The Missing Maid

I loved everything about this historical cozy. The link to Sherlock Holmes intrigued me as I didn't know that this was based on the fact that someone was actually employed at the Building Society to answer letters sent to Sherlock Holmes. I love history so this little tidbit fascinated me and it sets up Harry nicely for many more investigations.
Harry is a wonderful character. She's clever, independent and kind. She has a secret tendre for Oliver, the family friend and I'm sure he feels the same way. However, it doesn't stop the flirty banter between her and the occasional eligible bachelor that her match-making mother sends her way.
The mystery of the missing maid kept me entertained throughout. The pacey drama and easy-to-read style show more meant that I devoured this book in one day
I loved this mystery and I'll be excited to read the next book when it is published. show less

The concept of perpetuating the Sherlock Holmes persona was a brilliant way to introduce an adventure in amateur detecting by an intrepid woman. The story is definitely rollicking, though the MC, Harry (Harriet) certainly gets involved in some genuinely unsavoury and dangerous activities.

Hepburn's writing was of the very staccato, short, bright style. This was effective in many aspects but overused. Consequently, the novel feels amateurish, aimed at a different audience than appeals to me. My other niggle was the ending: it was a clunky, unsatisfying dénouement to lead the reader to the next book in the series. That won't be me, but readers who enjoy prolonged mild romance themes will most likely love the slow burn aspect while Harry show more uncovers another fascinating mystery through her guise as Sherlock Holmes' secretary. show less

a Sherlock Holmes spin off. An Independent Woman in 1930's London, England is demoted to a horribly boring clerical job after she fends off her banker boss's attempted seduction. The bank's address is 19 - 23 Baker Street. So kinda like the people who deal with letters to the North Pole in December, she's given the job of replying to Mr Holmes mail. Until she gets a letter that she just has to follow up on. It was so nutty it was good.

Cosy mystery where a young society demoiselle plays detective to solve a case addressed to Sherlock Holmes. Harry White has been relegated to the basement of the bank in which she is employed after the spurning the unwanted advances of her boss. Here, she is tasked with replying to postage the bank receives addressed to Holmes - the bank straddles 221 Baker Street. The letter send Harry White off on an adventure to solve ... the case of the missing maid.

A decent start to what looks to be a new mystery series.

1932, London, ruffians, prison, organized-criminals, undercover, disguises, class-consciousness, thefts, cooperation, audiobook, first-in-series, new-series*****

Harry (Harriet) is a baron's daughter who isn't into being pigeonholed as a rich man's wife, but when she rebuffs her boss's advances she is demoted from assistant to the mailroom in the basement. There she finds that the company's address encompasses the property known as 221B Baker St and that there are bags of mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes that need to be dealt with even though he is fiction and dead. She starts out relatively well behaved and sends replies that he is unable to help and she is his assistant. But one letter catches her interest. That leads to meeting with show more the family, fledgling attempts at disguised following and other undercover acts and more until she is discovered by someone who can help--a childhood family acquaintance who is a barrister.
What could possibly go wrong?
Sophie Roberts is the talented voice actor who interprets the story perfectly!
I bought this audio because I read the next in series and wanted to know how it all began.
#TheMissingMaid #BakerStreetMysteriesBk1 by Holly Hepburn @HollyH_Author
Narrated by: Sophie Roberts #Audiobook #CozyMystery show less

Fiction, Crime, England, London, Sherlock, Detective