Lock & Mori

Lock & Mori #1

by Heather W. Petty

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Contemporary, Retellings, Romance, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

YA author of the LOCK & MORI series (available from S&S BFYR). Awkward Witch of the Forest. High Cat Lady of Reno. Kdrama addiction specialist.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was no point to this book. You can call it an homage to Arthur Conan Doyle. I just call it dull as fuck. It was lacking in originality and unbelievable when it tried to be witty. The only reason I can see for the insertion of the Sherlock name is to sell the book based on familiarity.

Even with willing suspension of disbelief, the plot of this book far overreaches the realms of credibility. There's no allusion to the famous series, I don't believe the Sherlock Holmes series existed in this version of modern-day England, because there's not a single joke about a boy named Sherlock Holmes and a girl named James "Mori" Moriarty. The characters are obviously Sherlock Holmes and his nemesis, James Moriarty...except in this book, they're more like reluctant friends, sometime-rivals, and blushing lovers. Cute. Not.

Sherlock Holmes is an anti-social, ill-adjusted, mad genius of a high school boy.

His arms flew into the air as he spoke, then dived down again, adjusting vials, tubes, and the flames of several Bunsen burners. He moved around the table with an odd sort of violent grace, like a mad symphony conductor directing the bubbles and billows, until finally he was facing me, though he did not look up. His school uniform was as disheveled as his lab: white shirt wrinkled and untucked, with sleeves rolled up to his elbows; navy-and-silver-striped tie loosened and askew; and blue sweater flung over the side of a chair so that one sleeve pooled on the dusty floor.

Who, like his namesake, deduces things.

“You’re the understudy, though you’d rather not be. You took this class for some reason other than your love of the art form.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he stepped closer, his finger in the air. “Possible that it’s a family craft, and you do it to please a parent. Father? No, mother.”

His foil is the brilliant Mori. Oddly named for a girl, if it's not politically incorrect of me to say so.

“Moriarty,” I said with a sigh. I didn’t have it in me to play his game that night. “And, before you ask, that is my surname. My given name is James.”
“James Moriarty.”

She's got a troubled family life with a drunkard Detective of a dad who calls her a whore, compares her to her late beloved sainted mother, and beats up her little brothers.

All of a sudden, there's a body in the park, and the two of them just randomly bumps into each other in the park in the middle of the night [insert shocked face here]. The policemen of London are clearly bumbling fucking idiots who can barely put one feet in front of the other, so obviously it's up to the two brilliant teenaged sleuths to solve the crime.

“We should take the case.”

“‘Take the case’?” I wanted to laugh openly at him then. “Do you think at all before you speak?”

“We could do it. We are clever. The swans on the lake are more clever than those detectives. Perhaps even the trees.”

Yep. So off goes the amateur detectives to solve a Deep Dark Mystery/Conspiracy. In-between their snogging sessions, that is.

But more than any of that, I wanted to kiss him and to keep kissing him until one of us ran out of air. So I did.

He surrendered first, leaning back just enough to rest his forehead against mine. Out of breath, he asked, “What about the file?”

“Bugger the file.” I grabbed the front of his shirt in my fists and back-stepped toward his bed, pulling him along with me. It took him maybe three full seconds to dead-drop the file to the floor and fall down with me on his crumpled covers.

Oh, and the synopsis?

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can't trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't hate me, but I'm going to share a secret with you all: I know next to nothing about Sherlock Holmes. Yes, I've never watched any show/movie about him, nor read any piece of literature related to him. Phew, now that I finally got that off my chest, we can talk about Lock & Mori.

This book was not what I was expecting--in a bad way, unfortunately. And I think the aspect that contributed most to my disappointment was the writing. The "awkward" and sort of "quirky" (in a way) writing just didn't mesh well with the story. In a quick contemporary it might work, sure, but in what's supposed to be a spine-chilling mystery? Err.

Lock himself was the epitome of this annoying quirkiness. Again, I don't know if this is really how Sherlock acts, but there was this John-Green-character vibe (there's no other way to describe it, really) that just doesn't work. Also, he's moody as heck. And take note: if we're really thinking about it, Lock isn't really even the main character of this book. Mori is.

Mori herself was pretty moody too, and an overall inconsistent character who made some questionable decisions. I don't really have anything against her character, but she just lacked a strong personality, something I was looking forward to and was expecting from this book.

This book could've done without the romance as well, since, in Math, negative plus negative equals negative. Hence Moody Lock + Moody Mori = Very Moody Romance. I couldn't feel anything for their tandem at all--except maybe annoyance and frustration.

The actual plot of the book was completely underwhelming, and mostly unbelievable. I've still never come across a book where the author pulls off a legit teens-are-smarter-than-professional-police trope, and Lock & Mori just adds to the pile of disappointments.

Overall, this isn't a book I'd recommend to you if you're looking for something exciting and heart-pounding. Lock & Mori's way too inconsistent and boring for my taste. I can't even write a detailed review because of how underwhelming it was.

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[Natalie (Never trust a duck) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do my eyes deceive me? Lock and Mori? I may just keel over from pure anticipation. Benedict Cumberbatch, you've officially been YAed.

[Jen Ryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, if I'd read the synopsis (or read more Sherlock Holmes growing up) I might have been prepared for what happens in this book. Most (all?) Sherlock re-imaginings I've read, from TV shows like House or Sherlock to books like Every Breath focus on the Holmes-Watson relationship, the wonderful bromance (sometimes a romance) between the quirky, brilliant Holmes and the under appreciated, long-suffering Watson.

I was fascinated that this book focuses primarily on Holmes and Moriarty (a criminal mastermind and Holmes' mortal enemy). In fact, this book is told from Moriarty's (or technically, a girl nicknamed Mori's) point of view and Holmes is the love interest and sidekick. Most of the book is about setting up what makes Mori tick: a crappy homelife and abusive father (while I abhor domestic violence, I found this aspect of the story a bit heavy-handed), a secret involving Mori's mother, and a death that Mori feels responsible for. Clearly, this girl is headed to the dark side in future installments.

While this is interesting in theory and I do love a good headed-to-the-darkside-plot, I began to realize that, going forward, this is going to present a huge problem where the romance is concerned. In this installment, we see Holmes fall in love with Mori -- so shippable. But by the end, that ship seems headed for the rocks. Either this series will become an epic love-to-hate-to-love story, or we will get to see Holmes' complete heartbreak. I'm voting for #1.

If you're a diehard romantic, you might want to tread carefully. But I'm really intrigued as to where this is headed...

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Sherlock. I love anything to do with Sherlock. But this? I wanted to rip my hair out. The frustration was insane between the characterization, the absurd plot, the even more ridiculous ‘mystery’, but the insta-love thing Lock & Mori had going on was beyond foolish. All lumped together, it was positively rage inducing for me. But I’ll try to break it down and explain myself instead of just summing up my review with this gif:



The Mystery: A recent string of mysterious murders catches the attention of ‘Lock’ and subsequently Mori when he enlists her help in investigating. All murders occurred in the same spot and the murder weapon appears to be, strangely enough, a sword.

