Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Beekeeper's Apprentice

Laurie R. King writes the series about Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.  She writes at the beginning of the first book in the series, Beekeeper's Apprentice, that she was sent this manuscript in the mail and she is just putting out into the world a book written by someone else, that being Mary.

So far I have only read the this one book in the series, but I do look forward to reading more of the adventures between Mary and Holmes.  This is a fun, well written story that seems like it could almost have been written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  King has really found the rythym and voice of the original Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

In the Beekeeper's Apprentice, we meet Mary Russell, a young girl who has recently become an orphan sent to live with an unpleasant aunt.  Mary meets a man on the downs and realizes she has encountered Sherlock Holmes, now retired and living the life of a Beekeeper.  She enjoys visiting his cottage and being his apprentice and also being well after by Mrs. Hudson.  Slowly, because she has such a quick wit and remarkable mind she and Holmes develop an amazing working relationship and become partners.  Holmes trusts Mary incredibly, even more than he did Dr. Watson.

But their relationship stays professional and Mary is quickly accepted by Watson and Holmes' brother, Mycroft.  the story build first just as what seems like individual cases, almost presented as short stories, but int he end everything ties together as Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes get mixed up in a case inc which they are both being targeted.  They could have both been killed, but their quick thinking and intuitive reasoning helps them live to solve more crimes another day.
I am looking forward to reading about them working together again.

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