Author: Laurie R. King
Narrator: Jenny Sterlin
Series: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes Book 1
Publication: Macmillan Audio (January 10, 2014)
Length: 13 hours and 26 minutes
Description: This program includes a preface read by the author.
From New York Times best-selling author Laurie R. King comes the book that introduced us to the ingenious Mary Russell - Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes - and match him wit for wit. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern 20th-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective.
In their first case together, they must track down a kidnapped American senator's daughter and confront a truly cunning adversary: a bomber who has set trip wires for the sleuths and who will stop at nothing to end their partnership.
Full of brilliant deductions, disguises, and dangers, this first book of the Mary Russell - Sherlock Holmes mysteries is "wonderfully original and entertaining...absorbing from beginning to end." (Booklist). Named "One of the Century's Best 100 Mysteries" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.
My Thoughts: This story begins when orphaned, fifteen-year-old Mary Russell literally stumbles over Sherlock Holmes while she is out walking and reading. It narrates the growth of their friendship as she becomes his unofficial apprentice and grows into his partner.
Series: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes Book 1
Publication: Macmillan Audio (January 10, 2014)
Length: 13 hours and 26 minutes
Description: This program includes a preface read by the author.
From New York Times best-selling author Laurie R. King comes the book that introduced us to the ingenious Mary Russell - Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes - and match him wit for wit. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern 20th-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective.
In their first case together, they must track down a kidnapped American senator's daughter and confront a truly cunning adversary: a bomber who has set trip wires for the sleuths and who will stop at nothing to end their partnership.
Full of brilliant deductions, disguises, and dangers, this first book of the Mary Russell - Sherlock Holmes mysteries is "wonderfully original and entertaining...absorbing from beginning to end." (Booklist). Named "One of the Century's Best 100 Mysteries" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.
My Thoughts: This story begins when orphaned, fifteen-year-old Mary Russell literally stumbles over Sherlock Holmes while she is out walking and reading. It narrates the growth of their friendship as she becomes his unofficial apprentice and grows into his partner.
Mary is very bright and intending to attend university to study both religion and chemistry. She is the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Christian father from California. She is an heiress currently under the guardianship of an aunt who dislikes her and is indifferent to her care. She finds a home where she is accepted, cared for, and loved with Sherlock Holmes and Mrs. Hudson.
This story talks about her early cases from discovering who stole the cashbox and some hams from a pub her farm manager's lady friend owns to the kidnapping of an American Senator's six-year-old daughter to attacks from a secret adversary who uses bombs and bullets to try to murder Sherlock and any of his friends.
I enjoyed this different view of Sherlock Holmes in his country retirement but who hasn't stopped all investigations. It was intriguing to see him through the eyes of a modern young woman who is his match in intellect though lacking his training and exeperience.
I loved the setting and time period. Mary and Sherlock's adventures take place in the shadow of World War I and see them traveling to the Holy Land to get away from their English villain and also solve a problem for Sherlock's brother Mycroft. The descriptions and Mary's reactions to her times in the Holy Land were very vivid.
Jenny Sterlin had a great voice for Mary but was somewhat too soprano to handle Sherlock as well despite the textual information that his voice was higher than the average male. However, she manages to do a very good job with the emotions and attitudes of the characters. The pacing was excellent and the mysteries compelling.
This was an excellent introduction to characters who have appeared in seventeen books now that CASTLE SHADE has been released. It is a wonderful series filled with great historical detail, actual historical figures, and mysteries surrounding them which enable Mary and Sherlock to shine.
Favorite Quote:
Favorite Quote:
His words were placid, but what lay beneath them shook me breathless, for what he was proposing would in another man be sheer recklessness. Holmes the painstaking, Holmes the thoughtful, calculating thinker, Holmes the solitary operator who never so much as consulted another for advice, this Holmes I thought I knew was now proposing to launch himself into the abyss, trusting absolutely in my ability to catch him.I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.
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