Winner of the Nero Wolfe Award
It is 1921 and Mary Russell--Sherlock Holmes's brilliant apprentice, now an Oxford graduate with a degree in theology--is on the verge of acquiring a sizable inheritance. Independent at last, with a passion for divinity and detective work, her most baffling mystery may now involve Holmes and the burgeoning of a deeper affection between herself and the retired detective. Russell's attentions turn to the New Temple of God and its leader, Margery Childe, a charismatic suffragette and a mystic, whose draw on the young theology scholar is irresistible. But when four bluestockings from the Temple turn up dead shortly after changing their wills, could sins of a capital nature be afoot? Holmes and Russell investigate, as their partnership takes a surprising turn in A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King.
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"One of the weaker books of the series (as a few have mentioned) by no means a reason to not proceed to some of the more amazing adventures (O Jerusalem, Locked Rooms, standouts). But it does draw Russell and Holmes deeper into a bond and explore 19th century London and what happens when an enigmatic person controls the minds and actions of easily led people. For those who write "More Russell, Less Holmes" keep reading..." — Jackson (4 out of 5 stars)
"One of the weaker books of the series (as a few have mentioned) by no means a reason to not proceed to some of the more amazing adventures (O Jerusalem, Locked Rooms, standouts). But it does draw Russell and Holmes deeper into a bond and explore 19th century London and what happens when an enigmatic person controls the minds and actions of easily led people. For those who write "More Russell, Less Holmes" keep reading..."
“The great marvel of King's series is that she's managed to preserve the integrity of Holmes's character and yet somehow conjure up a woman astute, edgy, and compelling enough to be the partner of his mind and as well as his heart. . . . Superb.
As audacious as it is entertaining and moving . . . What gives Laurie R. King's books such a rich and original texture is the character of Mary--totally believable in her own right, a tall and gangling orphan with a restless intellect and a great store of moral and physical courage.
Mary Russell makes a triumphant return. . . . Thoroughly enjoyable.
Extraordinary . . . A delight.
“The great marvel of King’s series is that she’s managed to preserve the integrity of Holmes’s character and yet somehow conjure up a woman astute, edgy, and compelling enough to be the partner of his mind and as well as his heart…Superb.”
“As audacious as it is entertaining and moving…What gives Laurie R. King’s books such a rich and original texture is the character of Mary—totally believable in her own right, a tall and gangling orphan with a restless intellect and a great store of moral and physical courage.”
“Extraordinary…A delight.”
" Good book, kept me interested, but not my favorite in the series. I had kind of guessed the ending which is kind of rare for LRK books with me. "
" This is actually book #3. Read "O Jerusalem" first1 "
" Implausible fun. Three and a half stars. "
" Less Holmes, more Russell, which is good. More spirituality, less action, which is okay. More malice, less comfort, which made for a tough read. And let's just say I don't love the end. "
" I'm getting hooked on this series. They are a fast read and I always love a mystery! "
" Fun. Not the best literature out there, but it was a quick, fun read. "
" What a great series this is! I will read them all! "
" I think I prefer the format of one complete mystery rather than a set of them which was how "The Beekeepers Apprentice" was written. I enjoyed this very much and am well and truly hooked on the series. "
" Will save this for anyone in the Ephrata Book group who wants to read the 2nd in the Mary Russel series. "
" I actually enjoyed this second book in the series more than the first, which is really saying something! "
" I was drawn into the conversations regarding the feminine images of Gof framed biblically. Like, Mary, I am trained theologian. This was good, good work! "
" same as beekeepers apprentice. a slow start but a fabulous end! "
" This is not a complicated or especially challenging book. But it's a good mix of Nancy Drew-woman-solves-things, feminist pronouncements, and campy romance that I really enjoyed it. I imagine the author wanted it to be taken quite seriously, but I took it more as a very enjoyable light read. "
" I actually enjoyed book 2 more than book 1. The staff at BookPeople recommended this series and they are a nice escape! "
" Also read on a train. "
" I'm enjoying this series. I'm not sure if the mystery is necessary, or just to further our understanding of the characters. Intriguing read. "
" this Sherlock Holmes- stories is really addicting....:) "
" 3 1/2 stars - I didn't enjoy this second installment of the Mary Russell mysteries quite as much, although its still pretty good. It was a bit too theological for my taste. The mystery and the action were fun, as was the romance. We'll have to see what the next one brings! "
" This paled in comparison to the first book of the series. It was still fairly interesting, but with none of the power of the first book to draw the reader in and keep her their. One I could easily pick up and put down again. I do like the historical aspect of these books. Fascinating time period. "
" This Russell/Holmes story was downright zippy! The chapter headings were fascinating, and the story was interesting and unpredictable. Maybe my favorite so far! "
" Second book in the sequence. Not as strong as the first, but still interesting. "
" This was a bit up and down for me, but I still loved the main characters. And, it was entertaining enough to pull me right along. A fun read. "
" Second in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series. I want to read more... these are fun! "
" I'm finally getting around to reading the 2nd book of the Mary Russell series. I'm on a Sherlock Holmes kick right now as anyone who knows me can tell you. Anyhow, I jumped right into this book and am enjoying it. Love the way Laurie King writes and love the characters Sherlock and Mary. "
" Number two in the Mary Russell series about an aging Sherlock Holmes and his young feamle "apprentice," Mary. It was a fast and fun read. There was a lot of feminist theology in this volume and it made me want to search the Bible to check for some of the references made. "
" Maybe more like 3 1/2 stars, or maybe The Beekeeper's Apprentice is more like 4 1/2 stars. This wasn't as good to me as its predecessor, I suspect because of some of the meandering about spirituality. If Russell could make up her mind about such things, I'd probably have liked it better. "
" My least favorite Russell/Holmes book, but the ending's great. ;) "
" Really wanted to like this one, but it didn't really keep my attention. Seems the author had difficulty with this story and it never really gelled. "
" Loved it! Read it all in one go. "
" I honestly thought the book was mediocre. Mary Russell is annoyingly full of herself, and the fact that she is sexually attracted to Holmes, who is almost 40 years her senior is just creepy. I was glad when I finally finished it. "
" The 2nd of author Laurie R. King's books in her Mary Russell series. I'm really enjoying these books, especially with the main character being such a strong, independent woman at the beginning of the twentieth century. "
" I had to add the category mystery, although I pretty much loathe them. These are definitely the exception to the rule! "
" I am a fan of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, so I was a little apprehensive about this series, but I am really enjoying it so far. "
" This was just as good as the first book. The story was entertaining and fast-paced and I couldn't put it down. "
Laurie R. King is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes stories. She has been nominated for a multitude of prizes, and her fiction has won the Edgar, Creasy, Nero, and Macavity awards. She has been guest of honor at several crime conventions, and she was inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars in 2010.
Jenny Sterlin, winner of several Earphones Awards, has more than ninety audio titles to her credit, including Laurie R. King’s popular Sherlock Holmes / Mary Russell series. Before beginning her narration career, she helped found England’s experimental Living Theatre.
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