The Characters: Mori is the oldest of four children who lives with her alcoholic father and her three younger brothers. Her mother recently passed leaving her father a changed man, taking out his grief on his children. Sherlock Holmes? We’re told next to nothing about. He has a brother, and a sick mother and… yep. Basically, this was all Mori’s story, told from her point of view and Sherlock, unfortunately, ended up being nothing more than a supporting character. It would have been completely fine if Mori was a character I wanted an entire story about, and I didn’t.

The Romance: The two inevitably fall into a hasty romance where they seemingly spend approximately half the story kissing and Sherlock is continuously making awkward declarations of love.

“I thought I was more evolved than that. But my obsession with revenge […] with wanting to keep you near me from now on, I fear I’m outing myself as the Neanderthal I never thought I’d be.”


In addition, Mori is a constant angst-ball complaining about having to suffer through life’s tribulations all by herself and telling herself that she can’t tell Sherlock about herself because *gasp* he can’t know about her so she’s trying to solve this mystery by herself. Of course, all along Sherlock is practically a leech in human form and he sleeps on her bedroom floor at night to make sure she’s safe. Yeah. So alone. Poor thing.



But the one thing that bothered me so completely that it dwarfed all previously mentioned issues: the logic of the decision making. Sure, it could be argued that “this is fiction! logic isn’t a requirement!” Well, this is what I have to say to that:



Most of what I’d like to say is just a giant spoiler so I’ll try to be as vague as possible. You know those types of mysteries that have the characters doing the most ridiculous things (like trying to solve murders on their own) instead of being smart and just going to the police? This is one of those stories. You know those stories where the character has friends there for them and instead of allowing them to be of some help they choose to go off on their own and handle it themselves (predictably getting themselves in a world of shit in the process)? This is one of those stories. All these silly, stupid decisions could have all been avoided with a little common sense. Common sense isn’t quite so common apparently, at least when it comes to Mori.



The ending sets up even more future angst and unnecessary drama to come. Considering we know how Sherlock and Moriarty’s relationship typically ends up transpiring, I guess the groundwork had to be laid somehow. However the series progresses though, I won’t be around to witness. Sherlock and Moriarty both are two of the smartest individuals in fiction and in my opinion that shouldn’t change if you switch up their gender and turn their relationship into a love affair. I guess I now need to change my “I love anything to do with Sherlock” to “I love practically anything to do with Sherlock” because I definitely did not love this one.

I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a few different Sherlock retellings recently, and even though I've had this book since January, I've kept putting it off for some reason. Now, I don't know whether to be happy or sad I waited so long to read this amazing book. It's quite a small book, but packed full of plot, and I read it in just a few hours, and now think that the wait for Mind Games might kill me.

The other Sherlock retellings I've read, A Study in Charlotte and the Every series, have had Holmes and Watson, in whatever form, as the main characters. Lock & Mori, as you can probably guess, used the Holmes and Moriarty characters, instead, though they weren't enemies. James 'Mori' Moriarty is the only daughter of police DS James Moriarty, and is taking care of her three younger brothers since the death of their mother. Since losing his wife, DS Moriarty has been a vicious wreak, and Mori knows how to read the signs on when best to avoid her father. After a few chance encounters with the reclusive Sherlock Holmes, Mori becomes involved in a sort of 'game', investigating a recent string of murders in Regent Park. As they delve further into the deaths, they find that the truth may be closer than they think.

Firstly, I loved that this book was still set in London, with both Lock & Mori living 6 doors apart on Baker Street, Sherlock at 221, obviously. The geography of London, and the transport system, were used really well in the book, and though I've only been to London 4 times, I could picture the main sites in my head.

Secondly, the characterisations of Lock & Mori seemed perfect. Both characters were a thrill to read, and even though we only got Mori's PoV, you could kind of see Lock's feelings and thoughts throughout the book. I think that if there had been dual PoVs, it wouldn't have been such a good read. Because Mori is more tied to everything, the reading experience of seeing her discover everything for herself makes the reader feel as though we are Mori, and we care for her more. I couldn't have asked for a better protagonist, and can't wait to see her growth throughout the series.

The romance that there is, is angsty and shippy at the same time. Neither of them have much experience with other people, especially Lock, who's more of a loner, and seeing them trying to read each other's social cues, body language, etc., was amazing. Because of how hard hitting the book is at times, especially towards the end, the romance does go through a distinct rocky patch, that I can see continuing into Mind Games.

Since finishing the book, I've read the synopsis for Mind Games, and am even more desperate to get my hands on that book, though I know that it'll likely take all my emotions, and mess them up. This may be my favourite Sherlock adaptation I've read!

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

”I made two startling realizations. I knew that I would probably love this boy for the rest of my life. I knew also that I would never, ever forgive him.”

Le sigh; time to play sad trombones in the background. This was an extremely underwhelming book, considering how it was marketed. I mean, female Moriarty. I already got a taste of how badass this could have been from Elementary.



I guess I was expecting equal badassery this time around. Instead, all I got was too much kissing, not enough mystery, and very vanilla version of Sherlock Holmes.

James “Mori” Moriarty is living with her abusive father and three little brothers in London, trying to scrape by and survive. Ever since their mother died from cancer, their living situation has gotten worse. It’s not like she can go to the police; her father IS the police. Not to mention there’s that dastardly business with the dead bodies in Regency Park. All this changes when Mori meets Sherlock Holmes. Brilliant, calculating and frightfully intelligent, his skills of deduction and perception are unparalleled. Together, they make the best crime fighting team. Apart, they are bound to destroy themselves. The game is afoot, the world is watching, and secrets will be revealed.

First of all, this book is marketed as a mystery with a dash of romance. Someone in the marketing department must have been distracted the day they were writing the description, because that same description doesn’t match what’s inside the book. Here’s a more accurate plot description:

Lock and Mori meet. Lock and Mori find a clue. Lock and Mori make out. Lock and Mori do some more half-hearted crime solving, even though all they really want to do is make out. They then make out some more. And some more. Until they finally realize they have a crime to solve. But that can wait, cause they have making out to do.


Don’t get me wrong; I love me some making out and sexy times in books. But when it overwhelms the general plot line and the action involved, it becomes a problem. I think it hindered the mystery of the aspect story so much that the mystery itself seemed very underwhelming.

Mori was both a brilliant and frustrating character.

”I knew nothing about solving crimes. I’d only ever associated that kind of work with my father, and we had never really gotten on, even before he became... this.”

I admired her ability to manipulate people so easily, but at the same time I felt the author made those lies too convenient for the people around her to fall for. Her knack for getting people to do what she wanted, escaping sticky situations, and ferocious desire to protect her brothers made you root for her. However, there are times where I wanted to shout at her to “JUST TELL THE DAMN TRUTH” so she could escape her miserable situation. I think the author has the potential to develop Mori even further, make her even more manipulative and devious (if it’s going where I think it’s going).

And of course, there’s Holmes. And boy was I disappointed.

”Everything I’d known of Sherlock Holmes was extraordinary. Here was a strange and vivid reminder that in the end, he was just a boy from London after all. My feeling of letdown meant it was a reality I needed to face.”

