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Locked Rooms (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #8)

by Laurie R. King (Goodreads Author)

4.21 of 5 stars 4.21 · rating details · 5,776 ratings · 416 reviews

Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes are back in Laurie R. King’s highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling mystery series. And this time the first couple of detection pair up to unlock the buried memory of a shocking crime with the power to kill again–lost somewhere in Russell’s own past.

After departing Bombay by ship, Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holme...more Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes are back in Laurie R. King’s highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling mystery series. And this time the first couple of detection pair up to unlock the buried memory of a shocking crime with the power to kill again–lost somewhere in Russell’s own past.

After departing Bombay by ship, Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes are en route to the bustling modern city of San Francisco. There, Mary will settle some legal affairs surrounding the inheritance of her family’s old estate. But the closer they get to port, the more Mary finds herself prey to troubling dreams and irrational behavior–a point not lost on Holmes, much to Russell’s annoyance.

In 1906, when Mary was six, San Francisco was devastated by an earthquake and a raging fire that reduced the city to rubble. For years, Mary has denied any memory of the catastrophe that for days turned the fabled streets into hell on earth. But Holmes suspects that some hidden trauma connected with the “unforgettable” catastrophe may be the real culprit responsible for Mary’s memory lapse. And no sooner do they begin to familiarize themselves with the particulars of the Russell estate than it becomes apparent that whatever unpleasantness Mary has forgotten, it hasn’t forgotten her. Why does her father’s will forbid access to the house except in the presence of immediate family? Why did someone break in, then take nothing of any value? And why is Russell herself targeted for assassination?

The more questions they ask of Mary’s past, the more people from that past turn out to have died violent, unexplained deaths. Now, with the aid of a hard-boiled young detective and crime writer named Hammett, Russell and Holmes find themselves embroiled in a mystery that leads them through the winding streets of Chinatown to the unspoken secrets of a parent’s marriage and the tragic car “accident” that a fourteen-year-old Mary alone survived–an accident that may not have been an accident at all. What Russell is about to discover is that even a forgotten past never dies…and it can kill again.

From the Hardcover edition.(less)

Mass Market Paperback, 528 pages

Published March 28th 2006 by Bantam USA (first published January 1st 2005)

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Feb 24, 2012 Anne Toronto1 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense

"Locked Rooms" (MR8) by Laurie King is the third of recurring nightmares provoked by Mary Russell's return to childhood home in San Francisco. Two turn out to be memories. The last is symbolic of subconscious truths she refuses to acknowledge. I do not credit nightly brain synapses synchronizing with undue significance. Despite the annoying phony prophetic start, I'm drawn in by the plot thickening, and the author's talent for engaging. Better than psyche focus is the sense of real (not dry rese...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Joyce Lagow rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Eighth in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series.[return][return]Sailing from Bombay to San Francisco in order to take care of pressing business concerning the estate she inherited from her American father, Russell begins to have a series of three dreams so disturbing that she can not sleep. Holmes convinces her that one of the dreams, in which flying objects seem to be aimed at her, comes from her experience of the San Francisco earthquake and devastating fire of 1906; her parents had a home i...more Eighth in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series.[return][return]Sailing from Bombay to San Francisco in order to take care of pressing business concerning the estate she inherited from her American father, Russell begins to have a series of three dreams so disturbing that she can not sleep. Holmes convinces her that one of the dreams, in which flying objects seem to be aimed at her, comes from her experience of the San Francisco earthquake and devastating fire of 1906; her parents had a home in the city. Russell insists that she was not in San Francisco during the earthquake, but at her grandparents place in Boston. Yet that dream no longer recurs after she discusses it with Holmes. The other two--one of a faceless man and the main one, of Russell showing her house to a group of people but one which has a locked door to which she has the key in her pocket--continue.[return][return]In San Francisco, Russell discovers a puzzling codicil to her father� s will. She also finds out that her psychiatrist, who helped her through the worst months after the car accident 1914 that killed her father, mother and younger brother--was murdered shortly after Russell left for England to live with her aunt and to have her fateful meeting with Holmes. Holmes is convinced that there is something mysterious and dangerous going on, but Russell scoffs, claiming that Holmes is bored and needs something to occupy his time.[return][return]This is a most unusual installment in the series, focusing as it does on Russell� s past to which other books have alluded but which has always remained unclear. It takes place in 1925 San Francisco, and explores the events of the tragic earthquake and the devastating fire of 1906. In between, it looks at the lives of Chinese immigrants to the city during that period of time through the eyes of a family whose husband worked for the Russells and who had a critical, mysterious connection with the aftermath of the fire on the Russell family. The denouement--when Russell realizes the meaning of the locked rooms of her dreams--is exciting, a typical Laurie King action-packed resolution of the plot line.[return][return]Mary Russell fans will eat this book up. Highly recommended.(less)

