Lock and Mori
by Heather W. Petty
Audience: Young Adult
Simon and Schuster (September 15)
IndieBound | WorldCat
"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."
Carolyn's thoughts on the book:
As a huge fan of the BBC show Sherlock, it goes without saying that I would be pretty interested in any and every contemporary adaptation of the classic novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - so I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of Heather W. Petty's debut novel, Lock and Mori. I haven't found many adaptations aside from Sherlock that I like, but this book is everything I could have hoped for and more. Mori is a fantastic narrator, and while I expected this book to be a set up for her and Sherlock to become arch nemeses, Petty's brilliance lies in how subtly she does so - by making the pair romantically entangled and partners-in-(solving)-crime, it isn't an explicit betrayal that foreshadows future conflict but rather a small choice Sherlock makes despite Mori's request. The two character are deeply rooted in the characters of the original novels, and yet still have a fresh originality about them. While a good amount of details are lifted from the original books, the plot is new, complete with an intriguing backstory on Mori's family that ties into the murder itself, and the connections to the classics never feel forced or cloying, while still being clever and subtle enough for the most dedicated fans of the original books (Watson is briefly introduced as a minor character, but I have a feeling he'll have a larger role to play in the upcoming books). The ever-evolving relation between Mori and Sherlock is dynamic and complex and most importantly sincere, something that I feel is less and less emphasized in the portrayal of teenage relationships in YA. And, as an added bonus, there are (at least) two more novels in the series slated to arrive in 2016 and 2017, respectively - so you'll get to finish them all before the next season of Sherlock comes out! Just kidding...(that's only *slightly* incorrect - we're getting a Christmas special this year). But the book is exceptional regardless of other adaptations.
Lock and Mori is a fantastic read, perfect for fans of the original novels and any Sherlock Holmes adaptations.
Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.