This is where this version of Sherlock Holmes fails. What was so wonderful about the original was how extraordinary unique he was. The antisocial, slightly insane man who plays the violin, shoots at walls and is seemingly incapable of any human emotion. Whose deduction skills are legendary and could tell you what you had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a particular day. With this Sherlock, we get a teenage boy who plays the violin and is considered semi-weird by his schoolmates, but other than that, there is almost little to no resemblance to his literary counterpart. In fact, one would say that he was surprisingly normal. For a character that is valued for his oddities, this is a disappointing development.



I liked the fact that this Sherlock had emotions and actually cared about people, but he would never had put any romantic counterpart in the way of solving the mystery. The mystery would be too important to him. And even more alarming, his deduction skills were surprisingly inefficient and lacking. Yeah, I get it, he’s a teenager and he’ll grow, but I think I was expecting a bit more in regards to his intelligence and deduction skills.

Towards the end, the writing and the plot picked up A LOT, and there was just enough interest for me to be curious about picking up book two. This quote was the deciding factor, because there are so many avenues this statement could mean.

”If you did this thing. If you... You would not be you anymore.’”

Is this implying that Mori will eventually become the later adult Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis, but gender-bent? Will her mindset of revenge be her eventual downfall? This could be deliciously good, if done right.



For an even better Sherlock retelling, try reading Every Breath by Ellie Marney. The chemistry between the two MC’s is electric, the mystery gripping, and this version of Sherlock Holmes is a lot more like the original.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I feel like I need to say that I had extremely high expectations for this book. I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, from the original novels to different film and TV adaptations. I was so drawn to the idea of a female Moriarty - what an amazing concept, right? Well, I'm here to tell you that this book delivered! The pacing is lightning fast, the mystery is exciting, and oh my goshhhhhh Sherlock is wonderful.

When discussing a retelling of a beloved story, I think it's most important to address characterization. Mori was awesome! She's not particularly likeable in that she's kind of detached emotionally, especially at the beginning and she's really not nice at all. However, she was an incredibly compelling MC and definitely sympathetic. She was exactly what I wanted: the beginnings of what could be a master villain.

There are also small appearances by Watson and Mycroft that I hope will be bigger in future books.

But who really stole the show for me was Sherlock. Heather portrayed him more on the socially awkward side than a grumpy, brilliant hermit (like he is in the original), which I really liked. He has a strong sense of vulnerability about him, despite his intellect, which was just so endearing. I wanted to hug him every time he said something. Seriously. Can I keep him?

I also think it's important to note that while this is a mystery and the plot line is good, readers who don't normally read in the mystery genre (like me) shouldn't be intimidated to read this. The characters still move the story along more than the mystery, and they're definitely a special cast of characters you want to get to know.

There have been a lot of Sherlock retellings, even in YA, but I think this one definitely breaks onto the scene and proves that Heather Petty is an author to watch. Tight writing, compelling characters, and a heartbreaking story make this an amazing debut!

[Gian · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE REACTION 11.02.14
I'm a big Sherlock Holmes fan from books, TV show Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and the film with Robert Downey Jr. I cannot wait what this book is going to be with a female Moriarty. What trouble (in a good way as well) does this character brings!

I guess Sherlock, Male Moriarty and I will have tea until this book comes out






Cheers!

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars

Admittedly I haven't much studied the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, outside of Robert Downey Jr’s zany portrayal complete with the cute hat and ever-present pipe. Of course I know that he’s a detective, one who uses logic and science to solve cases. I’m familiar with the names Watson and Moriarty. Otherwise, there’s not much more I could tell you. My interest in Heather Petty’s debut, Lock and Mori, isn’t the fact that it’s a reimagining of Sherlock’s boyhood or even that she turned the Moriarty character into a girl. I just thought the romance looked good and the darker tones in the cover and synopsis intrigued me.

While I did find a lot to love about Lock and Mori, and I think many readers will be happy with its direction, I’m worried about how this series will end. I’m wondering if it would have been smarter for me to wait and binge read after all three books came out. Sherlock and Moriarty are canonical enemies, and I can certainly see the seeds of that between the titular characters of Petty’s book. It’s actually really well done; Lock, the pensive, moody character who searches for truth above all else, and Mori, the character willing to cross ethical lines to find her answers. There is a strong romance between them, but their differences are already so apparent by the end of the book. That friction between them, I fear, is only going to get worse as the series goes on, to the point that by the end they would have fulfilled Conan Doyle’s original vision of their characters.

Obviously that’s a very personal qualm of mine. I’m a romantic, so I honestly don’t want to spend my time on three books only to have the romance fizzle out at the end. Not saying that’s definitely going to happen, but it’s a strong possibility. But even I can admit that the subtle shifts in their relationship were extremely well done. Mori keeping secrets from Lock, Lock doing everything he can to protect her even knowing it goes against her wishes, Mori taking paths that she knows will cause Lock to look at her differently. By the end of the book the mystery may have been solved, but these characters’ journeys are only just beginning. There is so much unsolved between Lock and Mori, and I’m not sure if they’ll ever have a relationship where they can fully trust each other. Even from the beginning the romance between the two of them is contentious; I wasn’t always a fan of their push and pull and constant quarreling, but I did like the moments when they were more vulnerable with each other.

Lock and Mori are both really interesting characters. I thought it was adorable the way Lock treated Mori in the beginning; it was obvious she was his first girlfriend, so he was nervous and unsure around her yet totally eager to hold her hand and kiss her. That boy is super moody, though, and since we don’t get his perspective I didn’t always know what he was thinking or feeling. He keeps his emotions pretty locked up and doesn’t say much about himself. He’s a puzzle all on his own that I want to know better. Mori was equally moody but in a different way. She has a more abrasive and bold personality, not afraid to say what she thinks but in the process can be quite hurtful. Prickly would be the best way to describe her. But my heart really went out to her because she has such a terrible home life. With a violent father and three younger brothers, she has the full weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

The mystery Lock and Mori are attempting to solve together, centered around a string of murders in Regency Park, is quite easy to figure out ahead of time, but in the long run it’s not so much about that as it is seeing how the characters respond to it. How Lock wants to do one thing while Mori wants to do something completely different. The ending is intense and thrilling and scary, and I honestly wasn’t sure how it was going to play out.

At this point I’m still not sure if I’m going to wait for the next two books to be released before picking up the series again or if I’m going to just go for it and hope for the best. I definitely want to see what the next mystery will be and how Lock and Mori’s relationship will evolve. I just have a bad feeling they’ll grow further and further away from each other.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my hoenst review!

This review can also be found at Love at First Page.

[Nastassja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ambivalence. This is what I feel toward this book. Definitely this story is not about Sherlock Holmes and his nemesis Professor Moriarty. This book is a homage, a fan fiction. Unnecessary. If you read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - you know what I am talking about. Sherlock "Lock" Holmes is quite a pussy in this book. I did not see his genius ways, while the author chirped all the time through Moriarty's voice, how genius Lock is, how strange he is, how extraordinary he is.

"Everything I’d known of Sherlock Holmes was extraordinary."

“I don’t know why I ever come here. To be studied like a rat? To play this bloody game with your bloody rules that mean nothing to anyone! Or maybe I just love the way you refuse to act like an actual person, even for a moment.” I glared up at him again. His face was passive. “More awkward staring? Is that all you will ever have for me?”

