A Letter of Mary (A Mary Russell Novel)

by Laurie R. King

Book Overview

The third book in the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes series.It is 1923. Mary Russell Holmes and her husband, the retired Sherlock Holmes, are enjoying the summer together on their Sussex estate when... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553577808
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.9" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Great addition to the Series

The Mary Russel Sherlock Holmes series are my favorite books. Each one with its own unique charm.

Smart and Fun!

I have never had an interest in reading the Sherlock Holmes' novels, but I read The Beekeeper's Apprentice and enjoyed it. The last 2 weeks I've read the next two installments. I absolutely loved them. Russell and Holmes' relationship is warm, amusing, and sweet. I've ordered the next 3 in the series and will be anxious for any others the author may write.

the humanization of Holmes

It is the summer of 1923. England is recovering from the First World War, and the Second is not yet on the horizon. Russell and husband Holmes are busy with their various pursuits in the quiet Sussex countryside when an old friend's afternoon visit and subsequent murder get them embroiled in a mystery with lots of red herrings. Mary and Sherlock, assisted by Inspector LetradeJr., Mycroft and Billy of the Baker Street Irregulars, go undercover to investigate suspects. Again, as in earlier instalments, interactions and dialogues between Russell and Holmes are the high points of the book, so their working separately unfortunately limits their time together. King writes about Holmes in love so delightfully and so plausibly. It's wonderful to think of him having this charming and affectionate relationship with a strong and intelligent woman. Who'd have thought Holmes would become the romantic hero of the 21st century? King has also created a terrific heroine in Mary Russell, with wit and intelligence shining through her turbulent adolescence, her blossoming young adulthood, and now her early marriage and academic career. I look forward to further books in the series, and hope there will be children!If you demand an intriguing and difficult mystery, you will probably not be satisfied, but if you are a Holmes fan with a heart, you should enjoy this third book in the Mary Russell series.

Very nice, everything comes together for the first time

"A Letter Of Mary" is the third instalment of Laurie King's Mary Russell series and by far the strongest yet. For those not au fait with the background, these novels take place in the early decades of the 20th century and feature an officially-retired Sherlock Holmes and his much younger wife (yes, wife) Mary Russell. Russell is also a feminist and has a talent for theology, two factors which often have bearing on the cases the pair investigates.Here, Holmes and Russell are visited by an archaeologist acquaintance who leaves them with a letter written by a certain Mary of Magdala to her sister. Russell identifies this author as the Biblical Mary Magdalene, and when the letter describes Mary as "an apostle of Jesus", Russell's theological and feminist instincts are both piqued. The archaeologist, Dorothy Ruskin, dies shortly thereafter and our heroes are quick to investigate.By this point in the series, it is clear that King's development of the Russell character is prepared once again to take a backseat to the plot and the intellectual repartee between the two investigators. Where "Letter"'s predecessor, "A Monstrous Regiment Of Women" features long passages discussing feminism, "Letter" does not and is much better for it.The repartee itself is positively sparkling here. One prime example feaures Holmes and Russell discussing the exigencies of their particular disguises, Russell makes a statement which reminds Holmes of the convoluted grammar of French translation and the two of them continue in this vein for some time. Likewise, Holmes' segue later on into a quote from Gilbert and Sullivan's "Mikado" is so well placed as to leave the reader wondering what on earth it comes from - while answering that same question just after it becomes unbearable not to know.Another feature of the series which is continued and improved here is Russell's constant reminders that Arthur Conan Doyle's version of events was never quite correct. At one point, Russell explains the falsehood of Doyle's implication that Holmes only had to wait by a door for some minutes before something happened with reference to a very apt situation. Another wonderful aside is Russell's comments on Holmes' telegrams, always very brief and often completely unintelligible - including one time when a deliberate spelling error was corrected.Entertaining though the dialogue may be, King every so often shoots herself in the proverbial foot by slipping in an Americanism - especially in the words of that most English of detectives, Holmes. It doesn't happen very often, but whenever Holmes suggests that they should "go see" someone or someone is said to have "written" someone, it seems particularly glaring. This is a very minor point, however, and does not detract from the reading experience as much as might be suggested.One of the more enigmatic characters created in "Letter" is the ex-army officer for whom Russell works. Much of the investigation is taken up with her attempts to resist the adv

I highly recommend this book!

I thought this book was very enjoyable. I have read the first two, and am presently reading "The Moor". I like the romance between Holmes and Russell, even though it doesn't seem like Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. I understand why Mary calls him "Holmes" (who would want to call their husband "Sherlock"? It's a bit awkward.), but why can't he call her Mary? They ARE husband and wife! Also, their marriage is a little odd. They basically act the same as before, except for (to quote "The Moor") "certain activities rendered legal by a bit of paper". I have to admit I liked "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" a bit better, because it better romance between Holems and Russell, and it had a thicker plot. Although, if you want thick plots, nothing beats "The Beekeeper's Apprentice". All in all, this is a very delightful series to read. I just wish I knew who the real author of these books is. That's mystery I'd love to solve! We need the partnership of Holmes and Russell on this one! Also, I like how these books suggest that A. Conan Doyle was merely Watson's agent, that Holmes and Watson really lived. I think that is really neat.

Holmes and Russell are an unbeatable pair

In this third book featuring Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell, the pair have become partners, in matrimony and sleuthing. After the death of a friend, Holmes and Russell follow several red herrings before, inevitably, finding the culprit. As usual, London provides the appropriate background for disguise and detection. But, it is the interaction between Holmes and Russell that keeps me coming back for more. Like Peter and Harriet Wimsey, another pair of detectives endowed with great minds, Holmes and Russell are so pleased to have found intellectual soul mates that the text hums with their discusions. I like the juxtapostion of the familiar Holmsian elements with the more modern views of Russell. Appearances by Mycroft, Mrs. Hudson and the Baker Street Irregulars (even Lestrade, Jr.)anchor me to the story as the thoroughly modern Mary Russell livens the previously misogynistic formula. I recommend all lovers of Dorothy L. Sayers and Doyle to dive into Laurie King. You are in for a delightful surprise.