Final Fall (Lock and Mori #3) by Heather W. Petty

Final Fall (Lock and Mori #3) by Heather W. Petty
Release Date - November 28, 2017

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  256 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Mori is out for revenge. Imprisoned in the English countryside, with her brothers held as leverage, she’s never felt angrier or more helpless. When an opportunity for escape arises, Mori takes it and flees back to the streets of London, where she is finally able to plot the demise of her recently freed father and his cohorts.

But after a bittersweet reunion with Lock, she discovers that he may not be the ally he once was. In the face of blackmail, threats, and Lock’s noble attempts to thwart her crusade, Mori has an impossible decision to make.

Can Mori wash the blood from her hands and walk away? Or will her final fall from grace be the end of everyone she loves? 

Anyone familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories knows that a story about Lock and Mori can only ever lead one place. Their destiny is already written and with that comes a knowledge that heartbreak is inevitable. Free Fall ends this Sherlock Holmes inspired trilogy with excitement, regret, and tragedy.

Heather Petty, once again, ensures that her characters are the central focus. This story is the perfect blend of plot driven and character driven. It allows the characters and their reactions to the events that are happening to propel the plot forward in ways that make the reader care for everyone involved. I felt invested in both what was going on, and how impacted the characters equally and that makes for an addictive reading experience.

Mori is one of my favourite characters in young adult fiction. She's complex, messed up, and so completely unapologetic for who she is. She is both a force of nature, and vulnerable. She's the type of character that female characters are so often not allowed to be, and the type I ache to read more of. She may even be someone you don't like very much, but there is no denying she's fascinating.

Lock takes more a backseat in this installment as Mori's storyline drives this last part of the trilogy. This series has really always been Mori's story. It's her path to becoming a villain that is the focus. It is her descent that we are seeing unfold as the chapters progress. Lock appears to so firmly know who he is that following his journey would not have been as emotionally rewarding. It's Mori's viewpoint that adds the bittersweetness that this story needs in order to resonate. It's that sense of possibility and loss that make this series have the impact it does, and that is felt because of Mori (and by extension Lock).

The push/pull dynamic between Lock and Mori has always been one of my favourite parts of this series. He sees things in black and white and she lives in the morally grey. They are each other's weaknesses as she pushes Lock to operate a little outside his comfort zone, and he makes her wish for a life where she's less broken. This struggle was felt in every look and interaction that Lock and Mori shared. Their dynamic is the heart of this series, and it was was truly shone in the writing.

The head games that Sherlock and Moriarty are known for are deliciously set up in this installment. They are both intelligent, perceptive, and capable of not letting their emotions cloud their thinking. This makes them perfectly matched, and that makes them such great adversaries. They challenge each other and it is easy to see how they could have been either enemy or lover. The things that make them compliment each other, also make for a great opponent.

There was no other ending than the one this book offers. It was always leading to this. It is just as brutal and devastating as you're expecting, but also incredibly fitting. It is the perfect end to not just the trilogy but the Lock and Mori romance as well.

Heather Petty has written a wonderfully plotted story of a young woman's descent into darkness, and a young man's desperation to help her. It's a story of a love that was never meant to be, and Heather Petty captures every anguishing moment. If you're a fan of Sherlock, or stories that rip your heart out, I highly recommend this series.