He appeared much older, his eyes keen and focused, shifting up and down and side to side. It was as if he were painting the view with his gaze, carefully, so as not to miss a spot.

All this observations, all this attention to Lock's character felt like author tried to force me see all the genius qualities in this boy. But I couldn't really. Most of his actions just showed how weak he was. Throughout the book he made some comments about his observations, but they were pretty ordinary. And in the beginning of the book we are introduced to Lock while he is experimenting with some stuff in his laboratory. Chemistry is his passion, but it was the only time we will see him actually doing something regarding chemistry. All the other times we just have to believe in his genius mind.

So I pretty much disliked this version of Holmes. The other character James "Mori" Moriarty was a different job altogether. This book is Mori's story. She was tough, well, although stupid sometimes, but at least she has the character Holmes lacks in this book. Mori has a rough time after her mother's death and she is angry and lonely. But one day, she finds a very ordinary strange boy in the basement, where he conducts some weird experiments and finds herself in love intrigued by this boy. Lately, Lock proposes to play a game. There was a crime in the park, and the one who will find out quicker what happened, will win. But turns out, Mori has very high stakes in this game and this is more personnel than she could've ever imagined.

Don't get me wrong, Mori wasn't all that great. But she has a backbone, the one Lock lacks (you see what I did here). And sometimes she was fun.

“So, you are a feminist?”
“No. Feminists fight for equity, which is an unsatisfactory goal.”
He grinned. “You’re not satisfied with equity?”
“Why should I be? Men aren’t. For all our generations, men have fought for control and power. Why should women be satisfied to be merely equal?”

But then there's this angst romance. They fell in angst love after 15% of the book (smell insta love here) and every few pages they make out and then there's more angst.

I parted my lips to speak and closed them again. And before I could say anything, I threw my arm around his neck and kissed him.

And there, sheltered in his arms, I made two startling realizations. I knew that I would probably love this boy for the rest of my life. I knew also that I would never, ever forgive him.

And Lock still acts like a pussy.

“I thought I was more evolved than that. But my obsession with revenge”—he slid his hand up my back—“with wanting to keep you near me from now on, I fear I’m outing myself as the Neanderthal I never thought I’d be.”

Practically every time this poor boy wanted to man-up, she shut him with kisses. Well, girl uses sex to manipulate. Old method, but effective. One thing that I liked in all this angst was, that it seems they are going to be enemies in the next books. I like the idea from lovers to enemies.

When I said above, that I have different feelings toward this book, I meant that like a re-telling of Sherlock Holmes - this story was bad. But as a different story, with two teenagers investigating gruesome killings in the park - this story was pretty decent YA. I liked the language, I liked that this book had a lot of darkness. I liked how Mori's character became darker and darker with every chapter. I want to see how she will evolve. I liked the mystery and that this mystery primary influenced Mori's character, transformed her step by step. This wasn't a light read for me. This story has a lot of ugliness and cruelty. Realism mixed with fiction.

Apart from all the angst, angst, angst (it would definitely help if author cut off some of it from the next book) and stupidity with which characters acted a lot - this is a decent enough story to keep you entertained on a rainy day and even, maybe, make you want to read the next book. Do not look at this book like the Sherlock Holmes re-telling - you will be disappointed. But read it as an absolutely different story. And you may enjoy it.

[Bekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW FOUND AT: www.awesomebooknut.com

Finally, something to be excited about! I keep reading mediocre ARCs and was kind of getting downhearted about upcoming books… until this. Seriously. So good. Pre-order it now, people. I promise the publisher is in no way paying me to say this (although it would be nice if they were). This book was just that good.

This is a contemporary YA adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, where his nemesis, Moriarty, is a girl. And it happens before they’re nemeses. So there’s a romance. And it’s beautiful. I loved everything about their relationship; It’s nerdy-cute. And you see their connection and you respect it but there’s also a healthy amount of attraction and yumminess.

[Anna Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had a review written for this one...and it all got lost. Fuck this shit, this horrible book isn't even worth it. I'M DONE.



*Drops mic and runs away*

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

As a fan of the BBC series Sherlock, I'm always up for any retelling of Sherlock Holmes because he is such a quirky and intriguing character. When I found out that Heather W. Petty's Lock & Mori took a her own twist to Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty's characters, I was itching to read the book. As a debut, Lock & Mori was fantastic and if this book is any indication, then Heather W. Petty is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the YA world.

Let me start with the characters first. Lock himself was very much a replica of Sherlock Holmes in certain aspects of his personality - He was moody, highly intelligent, inquisitive, unemotional on the surface and antisocial, all of which made him as endearing as the original Sherlock Holmes. That being said, the author added a touch of her own to his character to make him stand out. Throughout the book, we get to see him open up more, revealing more about himself to Mori. Behind the reticent personality, was a nervous, slightly romantic boy who could be very passionate with certain people. Enjoying his character wasn't very hard to me and I found him to be loveable with all his quirks.

Mori, herself, was an interesting character, even more so than Lock, in my opinion. First off, she is based off a villain in Conan Doyle's works and I was curious to see how that would translate into a YA retelling. Mori was a strong and smart character at first. Having recently lost her mother, her family life was shaky with her father turning out to be abusive. Mori tried her best to protect her brothers from their father's wrath and frequently suffered through the abuse wordlessly. I hurt for Mori and reading about abuse is never easy. I was happy that she had some moments of joy when she was with Lock and had someone that was willing to look out for her without being asked to. Towards the end of the book though, Mori started to frustrate me with her poor decisions. It was clear that the obsession with the murderer was sucking her soul out and she wound up making baffling choices that put her and people around her at risk. By the end, her character had touches of darkness to her and though I'm curious to see how her character will be developed in the next two books, I'm also worried that I won't like the turn her character will take.

As a romance fan, I was entirely satisfied with Lock and Mori's relationship development. It wasn't slow to develop, which worked for me in the case of this book because the characters were truly perfect for each other. Their connection was instant and it was easy for me as a reader to see why they were inherently drawn to each other. It was a sweet relationship, especially because it awakened the more romantic and protective side of Lock. They had some seriously smoldering kissing scenes and I absolutely loved that they had so many kissing scenes (Where do I sign the petition for more swoony kissing in YA?). By the end though, their relationship had taken a different tone with the shift in Mori's personality. It was shaky and lacking of trust and I am nervous about how it will turn out, but can't say that I was unhappy with how the romance was portrayed overall in this first book.

You can't have Sherlock Holmes retelling without a murder mystery. The murder mystery in Lock & Mori consisted of a string of serial killings occurring in London's Regent Park with the police having no leads. The mystery itself wasn't unpredictable, which took away a little bit from the book for me because I liked to be shocked when it comes murder mystery books. It was well-paced but I think the mystery could have been a bit stronger. I did still enjoy the book very much, however, because Heather W. Petty's writing was addicting and as I said, the characters were all intriguing and I'm certainly looking forward to reading more about these two characters in the future.