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Mar 23, 2009 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: derivative-fiction, fiction, historical, mystery

Books 4-8 of that series where young woman meets, studies with, and eventually marries Sherlock Holmes. I'm . . . ambivalent.

Good things" Pretty writing. Good research. Not infrequent veins of emotional or intellectual or historical richness. Commercial derivative fiction that's actually interesting!

The bad: not always succeeding in that admittedly hard task of writing about historical people and their views on race and gender while neither alienating modern readers or being anachronistic. (Thes...more

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Feb 17, 2009 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, whodunit, own

Russell and Holmes have just finished their last escapade in India (The Game), when Russell is called to San Francisco to deal with matters relating to the estate of her late parents. Though Russell spent her early childhood there, she has not set foot in the city since she was fourteen, when the tragic accident that took the lives of her parents and brother occurred there. She is convinced that she will be able to handle the flood of memories and emotions the city brings back, but as she nears...more Russell and Holmes have just finished their last escapade in India (The Game), when Russell is called to San Francisco to deal with matters relating to the estate of her late parents. Though Russell spent her early childhood there, she has not set foot in the city since she was fourteen, when the tragic accident that took the lives of her parents and brother occurred there. She is convinced that she will be able to handle the flood of memories and emotions the city brings back, but as she nears her destination, strange dreams begin to trouble her, about flying objects, a man without a face and a mysterious suite of locked rooms to which only she holds the key. On arriving in the city, an attempt is made on her life, and the normally lucid, coldly deductive Russell is overcome by her emotions. It becomes clear that it will be up to Holmes (with the help of a few Irregulars) to discover the identity of the attacker, and to unravel the mysteries surrounding the death of Russell's parents and their estate.

I have to say that though I found this book just as engrossing as the others in the series, I had a few issues with it. Some have said that they liked the portrayal of Russell as an emotional wreck in this novel, as it made her feel more human. I, however, did not like it. Maybe because throughout the rest of the series, I got used to Mary as being unemotional, unflappable and totally in control, and her behavior in this book was so at odds with that, it was disconcerting. Some of it just seemed unbelievable. I, personally, can't picture the Mary Russell I know from reading the other books partying with a bunch of flappers, no matter what her state of emotional disarray. I'm sorry, it just doesn't work. On the other hand, with Russell down for the count, it allows the narration to be taken over by Holmes, which I definitely liked. For once we are given an inside look at his thoughts processes and motivations, which I thoroughly enjoyed. For me, it made his character seem more human, as we find that beneath his steely exterior, he does possess emotions. As for plot, I felt that the ending was a bit of a let-down. To me, it was very anti-climatic. However, anyone who is familiar with the series knows that the primary appeal of the books is not necessarily figuring out the "who-done-it", but absorbing the atmosphere of the writing along the way (if that makes any sense). So, all-in-all, while definitely not my favorite of the series, I still enjoyed it.(less)

