The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #1) in Pick-a-Shelf

Apr 25, 2013 Paul Perry rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: female-author, fiction, detective, mystery, female-protagonist, read-in-2015

The first of Laurie King's Mary Russell mysteries, in which the young Russell encounters a semi-retired Sherlock Holmes and he, recognising a mind perhaps as sharp as his own, takes her as an apprentice in the trade of consulting detective.

This is extremely well written, catching some of the style of the Holmes stories without becoming pastiche, but also with a difference as it is from the perspective of Mary Russell, a 19 year old Anglo-American, half-Jewish girl studying maths and theology. I The first of Laurie King's Mary Russell mysteries, in which the young Russell encounters a semi-retired Sherlock Holmes and he, recognising a mind perhaps as sharp as his own, takes her as an apprentice in the trade of consulting detective.

This is extremely well written, catching some of the style of the Holmes stories without becoming pastiche, but also with a difference as it is from the perspective of Mary Russell, a 19 year old Anglo-American, half-Jewish girl studying maths and theology. I don't know if King has spent time in the UK, but I don't think I've ever come across an American writer whose grasp of British English (albeit the British English of the early 20th century) is better; usually, even with very good writers, there are little tells and mistakes that glare out, but I didn't catch a single one. (For the record, I'm sure British writers do that with Americanisms, although we have the advantage of being inundated with wall-to-wall American media. Score one for cultural imperialism ;) ).

The novel falls into several parts. It begins with Russell encountering Holmes observing bees on the Sussex downs and their building acquaintance. There is the first mystery - a robbery at a local inn, small fry that Holmes would not usually become involved in - and then they are asked to consult on the abduction of the young daughter of a US politician holidaying in Wales. This leads into the main event, a previously unknown criminal mastermind targeting Holmes and those close to him, obviously for reasons that are quite personal.

The mystery aspect is handled very well, although some of the surprises are a little telegraphed and obvious to anyone familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories. Some if this, it may be argued, is down to Russell's youthful naivety. For instance, on at least three occasions she is surprised to find that a stranger she encounters is Holmes in disguise, despite his tutoring her in those very skills. Likewise the denouement is, perhaps, a little telegraphed, but not so much as to lose its effectiveness.

One thing I am not so sure how I feel about is only alluded to in this book, although likely to become more apparent in later volumes. The closeness between Russell and Holmes develops beyond an attraction of mind to friendship and affection, but there are hints that it will go further. There is a mention of the main character's name later being Mary Russell-Holmes. This is far enough away from my conception of Holmes to make me uncertain; I will not dismiss the idea of a romantic attachment for Holmes out of hand, but I admit I am a little leery of it. Or perhaps it is the 40 year age gap that makes me uncomfortable.

That said, it is made quite clear early on that Russell feels Holmes has been misrepresented by Doyle's stories, based on Watson's journals. He is not the cold, emotionless calculating machine sometimes shown. I thought the portrayal of Holmes was informed by some of the screen representations, where an actor has invested the character with more feeling than is sometimes shown in the books. Jeremy Brett's wonderful turn in the long-running British TV series from the 80s and 90s comes to mind.

I should say a word about the preface. King sets the whole thing up that she is merely the editor of a trunkload of manuscripts sent anonymously to her, along with some items that seem to be connected, much in the way of George MacDonald Fraser with the Flashman papers. Even thought she openly states that she makes no claims for the veracity of the documents and that they may well be a work of fiction, this does add a nice layer, a nod toward Sherlock Holmes being one of those characters from fiction who is so much a part of public consciousness he has almost become a historical person. ...more

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Sep 14, 2014 Jayme(theghostreader) rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-books-read, hfu2014ba, wheaton-book-club

If someone told me this book was about Sherlock Homes, I would have read it so much sooner. I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. In this book, he is retired. He mentors a young girl named Mary Russel who is just as intelligent as Holmes. He teaches her in the art of deduction. She is a modern woman for the times. It takes place in 1915. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked the character of Mary and I saw her as the next generation to carry on Sherlock Holmes's work. Their partnership turned into f ...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Susan rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, mystery, series

This is a new take on Sherlock Holmes stories. Mary Russell, a bright and precocious teenager, meets retired Sherlock Holmes, and they find they have a mutual respect for each other. Over the course of the book, Holmes "tutors" Russell in the art of detection, and they take on a few cases together, then are caught in the web of one that threatens them both.

The author apparently patterns her telling of the stories after Conan Doyle, so they read similarly and will probably be enjoyed by anyone wh ...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Rosemary rated it liked it · review of another edition

I enjoyed this but not as much as I hoped to. I couldn't raise much interest in the mysteries and some things stretched incredulity too far (Mary drives like a demon without any fear or reluctance despite having constant nightmares about the accident that killed her whole family?) - but I enjoyed the description of an older Holmes and the development of their relationship/her apprenticeship. ...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Lahni rated it really liked it

Shelves: mys-sus-thril, historical-fiction, book-club-previous-ones, audiobooks, award-winner, series, book-club-kimball

I have never read any Sherlock Holmes books and now I'm not sure I want to. I don't know if I would like the bumbling Watson after the clever Russel. She is what I wish Flavia DeLuce was. ...more

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