If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, you'll want to check out this new YA retelling. It wasn't a perfect book by any means, but the characterizations, romance and writing makes Lock & Mori a book worth the read.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been on a serious Sherlock kick lately. It all started with the Every Series by Ellie Marney (and I highly recommend that one) and basically since then, if you mention Sherlock in the summary, I’m guaranteed to grab it.

Lock & Mori is set in modern-day London where Sherlock Holmes and James “Mori” Moriarty are high school students. (Mori’s a girl by the way.)Neither really fit in … Sherlock is a bit of an outcast and Mori, since the loss of her mother, has shied away from anyone at school.

A death in the local park and some inept police work have Lock convincing Mori that they can solve this and the other suspicious deaths that have been happening.

The one rule – they have to share each and every clue they might uncover with each other… but Mori has secrets… and she isn’t sharing those with anyone.
I truly enjoyed this first book – I’m horribly excited to see that there are a couple more planned in the series too!

I have to say right off the bat that I was surprised (and quite happy) with how much the relationship was built up between Lock & Mori… especially if you consider who Moriarty is in the original Sherlock books. I loved it though and it makes me so excited to see what Petty has planned for the remaining books, especially with that last line!

While I had a few things figured out pretty early on, that didn’t make the story any less enjoyable. I actually thought the plot progressed really well, and the mystery around what is happening was intriguing and kept me reading.
If I had any complaint, I definitely would have liked to learn more about Lock. This very much felt like Mori’s story alone, and I just wanted to know more about him. Sure we get some vague details, but I really wanted to connect more with him and I think getting a bit more of his life would have helped.
That said, what we do get of Lock was wonderful – he’s smart and sweet and a bit awkward which totally endeared him to me.

Mori, on the other hand, was frustrating for me… I totally understood that she was emotionally detached a lot of the time because of what she had going on at home, but there were definite times where I wanted to pinch her and tell her to stop making stupid decisions. I also wanted her to confide more in Lock… did I mention he’s adorable and super sweet… It will be interesting to see what Petty does with this story line.. I predict a bit of heartbreak.

Overall an excellent start to a series I’m very excited to continue! If you’re a fan of mystery and anything having to do with Sherlock, I think you’ll enjoy this take on the characters and the stories.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Isa Lavinia · Rating 5 out of 5]

actual rating: 4.5 stars

TW: VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND WOMEN, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE, ALCOHOLISM

I think many people went into this book expecting more of BBC's Sherlock or the original Arthur Conan Doyle's books, and they weren't happy with the result.

Sherlock is indeed like Elementary and BBC's Sherlock but, thankfully, we never have to look at Bennyhill Chasemusic's face throughout the book, so I actually liked the character 100% more than I like BBC's Sherlock (which is 0%, as you can tell by doing the maths). I just pictured him as a young Jeremy Brett, by far my favourite of all Sherlock Holmes.

The one I REALLY loved in this book was Mori! She was clever, though not in an alienating way towards her peers (like Sherlock was), she cared and protected her brothers, she cared about her friend Sadie Mae. ...And she cared about little else.

We always get these mildly sociopathic male protagonists - House, Sherlock, etc. - but we seldom get the sociopathic female, though when we do... they're the best! Who doesn't like *SUPER SPOILER* from Gone Girl? Who doesn't like Alice from Luther? It's much more intriguing because these female characters are always written as being able to fake their personality and immerse themselves in society with none the wiser, while their male counterparts go out of their way to let everyone know they despise them.

So onto the plot, this isn't a full 5 stars because I believe anyone could guess the whole "whodunnit" from the earlier chapters, but the story was still compelling.
We have Mori, who has lost her mother and seen her life fall apart when her policeman father turns to drinking and starts beating her and her brothers.
Mori who is looking for a way out. Mori who has lost any belief in the system after having every attempt to ask for help end up with her father's police friends quieting everything up. Mori who wants to get rid of her father but wants to find a way to do it without negatively impacting her brothers' lives.

Then there's Sherlock. He's basically Sherlock from BBC, only younger, and less rude, and more aware of his social incompetence, so I guess more like Elementary’s Sherlock... And he's all for "the game's afoot!" and turning everything into a competition, as if people's lives are a game that needs solving the whys and hows, but he then loses interest as soon as he's figured them out.

I liked that difference between Sherlock and Mori. I liked how, when he pulled her into the game, she saw everything he saw but also the vulnerability, how the others were human beings worthy of respect and privacy, how their pains weren't a game - even if she felt little for them.

I've seen quite a lot of reviews complaining about insta-love, and I have to say, though rather quick, it seemed natural to me. It's difficult being an outsider, so it's easy to form an attachment to someone who's even a little like you. It's easy to cling to someone who's witnessing you at your most vulnerable. It's normal and human to form bonds while going through adrenaline filled situations.
The romance itself wasn't the focus, with the story focusing mainly on the plot, so it was okay. And I loved how they were so happy and proud when the other one was particularly brilliant!

I really liked the whole theme of the views of the privileged being called into question by those at a disadvantage. In fact, this is most definitively my favourite quote from the book:

"Sherlock shrugged. “I don’t understand the need for power, really. There are more important pursuits.”
“Only those who have never felt powerless can afford to think like you.”"

I've never done this, but here's how I pictured them (as mentioned above):

Jeremy Brett and Ruth Wilson

All in all, I loved it! I loved the way we were shown the violent family life - I know these experiences aren't universal, but to me, personally, it rang very true. How Mori would try to make excuses to avoid a worse situation. How Mori never surrendered.
I liked the plot, the mystery - even easy as it was to solve, because the tension wasn't really on who did it, but on what that meant personally for the characters' lives.
And I love how Sherlock was basically the love interest, even if a brilliant one, and everything we saw was through Mori's eyes.

I can't wait for the next one, and I truly hope that Mori fully becomes the character Moriarti as we know it from the books.

I recommend this with caution because I LOVED IT, but many didn't, so it's really a question of who's reading it.

[M.andthebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine Woche habe ich gebraucht, um das Buch zu lesen, was für mich wirklich lange ist. Es hat mir aber trotzdem gut gefallen. Die Autorin hat es geschafft, Sherlocks Charakter wirklich gut herüber zu bringen, und da ich Sherlock Holmes-Fan bin, fand ich das natürlich super und extrem amüsant.
Auch der Kriminalfall, der zu lösen war, hat mir sehr gefallen, weil es sehr spannend war, zu beobachten, wie Lock und Mori der Lösung immer näher kommen.
Mori hat mir als Charakter durchaus gefallen, aber ich fand es etwas schräg, dass sie weiblich war und mit Sherlock zusammen. In Anbetracht des Originals hat mich diese Beziehung etwas irritiert, aber nicht unbedingt auf negative Weise.
Was ich aber gern anders gehabt hätte, wäre die Rolle von Watson. Sein Charakter war eher unbedeutend in diesem Band, weshalb ich ihn sehr vermisst habe, aber vielleicht ändert sich das ja noch in den nächsten Bänden.
Auf jeden Fall eine nette Geschichte!

M.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 2 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Lock and Mori did not work out for me and this makes me a sad panda. I enjoy Sherlock retellings so I was excited to read this book but when I dove in, I was surprised by how meh I felt about it. If you want awesome Sherlock bits, this book isn’t it. Sherlock (yes that is actually his first name!) is barely present in the book. He is just a side character. In fact, this book should just be called Mori because Lock pretty much does nothing.