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Dec 22, 2008 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Locked Rooms picks up pretty much immediately where The Game left off, as we learn that Russell and Holmes have left India--and instead of heading back to Britain, they've gone through Japan instead on their way to San Francisco to take care of some family business of Russell's. The transition between stories, I fear, is a bit shaky; we are told that this was part of their plan all along, and yet, having just read The Game immediately beforehand, I recollect exactly nothing in that book about ho...more Locked Rooms picks up pretty much immediately where The Game left off, as we learn that Russell and Holmes have left India--and instead of heading back to Britain, they've gone through Japan instead on their way to San Francisco to take care of some family business of Russell's. The transition between stories, I fear, is a bit shaky; we are told that this was part of their plan all along, and yet, having just read The Game immediately beforehand, I recollect exactly nothing in that book about how they'd intended to head to San Francisco.

There's also several bemusing references to their stop in Japan and hints that Interesting Things happened there. Russell at one point uses the phrase "complexity of events" to describe what happened there--and yet we never are told what actually happened, which was confusing and vaguely annoying to me as a reader. I was torn between wanting to yell "um, so, WHAT HAPPENED IN JAPAN?", half-wondering if I'd somehow missed a book somewhere (though I knew I hadn't), and strongly suspecting that there will in fact be a future book about What Happened In Japan. Which struck me as, well, gimmicky.

So did the use of Dashiell Hammett as a character in this plot, for that matter. See all my comments up above about reacting to the use of Kimball O'Hara as a character; they apply here, only more so since Hammett was an actual real person. As with The Game for me, so too with Locked Rooms; I am not familiar with Hammett's work or his history, so the use of him in the plot doesn't mean much to me and pretty much came across as another excuse to have Russell and Holmes meet a Famous Person.

All that said, I enjoyed Locked Rooms a lot more than I did The Game. All the problems in the previous book with Russell being omni-competent get turned on their ear here as we learn that why yes, Russell can be thrown hugely off her stride. Seeing her trying to come to terms with her past and the deaths of her parents and brother, and even fight with Holmes when he gets too close to the sensitive bits of her repressed memories? That was interesting.

And so was seeing things from Holmes' POV for once! King jumped into Holmes' head for two long chunks of the book, and it was about damned time she'd done so as well. I mean, if she's going to have her protagonist go and marry the world's most renowed detective, it's good to actually see him do some on-camera detecting--not to mention see him reacting to the stresses that Russell's going through and to have their relationship rounded out quite a bit more.

There was some measure of "convenience" to certain aspects of the plot--the 'faceless man' of Russell's nightmares turning out to be her father's shady friend, for example--but not nearly so much as in the previous book, and the far more interesting aspects of the plot helped balance things out rather nicely. The flashbacks that helped bring to life the events of the 1906 earthquake were particularly vivid, as were the descriptions of Chinatown. And I liked how things were tied in to a seemingly random incident in the previous book--the attempt on Russell and Holmes' life with the collapsing balcony in the marketplace.

All in all, two thumbs up!(less)

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May 19, 2013 Quint rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a book somewhat different than the previous ones.This is about Mary Russell cleaning up her past or coming to grips with her past. My only issue with this book is that it starts off very slowly and there is an introduction of people and circumstances that probably weren't needed. They could of going straight to San Francisco without all of the round the world this and that. However, once they landed in San Francisco, the pace of the book picked up considerably.

One of the things about th...more This was a book somewhat different than the previous ones.This is about Mary Russell cleaning up her past or coming to grips with her past. My only issue with this book is that it starts off very slowly and there is an introduction of people and circumstances that probably weren't needed. They could of going straight to San Francisco without all of the round the world this and that. However, once they landed in San Francisco, the pace of the book picked up considerably.

One of the things about these books is that illustrates how easy it is to pass between circumstances or control events if one is rich. When Sherlock Holmes needed some extra help, he simply pulled out some money and made it happen. When Mary Russell need some new close, she simply goes to the store and buys them. This is a convenient way of bridging events without getting tangled up in the question of "how do they pay for all of that"; the same question that we ask of soap operas when we wonder how people can live as well as they do and no one seems to go to work.

