On Sale: Aug 5, 2025
Page Count: 432 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780316575379

$12.99

$16.99 CAD

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Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper, this historical murder mystery follows the cunning Irene Adler as she teams up with the mysterious Sherlock Holmes to discover who is murdering Oxford's elite students in the All Souls class.

Irene Adler is no ordinary young lady. She's at the top of the ranks in the All Souls cohort, a competitive preparatory class reserved for Oxford's brightest minds. But her peers and professors don't know she's a lady at all. To them, she is Isaac Holland.

Keeping up her disguise gets trickier when All Souls students start dying, one by one. Determined to find out who's responsible for the deaths, Irene—as Isaac—teams up with fellow classmate and roommate Sherlock Holmes to track down clues. Their mission grows more dangerous by the day as someone tries to frame Isaac for the murders, and Irene's own father, Dean Moriarty, begins to threaten her seat in school.

Readers will love following these classic and beloved characters through the twists and turns in the dark halls of Oxford, and discovering what secret lies behind the glitz and glamor of the elite.

Irene's investigations continue in:
A Lovely and Deadly Dance (available August 2026!)

Don't miss the Daughter of Sparta series, also by Claire M. Andrews:
Daughter of Sparta
Blood of Troy
Storm of Olympus

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Irene Adler

"My favorite of her novels so far. Claire M. Andrews has written yet another compelling page-turner full of murder and intrigue. Irene is a wonderfully complex heroine, brilliant and headstrong, determined to prove herself, and impossible not to root for as she navigates the male-dominated All Souls class and the dark and deadly hallways of Oxford. A Beautiful and Terrible Murder will have you reading late into the night to discover the fate of Irene and her friends…and then desperately awaiting the sequel."
Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All
“Irene Adler is a compelling protagonist with a burning secret—and on a mission to catch a murderer. A Beautiful and Terrible Murder is a delightful read that plunges you into a mystery set at a supposedly haunted school full of adversaries and unlikely allies where no one is quite who they seem.”
Mackenzie Reed, author of The Wilde Trials and The Rosewood Hunt
“A Beautiful and Terrible Murder has all the makings of a YA classic: a beloved literary heroine made anew, a thrilling mystery, a breathtaking romance, and a finale of breakneck twists. I would follow Claire M. Andrews’s riveting version of Irene Adler anywhere!”
Kika Hatzopoulou, internationally bestselling author of Threads That Bind
“With its fast-paced plot to match its quick-thinking heroine, readers will be racing toward the last page, desperate to solve the mystery first. Claire M. Andrews has reimagined Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world with a modern mix of romance, intrigue, and a dash of the diabolical. It’s a story with more twists and turns than a Victorian London alley, and the most fun I’ve had reading in a long while!”
Lauren J. A. Bear, author of Mother of Rome
“This book truly has it all: dark academia, a murder mystery, and romantic tension all skillfully woven into a historical context. The story is compelling and propulsive, the atmosphere so thick you can feel it. This is a Sherlock Holmes reimagining as you’ve never seen it before—spearheaded by an ambitious, competent young woman ahead of her time.”
M. K. Lobb, author of the Seven Faceless Saints and Thieves & Kings duologies
"In this gripping mystery, Andrews reinvents classically known and loved characters to bring a little bit of romance and a lot of mayhem to the halls of Oxford. Lovers of dark academia and historical mystery will absolutely devour this book."
Booklist
"Andrews pens a smart, witty, engaging, and fearless young woman who holds her own. Hand this book to strong readers who like a complex mystery entwined with Victorian culture set in the center of the Sherlock Holmes universe."
School Library Journal
"With fast-paced prose and a witty, likable hero, this work is a largely satisfying reimagining of Sherlock Holmes. The Oxford setting is a captivating backdrop, enhancing the story’s intrigue."
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for the Daughter of Sparta series:

"A fresh, original spin on classic Greek mythology. Andrews is a debut to watch; Daughter of Sparta is an action-packed adventure with phenomenal writing and empowering female characters that are sure to pack a punch. I was absolutely enamored by this book!"―Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of the All the Stars and Teeth series

* "Free of vanity, indifferent to the male gaze, and portrayed without objectification, Daphne’s the compelling hero of an epic closer in tone to its Homeric source than to many pop-culture iterations.... A vivid, riveting sequel." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"It is hard to imagine a more compulsively readable book than Daughter of Sparta...but Andrews has outdone herself with Blood of Troy. Daphne is a stubborn, ambitious gem in a myth-spun tale full of glittering royalty, shining gods, and secrets that threaten to topple them all. The burning question I am left with? How will I—I mean readers—manage to wait for the trilogy's final installment?" —Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All

About the Author

Claire M. Andrews was raised in both Alaska and Scotland, but currently lives in Vermont. When not writing, she can usually be found outside swimming, skiing, or hiking across the state’s famous green mountains. She is the author of the Daughter of Sparta series and can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @cmandrewslit.

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From NOVL Nation

“Andrews weaves a complex and delicious web of intrigue and mystery, all set in the gorgeous backdrop of Victorian era Oxford. Her lush descriptions of both people and place enchant the reader and keep the pages turning.”

– Molly, Goodreads