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Summary: King takes the next step...and the game is truly afoot.
Review: As a dedicated Holmesian, I have read all, and I do mean all, of the various contributions to "the Canon" written in the years since Conan Doyle's death. While these works captured the spirit of Holmes, none of them have ever deepened what we know about the man, none have ever really truly contributed to legacy. Laurie King has--finally--created and achieved such a contribution. Mary Russell, King's creation, is the refreshing new counterpart for Holmes and their meeting and subsequent relationship is one of the most naturally described and most believable this reader has encountered. Through Russell's eyes, we learn more about Holmes, begin to sense his depth, begin to actually feel his emotions, an achievement which cannot be said of Conan Doyle. In addition, Mary Russell is one of the most fullest female characters in recent literature, and the reader, over the course of this and the subsequent Russell books, learns to admire her as much as her partner. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, and rest satisfied knowing the Holmes legacy is in very sure hands.
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Summary: Powerful Sherlockian Prose
Review: First thing first: I am perhaps the biggest Sherlock Holmes fan in Southwestern Ohio. This being said, I hate to come across anything in writing, official or even fan fiction, that inaccurately portrays my favorite detective. Anything from dear Holmes falling in love with a cliched Mary Sue to Watson meeting a horrible demise, I would refuse to pick it up or even give it a glance. Which was why I was so turned off from this book at first.
Luckily, my best friend's mother is an English teacher, and she found out (see "couldn't help but notice") my love for all things Conan Doyle had graced. The first thing she did was suggest The Beekeeper's Apprentice to me. "Just read the first five pages," she told me, "and if you don't like it, just give it back." As soon as I registered the first sentence, I was hooked.
The plot has been recited on this page many times before, so I won't indulge, simply try to pique your interest. Rarely does a book grab my attention so as to make me literally perch on the edge of my seat, or want to sink far back into the cushions. I've always been ridiculed by my friends for letting a tear stray down my face when a particular passage was weep-worthy, but never before have I felt like bursting into tears just because the book was OVER. It is one of those books that, after being unable to leave your chair for hours (quite out of your power to put it down) that you feel that you must run 20 laps in order to let loose all of the emotions inside.
This book is not for the unread or uneducated. You have to have some wit about you in order to decipher the pages, and a considerable knowledge of Holmes Cannon would be optimal. But you do not NEED to. Bring only your love for literature and appreciation for the written word, and you will be pleased by this cunning, stunning and heart-warming novel starring the greatest detective of all time: Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: I don't normally read mystery books but was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is a quick read that draws you into the plot.
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Summary: Sherlock Holmes Meets Nancy Drew ;-}
Review: I must admit, when I decided to read some of the pastiche Sherlock Holmes stories, this was near the bottom of the list. A 15-year old young lady proves to be the match for the Great Detective? But I had the opportunity to listen to the audio book of A Letter of Mary. That convinced me I had to go back to the beginning of the Laurie King books and find out how the Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell partnership started. I was immediately struck by how much Mary Russell reminded me of my other favorite sleuth, Nancy Drew. She's way too smart for her own age, doesn't really have a parental figure to keep her from running around the country solving murders, can reason her way out of a dangerous situation. The great thing about Mary Russell that makes her very DIFFERENT from Nancy Drew is that she is NOT perfect. In fact, I think I identified with her because we seem very similar, right down to the gangly height and myopia. Russell also has an Old Soul, partly because of the tragedy that was forced upon her, which does make one older than their chronological years. While reading this book, I wanted to protect Mary, but at the same time, admired her determination and spunk. I couldn't help but enjoy reading this book.
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Summary: A truly excellent Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Review: I must say, this is one of my favorite books in the world. I first read it 5 years ago and it has never grown old. Anytime I am without a book to read, I pull it out and, once again, I am caught up in the world of Sherlock Holmes. The book is about Mary Russel, a 15 year old girl who one day meets a retired Sherlock Holmes near his home on the Sussex countryside. She instantly catches his attention and becomes his protege for the next few years. Being an orphan, she is practically adopted by Holmes, who teaches her many skills that are useful in their line of work. When Russell turns 18, she goes off to Oxford to study-of all things-theology. While there, Holmes is attacked by a mysterious enemy who's plan is to not only hurt Holmes, but his close friends as well. This leads Holmes and Russell on a daring chase for a suprising enemy. And as their search goes on, Russell grows from being Holmes' student into his partner. I have always found the Sherlock Holmes in Laurie R. King's books to be much more sociable, and likable, than the Holmes in Conan Doyle's books. Conan Doyle made him out as an omnipotent, all-powerful being. In Laurie R. King's books you see the more human side of him. I've enjoyed all of Laurie R. King's books in this series. They are, so far, in order: The Beekeeper's Apprentice, A Monstrous Regiment of Women, A Letter of Mary, The Moor, and O Jerusalem. I would recommend these books to anyone, especially someone who loves a good mystery.
