Review--The Murder of Mary Russell (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #14)

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The Murder of Mary Russell (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #14)The Murder of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another excellent whodunnit in a series that has its ups-and-downs, but continues to entertain. The saga began with The Beekeeper's Apprentice and over the years the Holmes/Russell relationship has grown and developed, but now we have a new tale about a character seen in the background, but seldom heard from--Mrs. Hudson.

Clara Hudson's story unfolds in a fashion which makes it seem like a novel within a novel, and the mystery about her past is intriguing and touching, revealing a character far more complex than the servant familiar from the Conan Doyle stories.

It's also a woman's tale, and that's evident in the author's deft touch, bringing details to the reader of a woman's difficult life in a Victorian England that offered few choices to the poor and disenfranchised.

Even if one's not a fan of the Holmes/Russell stories, The Murder of Mary Russell is worth reading and enjoying for Clara's tale, and the mystery (and macguffin) is interesting enough to hold the reader's attention until the last satisfying twist.


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