THE MURDER OF MARY RUSSELL is the fourteenth book in the
Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series, and I have
read every single one of the books. This series is
actually one of my absolute favorites, and to say that
I've been waiting to read this book is an understatement.
The title is very ominous, and I had no idea what the book
would be about. Except it seemed by the title that Mary
Russell would be murdered in this book? A horrifying idea,
I thought. And I started to read the book to see what
Laurie R. King had put together this time. I could
hardly put THE MURDER OF MARY RUSSELL down. It was
entrancing
and nerve-wracking good.
The story starts with Mary Russell getting a visitor at
her and Sherlock's home in Sussex. She is all alone
in the house, and the visitor makes her feel uncomfortable
because there is just something about the visitor that
unnerves her. As the story progresses, the storyline
shifts to Clarissa Hudson, or as we are more familiar with
her Mrs. Hudson. During the progress of the book,
Mrs. Hudson's childhood and adolescence years are revealed
as goes between the later half of
the 1800-century and the storyline in 1925 with Mary
Russell and her visitor. The storylines will, later on,
merge before the thrilling ending.
At first, I was a bit frustrated about going back in time
since the storyline in 1925 was the more intense one, but
after a while, I really got hooked in learning more about
Mrs. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson has always been a woman in the
background, but in THE MURDER OF MARY RUSSELL, King put the
focus on
her. Yes, Mary Russell and Sherlock also have big parts
in this book, but King shows the reader that
this commonly housekeeper, who has been with Sherlock
Holmes for decades, is not who she seems to be. For Mary
Russell it is a bit of a shock to learn the woman
she sees as a substitute mother has so many secrets.
THE MURDER OF MARY RUSSELL is a thrilling book. I can say
without a doubt this is one of my favorite books in the
series.
The story
is strong and fascinating, and there are so many poignant
scenes I would love to tell you about,
but I don't want to spoil the story for you.
You can probably read it as a stand-alone, but I
recommend starting from the beginning with the first
book; THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE if you really want to be
able to enjoy this book. I think the effect will be
stronger on
a reader if the person in question has read at least one
previous book.
THE MURDER OF MARY RUSSELL will appeal to readers of
historical
mysteries,
and if you like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock
Holmes
books then you should definitely read this one!
Laurie R. King’s bestselling Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes
series weaves rich historical detail and provocative
themes with intriguing characters and enthralling
suspense. Russell and Holmes have become one of modern
literature’s most beloved teams. But does this adventure
end it all?
Mary Russell is used to dark secrets—her own, and those
of her famous partner and husband, Sherlock Holmes. Trust
is a thing slowly given, but over the course of a decade
together, the two have forged an indissoluble bond.
And what of the other person to whom Mary Russell has
opened her heart: the couple’s longtime housekeeper, Mrs.
Hudson? Russell’s faith and affection are suddenly
shattered when a man arrives on the doorstep claiming to
be Mrs. Hudson’s son.
What Samuel Hudson tells Russell cannot possibly be true,
yet she believes him—as surely as she believes the threat
of the gun in his hand. In a devastating instant,
everything changes. And when the scene is discovered—a
pool of blood on the floor, the smell of gunpowder in the
air—the most shocking revelation of all is that the grim
clues point directly to Clara Hudson.
Or rather to Clarissa, the woman she was before Baker
Street.
The key to Russell’s sacrifice lies in Mrs. Hudson’s
past. To uncover the truth, a frantic Sherlock Holmes
must put aside his anguish and push deep into his
housekeeper’s secrets—to a time before her disguise was
assumed, before her crimes were buried away.
There is death here, and murder, and trust betrayed.
And nothing will ever be the same.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy