The Carnelian Crow

Stoker & Holmes, Book 4

By: Colleen Gleason

Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Gleason has vamped up the familiar world of Holmes and Watson...to paranormally exhilarating effect." - The New York Times

The girls are back!

Evaline Stoker (sister of Bram) and Mina Holmes (niece of Sherlock) return in the fourth volume of the steampunk adventure series set in an alternate Victorian London.

Ever since the debacle of the Chess Queen Enigma, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker have laid low, trying to settle back into their quiet lives as young ladies of London. But the Holmesian deductive abilities won't remain dormant for long, and when Mina receives a strange package from a winged, midnight visitor, she is catapulted into a new, mysterious adventure: the search for the Carnelian Crow.

Meanwhile, Evaline has received some very disturbing news - news that will change her life forever. Along with that unpleasant knowledge is the strange disappearance of her nemesis, the disreputable pickpocket Pix.

When it becomes clear the arch-villainess the Ankh has made her next move, it will take all of Mina's Holmesian ingenuity and Evaline's courage and determination to stop the criminal from executing her boldest and most dangerous plan yet!

Praise for Stoker & Holmes:

"This book has it all...the vivid setting and the finely drawn, compelling heorines make this a fine choice for readers who like their stories with steampunk spice and smart, strong women.” - School Library Journal

"There's lots of fun to be had from this odd-couple investigative team's snarky banter, the well-imagined setting's steampunk details, and Gleason's flashes of satiric humor.” - The Horn Book

©2017 Avid Press / Colleen Gleason, Inc. (P)2017 Avid Press / Colleen Gleason, Inc.

Amusing, but poor Miss Stoker

Highly amusing installment of the series! I enjoyed the book, but I’m not as fond of the sub-plots in this volume. (Namely, I don’t like Ned, and am mad at Florence, Bram, and Miss Adler.) Still, this sets us up nicely for a full (and hopefully satisfactory) conclusion in book five.

More questions answered, raising more questions to ask.

Details about the past revealed, more questions arise, the mystery solved leaves the door to another.
Mina and Eveline, along with Inspector Greyling search for the Carnelian Crow; a dubious and secretive club. Facing the undead and other adversaries this sequel leads on in a spellbinding race.
Fabulous and exciting!

Characters are predictably repetitive

The narration of this series by Jayne Entwhistle was exceptional. The fault is with the author and her inability to create main characters who grow and mature in believable ways. First off she made the girls chronologically too young for their supposed skills. Even in Victorian times there are large maturity level differences between a 17 year old compared to someone say 19 or 20.

And as supposedly smart humans, Stoker and Holmes do not evolve in the least. As a listener I found this most vexing and at times extremely frustrating listening to their same mistakes throughout 4 books. For instance one would think after missteps in the 1st and 2nd books as a vampire hunter Stoker would know to carry stakes, holy water and a crucifix whenever she left her house! And one would also think that given Mina's natural propensity toward unbelievable clumsiness, the uber smart Ms. Holmes might be propelled to abandon her ridiculous clothing choices and get something practical to wear on her excursions that included, yes, by golly, a loser corset!!! Again, the continued trips and falls and fumbles due to unsuitable garments, too long skirts, shoes caught in lacy hems, etc. was more than annoying. Clumsiness is one thing, continually poor wardrobe choices are an entirely different and correctable matter.

I slogged on through the series propelled mainly by the excellence of the narration, and hoping things might get better. But the author seemed stuck with the same old ploys rather than treating listeners to the gradual evolution of her potentially exceptional heroines.

I LOVE this series & the narrator!

The plot thickens! Gleason does a great job of highlighting the pain facing women in the past. Though told as fiction, the torment our heroines face is a BOLD reminder to keep the torch burning for inclusivity and equality today.

wow

A great read. what a cliff hanger. I can't wait for book four. I recommend this for all ages.

even been than previous

A great and timely plot. Well narrated and character growth and resolution to the end. All while being fun.

Noooo! How long till the next?

I adore Janye Entwistle's voice for several narrator roles and this seris introduced me to her. She's very versatile and perfect for the time period.
This book in the seris really leaves me wanting to know what's going to happen next!
So many loose threads to tie up and big ones.
Excellent storytelling , keeps us wanting more but " blooming Pete!" how long till we find out what's next!?

Disappointing

Too much character confusion had to keep going back to figure who was who.
Between the heroines.

An excellent instalment

This series just keeps getting better and better!

I liked how this book took a while to get going and it didn't start off in quite the same way as previously with an obvious 'case' for the duo to work on, but evolved.

It was interesting to read the vast difference between 'Victorian' times and what we as women experience now and also the difference between the two girls experiences in that time and the requirements made of them.

I hope the author continues to progress the story arc rather than try to spin it out for as long as possible as it is still quite intriguing at this point but could easily become laboured if it isn't tied up. There is certainly scope for expansion in the Stoker and Holmes universe and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it grows.

My only criticism would be that the word 'drassy' may be getting a little overused.