One of the things that make me wonder about the lifestyle of all of these individuals is that they drink a lot of alcohol stay caffeinated 24/7 smoke cigarettes and don't seem to have any health problems. They have this addiction to "good high drinks" and brandy and the like. At his age, Sherlock Holmes should have been hospitalized with a degenerated liver. Mary Russell can always find a good hot bath. It gives the impression that life is simply devoid of all of the day-to-day struggles for subsistence but then again if they were not as well off as they are, the stories would not be as interesting.

One of the things about this story is that until you get to the last chapters, it is very hard to figure out how it is going to in. There is no way that you're going to identify the villain until you get to the end of the book but you do not know why the person is a villain pleasure read the first part of the book.

Naturally, there's going to be a "happy ending" and if they were not one, I would not like the books.

What surprised me even more is how Sherlock Holmes somehow bumps into Samuel Dashiell Hammett, the author of "the Maltese falcon" and Sherlock Holmes says to him that he has a talent for writing detective stories.The absurdity of this encounter actually glues the story together quite well. During the story, when homes first encounters him, I kept saying to myself that I had heard of this person before and then towards the end it hit me that Sherlock Holmes was meeting the author of the soon to be written "the Maltese falcon". Not a bad touch!

I recommend this book highly and hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
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Mar 20, 2013 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Mary Russell series has been extremely enjoyable, although for me this novel and "The Moor" stand out. Throughout the series we have learned about Mary's past and the tragedy that overcame her family, sending her to Sussex where she met Sherlock Holmes.

"Locked Rooms" uses the loss of her family as a central theme and following a series of nightmares during the voyage to San Francisco (where Mary must deal with business matters) Mary is compelled to revisit the terrible events that lead to th...more

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Mar 05, 2013 James Swenson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm glad I read this, I enjoyed it, and I'm moving on to the next in the series. This volume takes Mary Russell, and her famous husband, back to Russell's roots in California, to face the circumstances of her family's death. We know, by this time, that she is vulnerable from this direction. Alternating between Russell's first-person tale and a third-person narration from Holmes's point of view, we see Russell's emotional imbalance from inside and out.

I was satisfied with the ending (especially c...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Philip K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

This eighth book by Ms. King in the Mary Russell series is set mostly in San Francisco. But actually, it takes place mostly in Mary Russell’s mind. It is an investigation of her past, both remembering things forgotten and detecting things unseen. The narrative is split into several separate sections; those narrated as seen by Mary and those narrated from Sherlock’s point of view. The parts shown from Sherlock’s viewpoint are among the most Sherlockian passages in the entire series, which is to s...more This eighth book by Ms. King in the Mary Russell series is set mostly in San Francisco. But actually, it takes place mostly in Mary Russell’s mind. It is an investigation of her past, both remembering things forgotten and detecting things unseen. The narrative is split into several separate sections; those narrated as seen by Mary and those narrated from Sherlock’s point of view. The parts shown from Sherlock’s viewpoint are among the most Sherlockian passages in the entire series, which is to say that they make some sense and won’t absolutely repulse any but the most fanatic of purists. Some are even pretty interesting.

The Russellian passages are frequently disjoint, purposefully so, and pose a number of interpretive problems for the reader. The author attempts to depict various psychological problems from the patient’s viewpoint and the result is, of course, confusing to the reader, who does not share in the emotional problems. It is a noble effort and it certainly brings life to many aspects of human emotional reactions to traumatic experiences. Whether it is an accurate portrayal is impossible to say, since the subject is a character in a novel and not a living person.

In spite of the viewpoint situation, which is inherent in the story being told, the book reads well, with interesting characters and vivid scenes and actions. Upon later reflection, the villains become less formidable and their motivation more questionable. The actions in the book are really necessary to develop the situation, but, in retrospect, it is not easy to accept that the villains would sensibly have acted as described. This is not only a matter of motivation, but also an assessment of their competence. They are strangely inept at some moments and fearfully capable and knowledgeable at others.