Lock has very similar characteristics to the Sherlock that we all love very well but unlike him, all Lock really does is get left behind. In fact, I kind of felt like Lock was a wannabe Sherlock. Even with the similarities, Lock wasn’t nearly as awesome as Sherlock.  He was bland and all he did was spout out awkward emotional stuff when trying to explain to Mori how much he liked her.

Mori was sometimes even harder to like than Lock. All she did in this book was keep secrets from him. I appreciate that she isn’t dumb and is probably��even smarter than Lock but I hate it when characters who are supposed to be working together keep secrets from one another. IT MAKES NO SENSE. Also her reactions to some things made no sense to me. Mori also seems to look down on other women and has some very skewed ideas about certain issues.

Then there was also the case of insta-love. I feel like Lock and Mori are a couple that you can root for, and I could totally understand all the hormones and physical attraction but then suddenly the L word was being thrown around and I just couldn’t understand how over the course of a week, they were in love.

The book also takes a shot at dealing with child abuse which is such a hard issue to tackle. I know sometimes I’ll blame characters for not getting out of an abusive situation earlier, but it isn’t as easy as just leaving. I think, for the most part, the author does a good job with the situation but I do wish some things had been handled differently.

The mystery aspect of this book was actually pretty intriguing and I loved connecting the dots even if I saw some of the twists coming from far away.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to win me over. I am still curious about the sequel and where things will go from here but I just don’t know if I am going to want to pick it up. Neither Lock and Mori did anything for me and I ended up feeling more frustrated than anything else while reading the book since I hate secrets. I do know several people who enjoyed the book though so don’t give up if you were looking forward to reading the book! Maybe it’ll work out better for you.

Note that I received an eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a big fan of Sherlock Holmes or twisted tales with its basis in the Holmes realm then you are going to find Lock & Mori a breath of fresh air.

This teen story brings together the young, Miss James Mori Moriarty and Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Neighbors and schoolmates, these two characters might live close by but their lives are worlds apart. Brought together by tragedy, they use their superior intellect to uncover the murders that are plaguing London’s Regent’s Park.

Romantic interest does blossom between Mori and Holmes but this is more a mystery thriller than romantic suspense.

Dark, absolutely gritty and at times the story takes on a historical feel, this contemporary telling was something utterly original. Just the pairing of these mortal enemies, of course that is original, but it was Petty’s slowly introducing Mori’s willingness to bend the rules and Lock’s single mindedness toward right and wrong that gives us tons of possibilities. It is those possibilities and an amazing premise that make me look forward to what direction the story will take next.

Lock & Mori was absolutely written for a teen reader. Although the gruesomeness and situations lean toward darker reading, the overall feel is still teen and young adult reading.

I received this copy of Lock & Mori from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication September 15, 2015.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Written by: Heather W. Petty
Series: Lock & Mori
Sequence in Series: 1
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 15, 2015
ISBN-10: 1481423037
ISBN-13: 978-1481423038
Genre: Mystery Thriller Teen

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For Reviews and More Check out: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Sara Grochowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the only good thing about being home sick today was getting to read this book. You're a fool if this book isn't on your TBR pile already. So. Damn. Good.

[Rayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

While reading this novel, I sometimes felt like I had written it. Certainly not true, of course, but it was a strange feeling because at points it felt like something I'd thought about several times, something not meant to see the light of day, but that I might've as well written. In fact, I would even dare to say that thousands, maybe millions of people wrote at least half of the plot of this novel in their heads after binge watching any of the Sherlock series featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the irresistible sociopath Sherlock Holmes, probably while they daydreamed their way into the amazing story of the series, most likely in the shape of a brilliant, compelling, strong and fascinating person who matches Sherlock point by point, and who he simply cannot resist - ignoring his whole asexual, sociopath thing, of course. If you're thinking I'm comparing this novel to self-insert fan fiction... you'd be right. That's exactly what I'm doing, because that's exactly what this novel feels like: nicely written, absorbing, but ultimately, just a wish-fulfillment romantic fan fiction in which the iconic main character is changed to fulfill the romantic expectations of someone who is irresistibly attracted to what the character is like, but knows that, if the character were to remain that way, their romantic fantasies would never come to pass. I'm not saying that's what the novel is or that that was the author's idea or what inspired it, but it just felt like that to me the entire time I read the novel.

Sherlock Holmes is a timeless icon at this point. He's had many different incarnations and forms, but the core of his characterization usually stays the same. I'm all for taking liberties with retellings, the more original the better, but Lock & Mori obviously borrows from Sherlock's most recent (and definitely sexiest) incarnation and wishes to built upon that. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, there's nothing unforgivably wrong with the characters either, but I never quite shook the feeling that this novel was, more than a retelling, a take on Sherlock for fantasy fulfillment purposes, with all due respect to the author. The thing is, when in a novel of Sherlock Holmes, the most used word is "kiss" or a variation of that, well, I think that tells you something all by itself.

There's certainly a mystery here, preposterous and ridiculous, of course, but it was not all that bad, except for that whole thing where they tell you who the criminal is about a 100 pages into the novel and the rest of the book is just the waiting to do something about it. Not that it is not predictable, but the mystery was built interestingly enough to take the spotlight away from how obvious the murderer was. But then, less than halfway throughout the novel, the killer is known to the main character, and she just waits around refusing to do anything about it. And that's just because the mystery isn't even the point of the novel. It was just an excuse, a background for what the real point of the novel is: romancing Sherlock.

In theory, I actually liked this novel. I genuinely love the idea behind it and I appreciate what the author did with the story and the characters, and after the end, how she plans to develop that relationship. It's all fascinating, and it shows a remarkable interest in deepening and exploring the timeless, complex relationship between Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty. I really liked all that. The bare bones of the novel were actually kind of great, it was the rest what bothered me.

Moriarty is an interesting character, certainly an interesting girl and I could see how she fit with Sherlock, why they would be attracted to each other. But her characterization was a bit inconsistent sometimes, far too heavy-handed at others, and when it came to her decisions concerning the identity of the murderer and the life she led at home, incredibly stupid. I think the author tried to make her to be something that the character herself wouldn't allow herself to be. I probably would've liked it better and believed her character more strongly if she had been an unreliable narrator, if there had been something off about her. She's the heroine here, so she's the good one, and while she might be somewhat morally ambiguous for the sake of what the character of Moriarty has been in the Sherlock Holmes canon, but, in the end, she is still the good guy. All that means she's supposed to care, to love, to be compassionate, or at least, that's what the author tried to do and where she failed for me because she tried to present Mori as this caring sister, as this worrying person, as this hurt friend and, realistically, she was none of that. She said she cared about her brothers, about her only friend, but she didn't, not at all. They were all plot devices, convenient props for her. She never actually showed that she cared about any of them, and that would've been amazing had that been the intent of the characterization, but it wasn't. The novel really tried to drive the point home that she loved them and was willing to do anything for them, but that was just telling instead of showing, because not once in 250-something pages I got that from Mori herself. She remembered her brothers when it was convenient to the story and she remembered or cared for her supposed best friend, who showed up about 3 times in the entire novel, when it was crucial to the development of the story.

