An Urchin of Means by April White

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Title: An Urchin of Means
Author: April White
Series: Baker Street #1
Published by: Indie
Release Date: March 15, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Will M. Watt
Length: 5 hours and 37 minutes
Genres: Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Science Fiction
Source: Audible
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2023 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2023 COYER Chapter 2
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks
My rating:

Blurb:

Ringo Devereux knows far too much for a man of his times. There’s no simple explanation for it that doesn’t involve improbable conversations about the future, and Ringo’s advanced understanding of three-phase generators and the secret histories of his city are not things he can discuss with the Victorian Londoners around him. Even his origins as an orphaned street thief are far too dangerous for a young gentleman of means to reveal.

An encounter with a ten-year-old pickpocket, and a luncheon with Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle draw Ringo back into the shadows of his criminal past. A stolen gemstone, a suspicious pawnbroker, and a damning bundle of letters are mysteries that require Ringo’s thief’s instincts, his obscure facts, and the help of a little girl with the skills of deduction like his.

But are these crimes as random as they first appear? What do a covert affair and a blue carbuncle have in common? Ringo knows too much, but someone knows more, and the identity of a mysterious red-haired woman is perhaps the most diabolically complicated plot of them all.

My Review:

4.5 stars — Ahhhh!!!  This was sooooo good!  It totally lived up to my expectations for Ringo and Charlie’s new life together, and I’m only sad that there aren’t more books in the series already written!  What am I going to do with myself?

I honestly COULD NOT put this down once I started listening to it.  To start with, I adored Mr. Watt’s narration.  This is my first time listening to him, and it definitely won’t be my last.  He was the perfect voice for Ringo, with the right amount of snark, wisdom, self-effacement and love.  And his voices for other characters were pretty clear and consistent (though occasionally Doyle’s character would lose the burr and I wasn’t sure if it was him).

The whole idea that Ringo could have been the inspiration for Sherlock just tickled me.  I haven’t actually read any of Sherlock Holme’s mysteries, so this is coming from someone unfamiliar with the specific works, only familiar with the character through movies and TV and general pop culture.  I did love seeing Ringo (and Jess) work through the puzzles.

I will admit that I have no idea what this story would be like without reading the Immortal Descendants series first.  I feel like you could still enjoy them…but I know if it was me, I would just have my curiosity piqued.  This story is absolutely delightful as a spin-off though.  I was 100% totally on the Ringo fan club from the first book, and seeing Ringo and Charlie settle into this new life was delightful.  We got so many moments of their love and support for one another, it was so happiness inducing.  But maybe more important than that, we got to see them struggle with this new life — new status, new opportunities, trying to figure out what would fulfill them and give them purpose.  Trying to figure out how to balance what they know that they’re not supposed to know.  Trying to figure out how to make their own family.

I honestly don’t want to say more than that, but I truly loved this story, both from the mystery perspective, but mostly from the growth of Charlie and Ringo perspective.  I just sincerely hope that more stories are coming down the pipeline, because I could gorge myself on them.

COYER Community: I buddy read this one with Berls yet again, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it!  I forgot to ask what she rated it, but I can guarantee it was 4-5 stars (her review coming soon).