Who is Mary Russell? | About the Books | About the Author | The RUSS-L Mailing List | Related Links
The narrator of The
Beekeeper's Apprentice,
Mary Judith Russell, is a
brilliant but unhappy young woman, recently orphaned and now heir to a
sizeable estate, who literally stumbles over the retired Sherlock
Holmes in the middle of the Sussex Downs. When she and Holmes meet, she
is fifteen and he is fifty-four, but the two form an instantaneous
friendship which soon becomes a partnership as he begins to teach her
the art of detecting. Over several years and a succession of cases that
range from frivolous to deadly, Russell's skills and the strength of
their alliance increase, until there can be no doubt that she has
become, in truth, the great detective's equal...
Over the past few years,
Edgar award-winning mystery author Laurie R. King
has written a
series of bestselling novels about Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes,
which many readers rank among the best Sherlockian fiction
ever written:
| The Beekeeper's Apprentice
(1994) A Letter of Mary (1996) O Jerusalem (1999) The Game (2004) |
A Monstrous Regiment of Women
(1995) The Moor (1998) Justice Hall (2002) Locked Rooms (2005) |
King's novels surpass many
other works of
Sherlockiana because of the intelligence and sensitivity with which she
handles the character of Sherlock Holmes -- deftly bringing into three
dimensions elements of his personality that his original creator Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle was
content to leave in two, while still remaining true to the famous
detective's well-known origins.
The books are fresh and
ambitious, delightfully seasoned with allusions
to the original Holmes stories as well as the writings of Dorothy L.
Sayers, Rudyard Kipling, and numerous other classic works of mystery
and adventure. King's sophisticated plots, complex
characters, deft use of
symbolism and richness of historical detail ensure that these novels
may not only be enjoyed as casual reading, but can stand up even to
in-depth literary analysis.
 |
Laurie
R. King is a
third-generation Californian who emerged
on the mystery writing scene in 1993 with A Grave Talent
and shortly
thereafter won the
Edgar for Best First Novel. She is the author of the Kate Martinelli
series of police procedural mysteries and the Mary Russell books, as
well as several standalone works of suspense (A Darker Place, Folly, Keeping Watch) and
a science fiction novel, Califia's
Daughters, which she wrote under the pseudonym of Leigh
Richards. She has a master's degree in theology and is married to a man thirty years older than herself, whom she fondly describes as "a peripatetic anglo-Indian professor of religious studies". They have two grown children, and currently reside in northern California. |
RUSS-L is a mailing list dedicated to the
discussion and analysis of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
mysteries, and new
members are always welcome. This is a spoiler-intensive list, however,
so reading all the available Russell books is recommended before
joining.
If you've joined the list (or even if you're a veteran), these friendly files will help you know how to participate:
- The Laurie R. King Website: Mary Russell's World
- From the official LRK site, this page includes excerpts from each of the Russell books, a timeline, and numerous historical and literary notes of interest.
- Dammit, Holmes!
- The premier Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes community on LiveJournal, featuring in-depth discussion, fanfics, and more.
- The Hive
- This page features an impressive number of Russellian pastiches, many of which are the work of our RUSS-L list members.
- The Beekeeper's Holmes Page in Japan
- This Japanese-language page by list member Naomi includes an image of the Japanese cover for The Beekeeper's Apprentice, and translations of several Russellian pastiches.
- The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes Atlas
- Steve Spicer reports: "Being an armchair traveller and infected with Russellitis, I've created a web page about places described in the Russell books. There are maps, a picture or two and links to the places Laurie takes Russell and Holmes."
- Dining with Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell
- Jenny Newbury's attempt at compiling a definitive Russellian cookbook, using recipes contributed by other members of the RUSS-L list.
- The RUSS-L Casting List
- Created by "A nineties number with feathers and sequins", this site features photographs and brief filmographies of leading contenders for the roles of Holmes and Russell in our imaginary movie of The Beekeeper's Apprentice.
- Author Spotlight: Laurie R. King
- Located at the website for Random House, the publishers of the Russell series in paperback, and a good many other excellent mystery novels besides. Several excerpts from, and reviews of, Laurie's books are available.
- Sherlockian.Net
Formerly known as The Beekeeper's Holmes Page, this site is maintained by R.J. Anderson, whose love of the Russell books does not extend to agreement with all or even most of the viewpoints expressed therein.
For the maintainer's beliefs on subjects such as theology and feminism, please visit her homepage.