Speaking of which, if there's something I hate is when novels try to emotionally manipulate me, particularly when they bring out sympathetic characters with no particular role in the story only to make them suffer in some way in order to develop or motivate the main character. In spite of its flaws, this novel was a solid 3 star read for me until that happened, until the story shamelessly used a character it had barely bothered to develop and brutalized them to emotionally manipulate me as a reader and to use as motivation for Mori and force the development on her that would change her for the next two books. The build up to it was ridiculous, the plot point itself was unnecessary, and it was cliched, lazy writing technique that pretty much ruined the novel for me. I can deal with deaths in stories; in fact, I dislike it when authors refuse to sacrifice characters to make the story better, but here the story didn't get better, it wasn't necessary at all and, in the end, the character itself didn't matter, it was all about Mori and what she needed at that particular moment.

Sherlock himself was yet another inconsistent aspect to this novel. He was there for most of it, but he hardly had any presence at all. I would've been fine with that as well had this meant that the novel would focus on Mori and her development as a character, but while that might've been the intent, the truth is that Sherlock was another convenient device to pull in an out when the story demanded it. Mori needed to get involved someone with the mystery, Sherlock was there to pull her in and the conveniently fade into the background. She needed help or saving, he would swoop in and provide what was needed and then disappear once more. Even worse, the other 90% of the novel, he was just there to provide make-out sessions, hugs, awkward touching and to whisper sweet nothings to Mori's ear.

Like I said, I could understand the attraction between them, but it progressed so fast, so unrealistically for characters with this particular set of personalities and inclinations, it never felt authentic and instead felt rushed and forced where the characters themselves had the tools to make this feel perfectly realistic. In the end, this was basically the story of a girl who seems extraordinary and that just makes her worthy of making out with Sherlock. And that's just it: this didn't even have to be a Sherlock retelling, as it barely contains anything relating to Sherlock Holmes besides a couple of names and the street they live in. This could've been any other half-assed mystery/thriller YA with tons of fluff romance and it would've changed absolutely nothing.

The writing was awkward some times, the narration a bit repetitive, and a whole, failed to convey any sort of emotion. Again, that would've been great if it had been part of Mori's characterization, but it wasn't. The reader gets constantly told about all the things she feels, all this anger and sadness and angst, and yet, the narrative voice is so dry, you never quite get that Mori is feeling anything at all. Moreover, this novel relies on unexplored and unexplained character motivations for why they do things, most of then nonsensical and stupid, and the characters themselves, in spite of being hailed as the two most brilliant minds, made highly illogical and stupid decisions for the sake of prolonging a plot that was already spread far too thin, in spite of how short this novel is.

Somewhat entertaining, definitely a quick, mindless read, but that was just it: I didn't want a mildly entertaining, mindless read. I wanted a YA take on Sherlock Holmes that lived up the the complexity of the characters, to the nuance of their relationships and to the fascinating, absorbing and twisty mysteries that made the original stories classics. If it couldn't be done, at the very least, I wanted something besides a half-cooked mystery and tons of fluffy romance that was so wildly out of character, it made me damn near uncomfortable. A huge disappointment this one, my dear Watson.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Intriguing, unique, and creepy take on the Sherlock Holmes tale. I really enjoyed this one and would highly recommend it to YA mystery fans.

Opening Sentence: I wore a hat with a feather plume the first time I met Sherlock Holmes.

The Review:

A murder was committed in London Regent Park and two teenagers are going to try to solve it since the police seem incapable of doing so.

Sherlock Holmes challenges Miss James (Mori) Moriarty to a competition of solving the murder and the only rules are they have to share everything they learn with each other! But as Mori is investigating the case she learns some things that she doesn’t feel comfortable telling anyone, not even Lock. As the mystery unfolds Mori and Lock grow close but will the case tear apart their blossoming romance before it even has a chance to fully bloom?

Mori was a really interesting girl and my heart broke for her. Her situation was so sad, but I love how strong she stayed for her family. Some of the abuse she experienced was really gut wrenching and you could see how it formed her as a character and I really enjoyed that because it helped me to develop such a deep connection with her. She was a broken character but at the same time there’s hope that she will eventually heal! She is ridiculously smart, sweet, and she’s a survivor. Overall, I really loved her character and I am very intrigued to see how her story will develop in the next book.

Lock was such an awkward boy, but it made me love him all the more because of it. He is freakishly intelligent and socially he doesn’t really know how to behave properly. At times he comes across as indifferent to what other people think, but occasionally you will see glimpses of how other people’s opinion truly affect him. You can tell he truly cares about Mori which is something he is not used to. He doesn’t express his feelings well and it made the moments between them adorably awkward! I really fell for Lock and thought he was such a great version of Sherlock Holmes!

Lock & Mori was a very unique retelling of Sherlock Holmes and I really enjoyed it! I have read/watched many different versions of the story but to my knowledge there has never been one that represented Sherlock and Moriarty the way this story did! The dynamics between the characters was really interesting and rather fascinating! I was rather surprised to find that it was much more of a romance than a mystery, but it ended up working to the stories advantage. It was fast paced and a fairly quick read! The tone was slightly creepy and very intense. The ending was satisfying but I’m very interested to see where Petty will take the story next! Luckily I only have to wait until this December to find out! If you enjoy a good mystery with a healthy dose of romance, I highly recommend you give this a read!

Notable Scene:

I glanced at the scene, which was no more than a bunch of men in suits and uniforms, with booties over their shoes, wondering around and taking photos. One of the men popped up from behind and open umbrella holding a pussy black fingerprint brush and frowning. He tossed the brush into his kit and picked up the umbrella, which was glossy wet, despite the lack of ring, and had a gash in the top. He closed the umbrella and started wrestling it into a giant plastic sack, revealing a man’s body behind him, slumped in a pool of blood that stained the ground beneath a tree.

It occurred to me that I should probably be shocked or repulsed at this site – – or, at least, should compose my face to appear so – – but when I looked over at Sherlock, he didn’t seem to be much bothered either. In fact, yet another version of the boy came out while he studied the scene of the crime. He appeared much older, his eyes keen and focused, shifting up and down and side to side. It was as if he were painting the view with his gates, carefully, so nice to miss a spot. I thought perhaps I even saw A bit of color in his cheeks as he worked..

FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of Lock & Mori. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Tereza Eliášová]

Konec je jak z americkýho akčňáku, jinak je to ale super nápad. Vraha asi odhalíte vcelku brzo, já z toho byla chvilku zklamaná, ale pak jsem pochopila, že to vlastně vůbec není důležité a že hlavní zápletka je ještě o kousek vedle. A když si při čtení budete představovat mladého Cumberbatche, jak psala Bára v jednom ze svých blogů, nemůže vás to nebavit :D

[Marta :} · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
rtc

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing but respect for MY Moriarty.

The book was fine. I skimmed a lot of the middle. I just didn't feel the romance and I thought the killer was pretty obvious. I liked the end where Mori actually seemed like her namesake.

[Nasty Lady MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

To see review with Elementary gifs click here.

