Review by Booklist Review
Teenage Mary Russell literally stumbled over middle-age Sherlock Holmes a century ago (she had her nose in a book; he was recumbent, watching bees), leading to a meeting of minds and eventual marriage and spawning a delightful series of mysteries. Here King assembles previously published stories, half of them available only electronically until now, and a new one; together, the stories trace the relationship of this long-lived literary couple. Mary's Christmas describes Russell's happy childhood, during which her family moved between California and Sussex, before the tragic 1914 accident in which her parents and brother died. As the pair's collaboration grows into something more, The Marriage of Mary Russell details the complex wedding plans as she comments on their relationship: Affection between us remained a private thing. Private even, occasionally, from one another. In the new story, Stately Holmes (with the detective maintaining a stiff posture after throwing his back out), Russell and Holmes are doomed to celebrate Christmas, a holiday they generally ignore, as guests along with their extended family at an estate recently inhabited by a ghost. Suspense is secondary to delight here as readers learn more of the activities of Russell and Holmes. A treat for the series' legion of fans. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Yes, it's stories rather than a new adventure, but King's characters are so popular that fans will be eager to hear more in any format.--Leber, Michele Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Fans of King's Mary Russell novels, which starting with 1994's The Beekeeper's Apprentice chart her relationship with Sherlock Holmes, will welcome this collection, which includes extracts from the novels, short stories, and the diary that Mary kept as a teen during WWI. Readers will learn about Mary's wily Uncle Jake, Holmes's marriage proposal, the couple's eccentric wedding, and Mycroft Holmes's political activities. The one selection original to this volume, "Stately Holmes," is a Christmas tale, complete with a gaggle of children. The heart of the book, however, is Mary's wartime diary, punctuated by headlines announcing war casualties and zeppelin attacks and interspersed with Mary's not always kind assessment of the periodical installments of The Valley of Fear, the last Holmes novel. The text is richly illustrated with period photos. Admirers of Mary Russell will be pleased with what amounts to an autobiography of her early years, but those expecting the "suspense" promised in the subtitle may feel misled. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
