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A BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE MURDER

Claire M. Andrews

Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper, this historical murder mystery follows the cunning Irene Adler as she teams up with the mysterious Sherlock Holmes to discover who is murdering Oxford's elite students in the All Souls class.
The Victorian Era is reaching its apex, and the ancient hallways and corridors of Oxford teem with ghosts and secret societies. In Oxford's All Souls College, Isaac Holland is pitted against the brightest of Britain's young nobility for a seat among the prestigious school's faculty and a coveted position in Queen Victoria's court. Isaac finds the competition increasingly cutthroat and diabolical, but there are more pressing concerns. One, that someoneor something is murdering Isaac's fellow students, one by one, in ways more gruesome than the next. And two, that Isaac's real name is actually Irene Adler.

Determined to find out who's responsible for these violent deaths, Ireneas Isaacteams up with fellow classmate Sherlock Holmes to track down the murderer. But their mission grows increasingly dangerous, and keeping up her disguise gets trickier, as someone tries to frame Isaac for the murders, threatening her plan to get out from under the infamous James Moriarty's thumb.

A retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved characters, A BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE MURDER is the thrilling start to a duology full of twists and turns in the dark halls of Oxford.

Claire M. Andrews was raised in both Alaska and Scotland, but currently lives in Vermont. When not writing, she can usually be found outside swimming, skiing, or hiking across the state's famous green mountains. She is the author of the Daughter of Sparta series.
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Published 2025-08-05 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Comments

My favorite of her novels so far, Claire M. Andrews has written yet another compelling page-turner full of murder and intrigue. Irene is a wonderfully complex heroine, brilliant and headstrong, determined to prove herself, and impossible not to root for as she navigates the male dominated All Souls class and the dark and deadly hallways of Oxford. A BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE MURDER will have you reading late into the night to discover the fate of Irene and her friends.and then desperately awaiting the sequel.

This book truly has it all: dark academia, a murder mystery, and romantic tension all skillfully woven into a historical context. The story is compelling and propulsive, the atmosphere so thick you can feel it. This is a Sherlock Holmes reimagining as you've never seen it before spearheaded by an ambitious, competent young woman ahead of her time.

In this gripping mystery, Andrews reinvents classically known and loved characters to bring a little bit of romance and a lot of mayhem to the halls of Oxford. Lovers of dark academia and historical mystery will absolutely devour this book.

Irene Adler is a compelling protagonist with a burning secret and on a mission to catch a murderer. A BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE MURDER is a delightful read that plunges you into a mystery set at a supposedly haunted school full of adversaries and unlikely allies where no one is quite who they seem.

With fast-paced prose and a witty, likable hero, this work is a largely satisfying reimagining of Sherlock Holmes...The Oxford setting is a captivating backdrop, enhancing the story's intrigue.

With a fast-paced plot to match its quick-thinking heroine, readers will be racing towards the last page, desperate to solve the mystery first. Claire M. Andrews has reimagined Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's world with a modern mix of romance, intrigue, and a dash of the diabolical. It's a story with more twists and turns than a Victorian London alley, and the most fun I've had reading in a long while!

This book truly has it all: dark academia, a murder mystery, and romantic tension all skillfully woven into a historical context. The story is compelling and propulsive, the atmosphere so thick you can feel it. This is a Sherlock Holmes reimagining as you've never seen it before spearheaded by an ambitious, competent young woman ahead of her time.

A BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE MURDER has all the makings of a YA classic: a beloved literary heroine made anew, a thrilling mystery, a breathtaking romance, and a finale of break-neck twists. I would follow Claire M. Andrews' riveting version of Irene Adler anywhere!

Staying true to the Holmes canon while inventing a background for Irene Adler, Holmes, Watson, and Moriarity, Andrews pens a smart, witty, engaging, and fearless young woman who holds her own.This first book in a series sets the stage for more adventures.