In the course of his investigation, Holmes encounters and enlists the aid of detective Dashielle Hammet. The passages about Dash are some of the best in the book and the numerous little bits of background in this tale later used by the writer, Dashielle Hammet, are real joys to Hammet fans. Some of them are pretty tricky. In fact, several things in the book are tricky, including the use of “reverse Feng Shui” and Holmes’ recruitment practices.

In summation, King remains an able and gifted writer, so this is a pleasant book to read. The story is complex but not really as plausible as the writer might hope it to be. As a Sherlockian pastiche, it is mediocre, but as a novel of suspense, it is pretty good.

Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, September, 2005.

Published in “Dr. Watson’s Practice Notes,” [#19, 07/2010].
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Aug 12, 2012 Crystal Carroll rated it 3 of 5 stars

Russell and her husband, mumble mumble, arrive in San Francisco to resolve details of her parents estate and end up tumbling into a mystery. Well, it is a mystery series, so there was bound to be one. After all, why else have mumble mumble in the story.

I always feel a little awkward explaining the basic premise of the series, I mean, Sherlock Holmes married! It does seem a bit ummm… improbable.

The thing about Laurie King’s series is that she really makes it work. She imbues (great word imbue) ea...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Wolf rated it 3 of 5 stars

The title might make one think of the locked room mysteries of the Golden Age detective. Sherlock Holmes was no stranger to solving the apparently inexplicable. The setting is the 1920s - so this is the time period when these sorts of stories were at their height.

But that's a long way from what we get. King's story places Holmes in San Francisco and into the path of Dashiell Hammett, still earning his keep as a detective, who was to give us a very different sort of detective fiction. And the inf...more

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Jun 22, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-mystery

I cannot say enough good things about the Mary Russell series. I am a die-hard Sherlock Holmes fan and picked up the first book with trepidation - how could anyone do justice to the great detective? - but I was amazed. King not only honors Holmes, but deepens the character. Mary is a perfect counterpoint and complement and a brilliant, strong character in her own right. The historical detail and frankly, richness, of this series is astounding. In Locked Rooms, the couple travels to San Francisco...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Alexander Inglis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amateur-detective, historical, favorites

I am delighted to report on my latest read, Laurie R King's Locked Rooms, the eighth instalment of her Mary Russell, wife of Sherlock Holmes, series. In this mid-1920s adventure, Mary and Sherlock have ventured back to San Francisco, and her family home, where Mary at age 6, and her family, endured the mighty 1906 earthquake. Some of the tale is told in first person of Mary's voice; other sections in third person, mainly from Sherlock's point-of-view.

Anyone who has been to San Francisco in moder...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Annabelle rated it 2 of 5 stars

I’ve read a number of King’s books and loved them. I think she is running out of gas a bit. This is about Mary Russell, the 23 year old wife, of Sherlock Holmes. They are sailing around the world, and go to San Francisco to settle Russell’s estate. Her parents and brother were killed in a car crash when she was 7. She does a lot of description, like there are not too many ideas for the plot. A lot of it deals with the history of the San Francisco fire, earthquake, and structural inequality of th...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

Sherlock Holmes got married? Get Out!

After reading and enjoying this book, I've learned that it's #8 in a series (WHY don't I check Goodreads FIRST?). The book can absolutely stand on its own and though it refers to what I assume are events from previous books, I didn't feel as if I were missing out on part of the story for not having read the other books first.

As a mystery goes, this one was entertaining and kept my attention. As I was preparing to write this review, I realized that looking bac...more

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Jul 10, 2009 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooks, readin09

I previously read the first book in this series and liked it very much. I had my doubts that others in the series would be as good since I knew Mary Russell was now married to Sherlock Holmes. I expected a romance that would be sickening. It didn't turn out that way. No bedroom scenes or drippy marital bliss. Just a good mystery.

