Starred Review The sequel to the warmly received A Study in Charlotte (2016) picks up around the holidays, as Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes enjoy some downtime in England after the autumn semester that saw them almost lose their lives. But there's something a bit off about their time spent at the Holmes' residence in Sussex, a tension confirmed when Holmes' beloved uncle Leander disappears under mysterious circumstances. Add to this the discovery that Charlotte's mother's illness may in fact be a poisoning, and before we know it, Watson and Holmes are on the case again. Through the streets of Berlin and Prague, they dive into the underground world of art forgeries in search of Leander, who'd been hot on the case, and find themselves tangled up with August Moriarty and the rest of his wily family. Cavallaro generously and organically acclimates readers back to the richly detailed world of the series, before picking up the pace in the novel's second half, in which the twists and turns will leave them breathless. The complicated back and forth of Watson and Holmes' feelings for each other bring additional emotional depth. Beautiful prose, thrilling action, a touch of romance, and two complicated heroes to root for make this a not-to-be-missed sequel. Readers will be craving the final book in the trilogy.

A duo becomes a trio and tries to settle family feuds in this relationship-focused crime caper sequel to A Study in Charlotte (2016).On school break, white teenagers Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson trade Connecticut for the Continent. Raised on the legendary escapades of the original Holmes and Watson, hapless narrator Jamie romanticizes a girl who rejects his affection—à la the works of John Green and Woody Allen—and feels out of his element among the elite. Sober but still scarred by her sexual assault, Charlotte uses the cases of a missing uncle and a poisoned parent to escape to her brother Milo's high-security Berlin bachelor pad. There, the two gain a partner, August Moriarty—Charlotte's former tutor, first crush, and alleged homicide victim—whose resurfacing does not fully appease his criminal kin. The forgery subplot, parodied-but-still-pretentious art scene, dark humor, witty dialogue, and action scenes thankfully leaven the relentless relationship drama. Cavallaro expands beyond Doyle's storylines while still using his characters and their hallmark behaviors, but this second outing somehow feels less original than the series opener. Although characters sometimes skate close to caricature, the young Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty contend with "a metric ton of psychic damage" in a raw and unflinching manner. This muddled mystery rests on elaborate machinations with disproportionate motivations, but the emotional odyssey should satisfy readers seeking a contemporary, teenage take on the Baker Street pair. (Mystery. 14 & up)

Gr 9 Up-Picking up just weeks after A Study in Charlotte ended, Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are on their Christmas break in London. Their friendship has taken a few steps back, though, and things seem tense. After Holmes's mother turns suddenly ill and her beloved uncle Leander goes missing, the game is afoot. The pair travel across Europe from Berlin to Prague, bickering all the way yet still making a great team. The book is nearly all from Watson's perspective, as was the first title in the trilogy, but a few chapters at the end are from Holmes's view, and they are worth the wait, filled with turns of phrase that only she could dream up. This delightful sequel introduces a mystery on a grander scale with much higher stakes while staying true to the flavor of an original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story. There are new characters, a kidnapping, poison, art fraud, narrow escapes, danger, drama, and a final twist with a heap of delicious, complex sleuthing that will keep readers guessing until the end. No one is ever what or who they seem. VERDICT A strong purchase for fans of A Study in Charlotte and where mysteries are popular. Kristen Rademacher, Marist High School, IL

Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson have just saved their prep school from a vengeful murderess and are now enjoying a well-deserved holiday with each other’s families in England But things are never normal at the Holmes’ household, and (not for the first time) Jamie Watson is wondering what he is doing with such a complicated best friend. During their stay with the Holmes family, Charlotte’s uncle, Leander, mysteriously goes missing, and there may be someone poisoning her mother. Trying to solve both cases, and knowing they are likely connected, Watson and Holmes are off to Berlin to get help from Charlotte’s brother, Milo. While there, they find themselves at the center of an art forgery ring and an ancient family feud. Fans of the first Charlotte Holmes novel, A Study in Charlotte (HarperCollins, 2016), will not be disappointed, and readers who are new to these characters will savor the fast-paced plot. It is better to digest this series in order to fully understand the complexities of Watson and Holmes’s relationship, and there are several plot points that carry through both novels. Fans of Kerstin Gier’s Ruby Red trilogy will love Cavallaro’s intelligent characters and modern spin on older intrigue. The story is told mostly through Watson’s point of view, but Holmes interjects in a few chapters. This series is entirely un-put-downable. The Last of August will definitely leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment. —Cyndi Fenske.