Sherlock’s landlady and Dr. Watson’s wife help a blackmailed woman only to find themselves in a murder case in this mystery series debut. The women in Sherlock Holmes’s life have grown tired of toiling in his shadow. Matters come to a head when the Great Man declines to help a desperate young bride, prompting Mrs. Hudson (Holmes’s housekeeper) and Mary Watson (wife to the good Doctor) to set up a sleuthing shop of their own, operating out of the kitchen at 221B Baker Street. Every clue they untangle leads to, yes, the grim slums of Whitechapel, where Jack the Ripper appears still to be busy with his carving knives. With so many women in terrible danger, it seems only appropriate that it’s women who will set things right. “Appealing characters, gruesome homicides, and a detailed period setting in a blend as balanced as a perfect cup of tea. Enjoyable fare for both die-hard Sherlock-ians and newcomers to the canon.” —Kirkus Reviews “Fun. . . . Mrs. Hudson and Mary make an appealing pair, sure to win the hearts of some Holmes fans.” —Publishers Weekly