The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas Narrator: Kate Reading
Series: Lady Sherlock #3
Published by Blackstone Audiobooks on October 18, 2018
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Length: 10 hours, 51 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble
Under the cover of “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don’t.
Moriarty’s shadow looms large. First, Charlotte’s half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte’s close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.
With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram—and a number of malevolent forces…
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
This Lady Sherlock series is highly addictive and SO highly recommended. I saw it was available when I got up and promptly started listening, taking it with me all day long as I did my various tasks, and 10 hours later I had finished it.
So I was excited to see how Charlotte and Lord Ingram would be after the events in A Conspiracy in Belgravia. I also wondered how things would go for Inspector Treadle. We get mostly the perspective of Charlotte, Livia and Inspector Treadle. I’d actually like to get a bit more of Lord Ingram’s perspective. How I love Charlotte!
The plot was layered and complex enough which I loved. There was one big thing I suspected and another twist which shocked me. There was certainly enough fear since one could be hanged for murder. Unfortunately, some people just want to have a case solved whether it is the perpetrator or only the most likely suspect. Since the science aspects are a bit limited, politics seems to come into play as well. I’ll definitely be looking forward to The Art of Theft planned for October.
Narration:
I really am enjoying this series with Kate Reading as the narrator. I’m so comfortable with her voices I just envelop myself in the story and wouldn’t notice now unless something sounded wrong. The accents for the location felt real to me but since I’m not an expert on regional accents they may not be accurate. I was able to listen at 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
About Kate Reading
Kate Reading is an Audie Award–winning narrator with hundreds of titles in many genres. She has received numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine, as well as being named Narrator of the Year, and Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy. Her narration has been recognized as Reader of the Year by Publishers Weekly, and by Booklist’s 2019 Top of the List, for the American Library Association. She and her husband, narrator Michael Kramer, record at their home studio in Maryland, Madison Productions.
About Sherry Thomas
Sherry Thomas writes both historical romance and young adult fantasy.
On the romance side, she is one of the most acclaimed authors working in the genre today, her books regularly receiving starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.
On the young adult fantasy side, there isn’t much to report yet, her debut book, THE BURNING SKY, book 1 of the Elemental Trilogy, has received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and been named to the Autumn ’13 Kids’ Indie Next List.
Sherry writes in her second language. She learned English by reading romance and science fiction–every word Isaac Asimov ever wrote, in fact. She is proud to say that her son is her biggest fanboy–for the YA fantasy, not the romances. At least, not yet..
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
|
| Writing |
|
| Characters |
|
| Dialogue |
 |
| Narration (Audio) |
|
| Overall: | |
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- Strangers in Time by David Baldacci @davidbaldacci.bsky.social@grandcentralpub.bsky.social@davidbaldacci @GrandCentralPub - April 19, 2025
- Thrifty Thursday: Australia edition #FionaTarr #KerryGreenwood #AnnaWillett #ThriftyThursday #KindleUnlimited - April 17, 2025
- 🎧 The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social#JessicaWhittaker @penguinaudio.bsky.social @acebookspub.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks @mark__lawrence @AceRocBooks @PRHAudio - April 15, 2025
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2019 Audiobooks
- 2019 Library-Love
- BTB 2019
I must admit I’m intrigued by this series. I’ve wanted to read this author for quite some time. Definitely will check this one out and am glad you’re liking it, Anne.
I LOVE it. I love it so much.
I really have to try this series. You sure are enjoying it:)
It’s really the bomb. I love it SO much. I hope you like it.
I keep meaning to read some of this series. I even checked an ebook out at the library, but forgot about it. lol
I know what you mean. I keep a list on my desk of my books including library books (with their due dates), and ARCs with their publish dates so I’m on top of things. I still have to renew or recheck out some library books. This one though, as soon as I saw I got it from the library when I woke up in the morning, I downloaded it and started listening while I got dressed and just kept listening all day. And I finished it by the end of the day. I had been waiting to get it.
Oh, this is a series I’m dying to read! I think I’ll see if my library carries the audio because I enjoyed the narrator in the audio snippet you shared. 🙂 I’m so happy you continue to love Charlotte, Anne!
I do. I love her so much. Each book just gets better.
I couldn’t stop listening to this one – my favorite of the series BY FAR… and so many twists and series-changers… this series just gets better with each book and I look forward to the next! Great review.
IKR!?!?!?! The second book and this one – what shocking twists. After the first book I joked to Kimba (because of the people dying in the first book), really couldn’t Lady Ingram just have a fatal accident? And then the second book was a huge surprise and this one even more stunning. I love the cleverness. Thank you.
I have read really good reviews of this book. I will have to get this one I think. You are like the 10th person I have read the review of that loved the twists and the plot. Sounds like a fabulous book. Great review!
Mary
Thank you! I highly recommend it. It is historical mystery. It took a little of the first book to get into it. If you like Sherlock Holmes, you will probably like it.
I mentioned on your last review of this series that this was the one I read first that made me fall in love with it. I definitely have to go back and read the others. Wonderful review, Anne. Happy you enjoyed it, too, and actually, you make me really want to try the audio!
I thought the audio was amazing. I don’t know how you could read them out of order! but I would go back and get the setup so you are ready when the series goes forward.
I either have the first one or it is on my Amazon or Audible list. I think I could really get into something like this. Thanks!
If you like mystery and Sherlock Holmes, you would probably love it. I loved the audio version, great narrator.