I enjoyed the book. The thing is though, it’s not a good Sherlock retelling.

Because this Sherlock does not have a clue.

The mystery also was very easy to solve and not that very difficult either. I figured it out at the funeral after the first murder. And it didn’t take that much skill to figure out.

I could be generous.

I could say that I solved the mystery because all those hours of playing Nancy Drew made me a sassy detective, but no. It was a fairly obvious mystery.

One that Mr. Holmes should’ve easily deduced.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he acted like a lovelorn teen for most of this book. Okay, with some oddities about him. But this wasn’t the Sherlock that I’m used too.

And the thing is, I know retellings can take a lot of different directions, BUT you have to keep some of the core aspects true. And one of the core aspects of Sherlock Holmes is he doesn’t get moony eyed by a girl.

Or should I say moony eyed in the way where he looses track of a case.

It was really shameful.

All Sherlock comparisons aside though, I did enjoy this one in a guilty pleasure type of way. Mori was an interesting character to explore and I’m looking forward to her descent into sociopath-dum. And I did like her relationship with Lock even though Sherlock was acting way OOC.

That’s the thing, for me to enjoy this one, I had to ignore the fact that it was a retelling.

The mystery, as I said before, really wasn’t much. Maybe this was because it was in Mori’s viewpoint, not Sherlock or Watson’s where the mystery is the primary focus on the story. Here it was more or less Mori making some choices that are probably going to effect her life later down the road.

Also, I liked the fact that this book focused on an abusive family. It’s something you don’t see often in YA. While there were times I was inwardly shuddering, I think Perry did a pretty good job depicting what is an awful situation. Of course, Mori’s situation is more dramatic than most.’

In the end, I really can’t say what it is about this one. By all accounts, I shouldn’t like it. It is a horrible retelling. However, I do like villain origin stories and was surprising shipping this ill fated couple. Who knows, maybe it will deviate from cannon and work out for them.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 2 out of 5]

James Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes are teenagers living in modern day London. In between falling in love with each other (James is a girl, don't get too excited), they delve into the mystery of a string of mysterious murders in the nearby park. I wasn't impressed with the mystery or the clues that let them solve it, but the updated characters were fine (Mycroft impressed me--the author gave him just the right amount of page time to make an impression without ruining the strangeness of him.) and the writing equally fine. I was really interested in reading this near the middle, after all the introductions are gotten over but before the climax (which manages to be both anticlimactic and melodramatic), but ended up rating this downward because by the end it all felt a bit hollow. I wish Mori was actually good at math, as opposed to just being a few weeks ahead of her classmates in trig, and I wish she'd been a bit more calculating and manipulative. Updating Moriarty into a modern day teenage girl is actually a great idea, but I wanted to see the ways in which she used her brain and image as a weapon. After all, ACD's Holmes describes Moriarty as

"The greatest schemer of all time, the organizer of every devilry, the controlling brain of the underworld, a brain which might have made or marred the destiny of nations—that's the man! But so aloof is he from general suspicion, so immune from criticism, so admirable in his management and self-effacement, that for those very words that you have uttered he could hale you to a court and emerge with your year's pension as a solatium for his wounded character."

I just can't see how this Mori could blossom into that criminal mastermind. If her plan at the end had been even half ok, I might feel like she was on her way, but instead it was just a terrible idea (She gets herself alone with the killer, who she knows has physically bested many grown people and her before, and attacks him with a knife. That is beyond foolhardy into just idiotic.).

[Emily Donnellan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The instant I was approved for Lock & Mori on Edelweiss I dropped everything I was reading and started it. Would you like to know why? It’s because I’m a sucker. I have read all of the original Sherlock Holmes stories and so a modern day YA retelling had my name written all over it. Unfortunately, I need to stop doing that because my expectations are always so high and I end up finishing Sherlock retellings feeling underwhelmed.

Lock and Mori follows James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes, both are brilliant high school students that inhabit different worlds, until a murder brings them together. The two teens band together to solve the crime and to mend the broken parts of their own lives.

I expected this novel to follow the original series more. I noticed almost immediately that Lock and Mori are NOT Sherlock and Moriarty. They don't feel, or act, like the real Sherlock or Moriarty. They are two completely different characters who happen to solve crimes and share names with famous characters. There also was almost no rivalry between Lock and Mori. Instead of an epic rivalry the two characters begin having feelings for each other.

The romance in Lock and Mori was a little weird. I wanted the two characters to get together but when it finally happened it felt like things were moving too quickly. It also didn’t help that Mori was a rather detached character. Although she was the narrator I never really felt like I got to know her.

Overall, I think if Lock and Mori had had different names I would have enjoyed this novel more. The mystery was interesting but it was basic and I wanted to be wowed. Still, I plan on picking up the sequel because 1. I’m a sucker and 2. I’m curious about what happens next.

[Brittany S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Impressions 9/11/15: 4 stars | This was really interesting! I don't do many classics but I do love Sherlock Holmes so in addition to reading the original stories, I've also been loving the retellings and adaptations.
I really enjoyed the roles of the characters and how they were similar to the originals. The story really hooked me from start to finish and I really loved how new things came to light along the way and how they really felt unique and mysterious. Sometimes it's hard to cope with YA mysteries because it's just not plausible why teenagers would be solving a crime and not handing it over to the authorities but this totally worked for me! It was a great way to create a believable plot and really make the characters and story blend together seamlessly.
I think one of the things I wasn't totally sold on was the romance. I knew there would be a romance here and was rooting for it BUT I felt like the beginning of it was awkward and didn't seem like a natural progression. It just felt forced and a bit clumsy and worked out in the end but I didn't feel the chemistry until the last quarter or so. I AM curious to see what happens between Mori and Lock after that ending, though.
The mystery was great and I can't wait to see what happens in future books! I forgot this wasn't a stand alone and could have done with it being one book but I'm also interested in reading more Lock & Mori books!

[Glory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Сколько в последнее время вышло переиначенных историй Шерлока Холмса? Я уже со счета сбилась.
Но так как тема мне интересна, то, наверное, стоит радоваться.
В данном случае перед нами YA-роман, где Шерлок - гениальный школьник в современном Лондоне, а Мориарти... а Мориарти - очень неоднозначная девочка.

В общем-то, в сюжете нет ничего экстраординарного. Убийства, расследования... В чем-то все даже весьма предсказуемо, а некоторые диалоги заставляли поморщиться - настолько они получились топорные, неживые.
Но вот сами герои порой удивляли, и не всегда приятно.

Очень противоречивые остались впечатления от романа. В нем есть и наивность, и грязь, и реализм, и глупость, и гениальные мысли, и многое-многое другое. Наверное, как и в жизни.

А уж финал... Он не просто намекает, а прямо указывает на дальнейшую вражду, которая вряд ли приведет к чему-то хорошему (ну, как мне кажется), хотя тут у нас мнимый ХЭ.
"And there, sheltered in his arms, I made two startling realizations. I knew that I would probably love this boy for the rest of my life. I knew also that I would never, ever forgive him."
Спойлер? Ну а чего вы ожидали от отношений Шерлок/Мориарти?

И да, я вряд ли продолжу серию. Но о прочитанном не жалею.