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Summary: A spectacular piece of work!
Review: I read "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" about a year ago. When I first glanced at the blurb, I was tempted to laugh. Imagine undermining the great Sherlock Holmes by teaming him up with a fifteen-year old girl! It was almost too ridiculous to believe. Nevertheless, I borrowed the book from my local library, and since then, it has become one of my fabourite books ever. I bought my very own copy of it three months ago. The story is amazing. Supposedly written by an aged Mary Russell (a fifteen year-old girl at the beginning of the story), the book is a recount of her life from her meeting with the fifty-three-year-old Sherlock Holmes, to when she is about 19. Her narration, what she chooses to dwell on in her telling, and what she merely skips over, not only reveals to the reader which incidents most live in her memory, but also makes the story fast-paced, and vividly exciting. The book also shows a quite different Sherlock Holmes to the stories of Conan Doyle. While every bit as brilliant and perceptive, the Holmes we see through Mary Russell's eyes is very much human, capable of mistakes and intense emotion. Much as I tend to idolise the Legend of Conan Doyle, I can't help but warm towards the picture painted by Mary Russell far more than that of the good Doctor. I was miserable when I finished "The Beekeeper's Apprentice", so much so that I was almost crying. And I have to admit that I cried during the book, too, and still do when I reread it. I have read the other Russell-Holmes novels, but none come close to this, the first. Such is the fate of all but the most brilliant of serials. This is Laurie R. King's masterpiece, her other works cannot compare.
Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Review: I was introduced to this book by my sister, who got it from a friend. I finnished the book, and promptly started to look for the next book, The Monstrous Regiment of Women. If you are looking for a book that you can't put down, and makes you feel like you are actually there with Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes, then this is the book for you!!
Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Review: I was introduced to this book by my sister, who got it from a friend. I finnished the book, and promptly started to look for the next book, The Monstrous Regiment of Women. If you are looking for a book that you can't put down, and makes you feel like you are actually there with Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes, then this is the book for you!!
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Summary: For feminist Holmes-lovers, it's pure nectar.
Review: If you love Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, then you'll enjoy King's first book in her series featuring Mary Russell, a newly-invented partner for Holmes. Though, you may wince a little at some wayward departures from Conan Doyle's original vision, like King's portrayal of Watson as stupid. (Conan Doyle's Watson isn't stupid, he's of average intelligence. He is simply a 486 PU in comparison to Holmes' Pentium.) Reading The Beekeeper's Apprentice, you get the feeling that King didn't actually read Conan Doyle, but rather watched Basil Rathbone movies. King's use of language and her evocation of the Edwardian psyche aren't bad and are somewhat reminiscent of Conan Doyle, although far from a perfect emulation. Nonetheless, her overall characterization of Holmes is good enough that Conan Doyle's fans will be more than satisfied. Afterall, it's been a few decades since someone wrote a Sherlock Holmes story of this calibre. I think there's an added bonus if you're a female reader, or a liberated male, or I suppose, just a male turned on by a girl-Sherlock.
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Summary: My all time favorite Mystery Novel
Review: Laurie King is not your average mystery author. Not only does she spin a carefully-crafted plot, she develops delicious characters and relationships, and does it all with a delightful sense of humor, page-turning momentum, and literary grace. In short: a rare combination of real writing talent, and great fun! This book is the perfect kick-off. Once you read it, you're hooked! Her other books in the series are just as good; although there's something about the 15 year-old Mary Russel that has drawn me back to this particular book more than once. I especially love her first encounter with Holmes! WARNING: I've seen NUMEROUS reviews, and even comments on the back cover of her books, that spoil a major plot point in the second book of the series! I recommend not indulging in any more reviews, or even reading small quotes about the series, if you can help it...just buy it, and read it. Trust me, the payoff is worth it! You'll thank me when you relish the last few pages of her second book--which may very well be the most satisfying ending of any book I've read, and one of the best surprises. Enjoy!
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