The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Strong language


As "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes has solved murders and found missing individuals. But she has never stolen a priceless artwork—or rather, made away with the secrets hidden behind a much-coveted canvas.

But Mrs. Watson is desperate to help her old friend recover those secrets and Charlotte finds herself involved in a fever-paced scheme to infiltrate a glamorous Yuletide ball where the painting is one handshake away from being sold and the secrets a bare breath from exposure.

Her dear friend Lord Ingram, her sister Livia, Livia's admirer Stephen Marbleton—everyone pitches in to help and everyone has a grand time. But nothing about this adventure is what it seems and disaster is biding time on the grounds of a glittering French chateau, waiting only for Charlotte to make a single mistake...



I liked this book almost as much as the previous one, which in my opinion was the best of the series so far. This time around Charlotte and company leave London for Paris and get involved in a scheme that ends up much bigger than they originally thought.

Going in, I wasn't real enamored with the plot of this book. Compared to the plots of the other books in the series, art theft didn't seem all that interesting to me. But as I continued to read I ended up enjoying all the disguises and subterfuge. The plot also got more twisty and took some turns that I wasn't exactly expecting, but also wasn't surprised at either.

I was happy that Livia and Mr. Marbleton got some page time, and I was hopeful for them. Of course, I also feared that their situation probably wouldn't end up all rosy, being as complicated as it is. I won't spoil what happens, but I do want all the best for my favorite character.

The relationship between Charlotte and Ingram frustrated me a bit, but also kept me intrigued. There is delicious chemistry between the two of them, and I find myself torn over whether I want them to just come to some sort of understanding and move on to the next stage, or continue with all the hot and cold behavior while longing for each other, because it makes for great tension.

On other notes- Mrs. Watson's backstory was the least interesting thing about the book to me, and I missed Treadles and Alice. However the very end kind of made up for the lack of them in this story. Charlotte's battle with Maximum Tolerable Chins was amusing and relatable.

I especially enjoyed these quotes:


“At least once in his life, he would like for her to look at him as she would a morsel of fine French pastry. Or a slice of Victoria sandwich. Or even a humble piece of buttered bread.”


"I have learned to heed my own opinion of myself more than anyone else’s. A woman who allows the disdain and casual callousness of strangers to make her feel less worthy can have nothing but a difficult time...”


“He had never been naked in a room with two women present, and certainly not two women whose sole focus was undressing a different man—he almost laughed as he came out from behind the screen.”


Overall, I'm still enjoying this series. I like the way we get the mystery of the week sort of format with each book, but that we also have the ongoing mystery plot that has been taken up a notch with each book.