Me on Thrice Burned

Title: Thrice Burned
Author: Angela Misri
Release Date: March 25, 2015
Publisher: Fierce Ink Press

Portia is still reeling from finding out that her guardian, Mrs. Jones, is actually the infamous Irene Adler and her grandmother. As if finding that out wasn't shocking enough, the revelation that Sherlock Holmes is her grandfather has Portia feeling betrayed by her mother, who took the secrets of Portia's lineage to the grave. As a diversion Portia throws herself into work and continues to consult with Scotland Yard on their hard-to-crack cases. While on the case of an arsonist who's plaguing London she meets Annie Coleson, a disgraced reporter who has clues that can help Portia solve the mystery. The women strike up a friendship and Annie starts to report on "P.C. Adams", the consulting detective helping to keep London safe, with the promise to keep Portia's true identity secret. As the press starts to show an interest in P.C. Adams, an impostor comes forward claiming to be the consulting detective and Portia must choose between remaining anonymous and letting the world know who the real P.C. Adams is.

Thrice Burned is a continuation of young Portia Adams' adventures in London, her days spent uncovering clues and investigating serious crimes.

Readers discovered who Portia was in the previous book. Intelligent, practical, at times unemotional but often supportive of those she considers important to her. She's rather analytic. There isn't necessarily anything new to learn about her, which is fine. She's still attempting to fit all the pieces of her life together so everything works. Her law school studies, her on-the-side investigations with the police, her personal relationships. But can they all fit together like the pieces of a puzzle, or is she fated to have the thrill of solving a mystery consume her like nothing else can?

Instead of discovering who Portia is, this book is more about Portia figuring out her relationships with the people around her. Like Mrs. Jones, who in actuality is Irene Adler. Like Brian Dawes, her downstairs tenant and good friend. Like Annie Coleson, a bubbly and loud young reporter looking for a good story to write about. They can be impulsive, unpredictable. They make her feel things she's not used to feeling. Considering the direction of her thoughts towards one of them at the end of the book, it will be interesting to see what happens between them. If anything happens between them.

The mysteries have been carefully crafted by the author and carefully picked and pulled apart by Portia. As the book it told through her eyes, the reader sees what she sees. They can't see anything until Portia finds it intriguing or important enough to consider. And they can't always piece it together as quickly as Portia can.

Like the first book, here is an interesting story with mysteries to solve and suspects to discover. I'm curious as to what the third book will bring, if Portia will ever have to confront an unsolvable case or wage a war of wits against a nemesis.

(I received an e-galley of this title to review from Fierce Ink press.)