It is the early 1920's and Mary and Holmes are en route to the bustling modern city of San Francisco. There, Mary will settle some legal affairs surrounding the inherita...more

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Jun 04, 2009 Kayeb rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book I recalled much more than I had The Game. We return to San Francisco and Mary's forgotten childhood. Mary actually ends up with people her own age, socializing and going out dancing! The age difference is apparent and yet subtley brought in, but a graphic reminder that Mary is a very young woman and Holmes is considerably older. Kings research is again detailed, as she develops the happenings after the san francisco fire...people living in tents in local parks, the class distinction wi...more This book I recalled much more than I had The Game. We return to San Francisco and Mary's forgotten childhood. Mary actually ends up with people her own age, socializing and going out dancing! The age difference is apparent and yet subtley brought in, but a graphic reminder that Mary is a very young woman and Holmes is considerably older. Kings research is again detailed, as she develops the happenings after the san francisco fire...people living in tents in local parks, the class distinction with Orientals and whites, prohibition and a real sense of life day to day. King continues to be a master of painting pictures.

Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes are back in Laurie R. King’s highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling mystery series. And this time the first couple of detection pair up to unlock the buried memory of a shocking crime with the power to kill again–lost somewhere in Russell’s own past.

After departing Bombay by ship, Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes are en route to the bustling modern city of San Francisco. There, Mary will settle some legal affairs surrounding the inheritance of her family’s old estate. But the closer they get to port, the more Mary finds herself prey to troubling dreams and irrational behavior–a point not lost on Holmes, much to Russell’s annoyance.

In 1906, when Mary was six, San Francisco was devastated by an earthquake and a raging fire that reduced the city to rubble. For years, Mary has denied any memory of the catastrophe that for days turned the fabled streets into hell on earth. But Holmes suspects that some hidden trauma connected with the “unforgettable” catastrophe may be the real culprit responsible for Mary’s memory lapse. And no sooner do they begin to familiarize themselves with the particulars of the Russell estate than it becomes apparent that whatever unpleasantness Mary has forgotten, it hasn’t forgotten her. Why does her father’s will forbid access to the house except in the presence of immediate family? Why did someone break in, then take nothing of any value? And why is Russell herself targeted for assassination?

The more questions they ask of Mary’s past, the more people from that past turn out to have died violent, unexplained deaths. Now, with the aid of a hard-boiled young detective and crime writer named Hammett, Russell and Holmes find themselves embroiled in a mystery that leads them through the winding streets of Chinatown to the unspoken secrets of a parent’s marriage and the tragic car “accident” that a fourteen-year-old Mary alone survived–an accident that may not have been an accident at all. What Russell is about to discover is that even a forgotten past never dies…and it can kill again.

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Apr 16, 2009 Rachel Garber rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes and isn't afraid to stetch beyond the canon

Recommended to Rachel by: No one, found it myself

This book is the 8th in an awesome series by Laurie R. King. In the first book, The Beekeepers Apprentice, a young woman (Mary Russell), who is "reading" theology and math at Oxford, literally stumbles over, a now retired, Sherlock Holmes. He mistakes her for a boy (she had long braids tucked up under a boys cap and preferred wearing her deceased father's clothes to girl's clothes). They engage in verbal sparring, he discovers that she has the same powers of deduction that he does, they wind up...more This book is the 8th in an awesome series by Laurie R. King. In the first book, The Beekeepers Apprentice, a young woman (Mary Russell), who is "reading" theology and math at Oxford, literally stumbles over, a now retired, Sherlock Holmes. He mistakes her for a boy (she had long braids tucked up under a boys cap and preferred wearing her deceased father's clothes to girl's clothes). They engage in verbal sparring, he discovers that she has the same powers of deduction that he does, they wind up becoming partners (unlike Holmes long time side-kick, Dr. Watson, who was not a partner in the true sense of the word, in that he didn't help solve the crimes) and they begin to solve crimes together. She starts out hating Watson (they have a long relationship the started before she was even born, and she is jealous of him)she winds up calling him Uncle John as the story progresses. What makes this a fun read is the fact that the author claims to have uncovered the manuscripts of this relationship back in the '90s, all of which is detailed in the first book. Some interesting side notes, Mary Russell is Jewish on her mother's side and that is mentioned periodically throughout the series. She is supposed to be keeping kosher, but one chapter in an earlier books her eating a bacon sandwich. I have read many of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and found Ms. King to have captured Conan Doyle's "voice" very well, although "students" of the author may disagree, so it sounded like a plausible relationship. This book revolves around a visit to the US (Mary's father was American, her mother a Brit) to settle her family's estate. Mary, now married to Holmes (and though married, they have always referred to each other as Holmes and Russell) begins having nightmares, and behaving in a very irrational manner. There was an earthquake in SF when Mary was 6 yo (the family was in the US at the time) but Mary firmly believes she was not at the family manse at the time of the infamous San Francisco earthquake. Of course, Holmes knows better. and so we are off to settle this mystery of Holmes wife's past. My only complaint, and it is about the series,not the book itself, is that I am waiting with baited breath for the next book. This one was published in 2005, pb in 2006 and nothing from her pen (or should I say computer since) (less)

