Locked by Eva Morgan

Series: Locked, Book One

Publisher: Self

Format: Kindle

Published: 10^th February 2014

Number of Pages: 219

Book: Sent For Review*

Genre: Romance, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Action-Adventure, Re-Telling, YA, NA

Recommended Age: 14+

Contains: Violence, Death, Swearing, Alcohol, Drug and Sexual References

Available On: Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Author's Blog: Eva Morgan

WARNING: This review will be an excited rambling of a fangirl. 

You have been warned…

Eighteen-year-old Irene Adler hasn’t cared much for living since her sister died. 

Until Sherlock Holmes moves in next door.

Sherlock is a conceited, sharp-cheekboned nightmare—and Irene’s first real friend in ages. Within a day, he’s partnered with her to solve their school's mysteries. Within a week, he’s saved her life in more ways than one. 

Within a month, the whole school thinks he's a murderer.

When Sherlock is found alone with a dead girl, he and Irene must crack the case under a hailstorm of hate—before the killer comes after the genius who gave Irene her life back. 

This is a modern-day reimagination of the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle. 

                                                                   Review:

“Great.  Apparently it's my fate to be frequently alone with Sherlock Holmes.  Fate has it out for me…”

Ever since Irene Adler’s sister died, she’s been just going through the motions.  Going to school, going home, and at night, sneaking out to solve problems for her fellow students under the alias Ares.

And then Sherlock Holmes moves into the house next to hers.

Sherlock is… different.  Ok, he’s a know-it-all, obnoxious, socially-impaired lunatic who gets bored far too easily and gets into fights far too often (though, really, what does he expect when he goes around pointing out everyone’s secrets and talking smack about their mothers?). 

He’s also Irene’s first friend since her sister died.

Before long, he’s become her partner in crime – or, more truthfully, partner is solving crimes. 

He also saves her.  He makes her feel alive again, makes her care again, deeply.  He protects her.

But then Sherlock is found standing over the body of a classmate – a classmate who hurt Irene.  The whole school is certain he’s the killer.

Now, it’s Irene’s turn to protect Sherlock, all the while trying to solve the case – before the killer comes back to take it all away, to take away the boy who saved her…

Team Sherlock Edit!  TheBookAddictedFanGirl at work! ;)

I am a major Sherlock Holmes addict.  So much so that I really ought to go to SA (Sherlockaholist Anonymous) meetings – Hello, my name is Megan and I am a Sherlockaholic – I am Sherlocked.  Seriously though, I've read the books, watched loads of the movies (old and the new ones with Robert Downey Jr – those are my favourites!) and, of course, watched Sherlock and even Elementary (it's my between-Sherlock-series hit).  Therefore, when Eva Morgan offered this book to me, I jumped on the chance to review it.  And, even though I had two books for my English Lit that really needed reading, I couldn't resist opening Locked up on my Kindle.  And damn if I wasn't hooked from that very first chapter!  So hooked, in fact, that I was still reading well into the wee hours.  I think it was like five am when I finally finished the book – in one sitting, I might add – and finally managed to calm myself down enough to get some sleep.  Ok, I didn’t calm down.  I was still crying.  I just kinda passed out.  And my brain was still totally Locked-obsessed when I woke up.  Yup, guys.  Seriously that freaking good.

Ok, I’m gonna start with my favourite thing about this book: Sherlock... I've always adored how utterly terrible he is at social interactions.  He's a freaking genius, but he's also an utter sociopath – especially in Sherlock, much of which I believe this book is based on.  And Locked brought me my favourite version of Sherlock Holmes in a teenager's body, with a teenager's attitude and Sherlock's terrifying intelligence.  The combination was brilliant, hilarious and utterly hot.  He was also so broken and vulnerable, in his own obnoxious way.  And he has been added to my list of Top Five Book Boyfriends.  Yup, he's made Top Five.  I've always loved Sherlock's various incarnations but Eva's?  The best by far.   I mean, how can one read this quote and not totally fall in love with Sherlock:

“How much longer will this last?

“Estimate: Not long.  Days at most.  Something will happen to break through her loyalty.  I'll do something to ruin it.

“I always do something.”

I loved Irene too – how she could hold her own against Sherlock's insanity, her sense of humour.  She was a brilliant foil to his mildly-crazy ways, but she was a great character in her own rights and I loved her.

But I've got to say, what really made the book was the relationship between the two of them.  They had this connection, this bond, that was hilarious, beautiful, insane, touching and impossible to resist.  I loved the two of them together, even more than I loved them apart.

And this book... Sherlock... it totally broke my heart.  I mean, seriously.  I was an absolute bloody wreck by the end, sobbing my eyes out.  I'm not kidding.  I was literally pleading with the book for I don't even know how many pages: 'Please, no.  Please...  Just no, please...'  I may have forced myself back awake at 5am to finish it.  I couldn't leave it where I left it.  So thank you, Eva, for completely wrecking me!  I’m crossing literally everything hoping that there’s a second book – and soon!

Oh, the writing was amazing as well.  Most of it was written by Irene, but there were these little bits, these notes, that were written by Sherlock.  Sometimes his notes were funny, sometimes confusing and sometimes they were heartbreaking.  I really loved Sherlock’s bits – but Irene was an amazing narrator.  I’m just a bit Sherlocked – especially on Locked’s Sherlock.  Sorry: I’m totally biased!

So if you haven’t gathered, I adored Locked.  I only rarely get the time to read self-published books now, but I am so glad I made time for Locked.  It’s actually one of the best things I’ve read this year – and I want all Sherlock fans to go buy it!  Even if this is, kind of selfishly, because I want a sequel really really soon!

So Sherlock fans: go, read Locked.  Come back and gush.  I swear to God, you will not be disappointed.  There are just… no words for how good this book was and no end to how much I could gush over it.  I just loved it so much!  And I need a sequel – please Eva!

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5 

Read this book if you liked:

Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Empty Coffins Series by Gregg Olsen

Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Sherlock

Happy Reading

Megan

* This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review