Heather’s Bookshelf: Queen of Spades
Author: Casper Hedron
Genre: Historical Crime Fiction
“Fear of death is a perfectly normal and healthy response. It is an innate aspect of our desire to survive, after all, and is one of the strongest instincts that we possess. If someone claims they are not afraid to die, then they are probably lying.”
“Queen of Spades” takes place in 1891 with the introduction of Ada Sun. Attending boarding school, she hears of the death of Sherlock Holmes. Her uncle arrives a short time later with news of the death of her father, Professor Moriarty.
Her uncle, Lieutenant-Colonel James Artemis Moriarty (also known as Artemis) offers to teach Ada about the family business if she returns to London with him. Eager to find something for herself and learn more about her deceased and notorious father, she accepts.
While Uncle Artemis seems thrilled to bring his niece into the syndicate’s fold, most of the rest of the inner circle is not as open to the idea. And then there’s the mole who was feeding insider information to Sherlock before his death… Will Ada find the culprit and earn her way into the “family” or will the traitor get the upper hand?
Trigger Warning: violence, murder, racist references
Overall, I really enjoyed this tale. The story is told through Ada’s POV. She’s a strong, intelligent, and determined teenager who’s been abandoned by pretty much everyone in her life- including her two gang boss parents. Undeterred by her circumstances or those who oppose her, she seeks to make her new-found uncle (and herself) proud. While many of her personality traits are developed over the course of the book, most are in passing or throughout her interactions with others. Uncle Artemis, on the other hand, is a fantastic character with little idiosyncrasies and personality quirks that jump off the page. The crime components were intriguing with little mystery, but that felt much more natural for a Moriarty storyline. The pacing was on the faster side and indeed, I couldn’t put it down. At the end, there was a twist that I was blindsided by (in the best way). The book is clearly set up in a way that leaves open the option for future books but also felt completely resolved on its own.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A Sherlock Holmes tale told through the POV of the Moriarty gang - fast paced and with a twist!
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