Secret Letters by Leah Scheier

Dora dreams of escaping her rule filled society life. She dreams of traveling to London and working to help solve mysteries. Dora also has a secret, she is the daughter of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. She finds herself traveling to London to meet with him about a case involving her cousin, who is being blackmailed. When she arrives however she learns that Holmes has been killed in Switzerland. Now Dora must deal with the loss of a father she never knew and find her place in society. She meets a young apprentice named Peter Cartwright who works with another detective in London. Her cousin requests their help in finding the blackmailer and soon Dora finds herself pulled into not just her cousin's case but the case of a missing daughter of a Lord.

Dora must work to help solve the case of the missing girl while still helping her cousin. Soon she is pulled into a world of lies and games in which she must use all her knowledge as a detective to help find the missing girl and save her cousin's reputation and marriage. Will Dora be able to hide her identity long enough to find the truth or will she be discovered?

I absolutely loved this book! I am a huge fan of historical fiction especially those set during the Victorian Era. The characters where well written and I especially liked Dora and her need to prove that she is not just some pretty girl that is only good at dancing and going to parties. The story reminds me a lot of the Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander in that it has a strong female lead in a role that was not considered proper in that day. I also love how the theme of secrets ran through out the book. Dora had her secret, Peter had his, the blackmailer, the maid, etc. It bring a richness to the story and proves that things aren't always so they appear. One final note: I'm not sure if the author meant this to be a single story or the beginning of a series but I hope to read more about Dora and her adventures in the future. I think the ending leaves that possibility open. As the book doesn't come out until June 26th I suggest that you place it on your to-read list. You won't be disappointed.