Mr Holmes. That includes donning disguises, going undercover and chasing suspects around London.
In my review of The Case of the Cursed Writer, I mentioned that Harry White reminds me of Enola Holmes. She's smart, sassy and more than a match for the dodgy characters she encounters both in her day job and as Holmes' assistant. And that applies equally to The Missing Maid.
As well as Harry, there are a few other characters in both books that adds a nice bit of continuity to them.
I'm still charmed by this original take on Sherlock Holmes. It has a modern feel, even though it's set in the 1930s, which makes it such an enjoyable read. The author also has a flair for storytelling, which makes it an enjoyable Golden Age-style mystery.