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Oct 29, 2011 Neal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery

A book is not merely a series of words, thoughts, and actions. No, it begins and ends with the reader and their experiences, as he or she brings their sense of the world into the tale as it is woven. The eighth book in the series delves heavily into the human mind, particularly into the constructs of memory. Throughout, I found myself overjoyed as Laurie R. King detailed the smallest of attributes associated with the human mind, its methods, and its selectivity of personal history. I thoroughly...more

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Mar 12, 2010 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, historical-fiction, authors-kl

Locked Rooms follows almost immediately on from the previous book in the series, The Game. At long last, King is exploring Russell's shadowy past; her parents and brother were killed in a car accident which she survived and which she's always thought she caused by starting a fight with her brother. When Russell decides that she and Holmes should return to England by way of San Francisco, she starts to act oddly and have nightmares of faceless men and locked rooms, and when they arrive in San Fra...more

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May 27, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

King continues her exploration of history and literature by including the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and SF literary icon Dashiel Hammett in this book. As usual, I love the way she weaves these elements into her story; however, what I really liked about this book is her use of the unreliable narrator. Books 1-7 are all told from Mary's POV, but book 8 alternates between Mary's first-person narration and an omnipotent third-person narrator who follows Sherlock and Dashiel. Mary's tragic past i...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, mystery, historic-fiction

Such an interesting installment in the series. I think this is my favorite since the first two books.

To my slight disappointment, this did not actually turn out to be a locked-room mystery (a crime was committed in a room in which all the doors locked from the inside! - a trope I find particularly delicious) but was fully worthwhile regardless.

There are several departures in this book from the style of previous Mary Russell stories. This one is told both from Mary's first-person perspective and...more Such an interesting installment in the series. I think this is my favorite since the first two books.

To my slight disappointment, this did not actually turn out to be a locked-room mystery (a crime was committed in a room in which all the doors locked from the inside! - a trope I find particularly delicious) but was fully worthwhile regardless.

There are several departures in this book from the style of previous Mary Russell stories. This one is told both from Mary's first-person perspective and then from a third-omniscient perspective based around Holmes' actions when Mary is not present. The preface from the "editor" explains that the third-person passages were probably also written by Mary, according to her suppositions of what happened. That particular conceit (that King is the Editor and Mary the Author) always kind of annoys me, and this no less, but I did like to see some of Holmes' perspective. It's always been slightly bothersome, in previous novels, that to find out what he's been up to, we've had to listen to him sit and recount his actions to Mary, rather than go with him as he performed him. So I applaud King for this new technique, and hope we see more of it in future installments.

The second thing that was different in this tale was Mary's condition - weak and lost and rather incompetent in the face of her own personal horrors. It was rather sad to see her so off her game, but I suppose that made her recovery the more welcome when it came. I like, however, that she isn't infallible.

I also really enjoyed the connection to the San Francisco events of 1906. The earthquake and fires are events I've long been fascinated by, and the perspectives provided in this tale felt well-researched and authentic. The emotional devastation of an event like that cannot be captured by news reports or broad, sweeping stories, but to see it in individual lives of people it touches gives much better perspective.

The mystery itself was okay. I like slow-reveals and found this one to be satisfying. (view spoiler)

So. A delightful read.(less)

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Aug 09, 2010 Pamela Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

In book one, The Beekeepers Apprentice, we meet teenage Mary Russell who is living in England under the care of her aunt. We know little about her family, other than she was orphaned in America after being in an automobile accident. Her English mother, American father, and little brother all perished in the crash.

Mary’s neighbor in England is the reclusive semi-retired Sherlock Holmes. The two strike up an unlikely friendship and partnership. With his tutelage and her quick mind, she is soon sol...more

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Feb 24, 2010 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 21, 2009 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once again, Laurie R. King has created a superb novel featuring two of my favorite characters Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Holmes has observed that Russell is not herself. Nightmares, absent mindedness, her usual sharp acuity missing, what has become of his beloved wife. The reader is treated to a mystery crafted around Russell's early childhood which is the current source of agitation. All roads lead to one big event in which the Russell family was killed, Mary being the only survivor. Hol...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Kam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, historical

Quite a few readers I know - myself included - have what I like to call a "saturation point." When a book series runs longer than three or four books, I have to stop at somewhere around book seven or so, because that is generally my saturation point for any given series. The length of each individual book has nothing to do with this saturation point level; merely the involvement I devote to the long-running storylines and characters of such series. I liken it to vacationing in one place for too...more

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Jun 21, 2010 Kelly Belvis rated it 4 of 5 stars

I began accidentally with the 8th book in this series. However, the book stands alone and was very enjoyable without having read the previous 7 installments. I saw in another review that this is a "comfort book". I agree. I always read mysteries for comfort and I often go back to Sherlock Holmes when I want to make sure that I can read a mystery without gratuitous cleavage and bodice ripping. This book includes Sherlock Holmes as a primary character and it does so in a way that did not dismantle...more

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Aug 15, 2009 Treasa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, mystery

This is one of my favorite books from this series since the first three (which have been my favorites up to now). The mystery was one that I could really get emotionally involved in since it was directly tied to Mary's past and centered around an event that I had heard about many times in previous books. While I enjoy the mysteries that take Mary and Holmes to exotic places so they can help Mycroft and other important political figures, the ones like this that are on a more personal level really...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Ann aka Iftcan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, cozy-mystery, english-setting, historical, mystery, novel, series-book

in this, the 8th Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novel, we discover more of Mary's back story. Including much that she herself didn't remember. This one was particularily interesting for what we find out about Mary's family. And my basic reaction to one of the revelations was, "Wow, if MARY thought that her little brother was smarter than she is, the kid would have given Einstein a run for his money if he'd lived." And, on that tantalizing note, I will just say that the story was very good, even if...more

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Jan 02, 2010 Vannessagrace Vannessagrace rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Normally I take offense at any author recreating or trying to improve upon the antics of my favorite detective Mr. Sherlock Holmes but I have to give it to Miss. King, she’s done a great job of creating her vision of Sherlock Holmes.

Nancy Springer is the only other author whose vision of her Sherlock Holmes I like. She creates a little sister, Elona, change of life baby, for Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, who is more craftier than either of her brothers when it comes to solving cases, and she’s o...more

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About Laurie R. King

Edgar-winning mystery writer Laurie R. King writes series and standalone novels. Her official forum, the LRK Virtual Book Club, is here on Goodreads, so please check there to join in the book-discussing fun.

King's next novel The Bones of Paris, will be out in September 2013, seeing Touchstone's Harris Stuyvesant and Bennett Grey find the darkness beneath the light of 1929 Paris. In the Russell se ...more

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Books by Laurie R. King

The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell, #1)

A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell, #2)

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Locked Rooms (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #8)

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