Many readers name the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series as one of their favourites of all time. From their atmospheric and absorbing historical settings to their memorable supporting characters, the books draw readers into the richly drawn world of England in the early 1900s.

Mary Russell and her apprenticeship and developing relationship with Sherlock Holmes are the focus of the series, and Laurie R. King expertly draws readers into the inner workings of the two clever and resourceful detectives.

Mary is willful, courageous, and an intellectual equal to Sherlock Holmes, and Sherlock, with his superior deductive reasoning, quirky mannerisms, and piercing intelligence, has all the characteristics that made him famous under Sir Conan Doyle’s pen.

Laurie puts her own unique spin on the Sherlock Holmes canon while capturing all its essential qualities. She weaves many references to Doyle’s stories that become integral to plotlines and sprinkles in other literary Easter eggs for eagle-eyed readers to enjoy.

Readers strongly recommend reading the series in order to get a proper introduction to Mary and Sherlock, especially Mary, who starts off in the series as a teenager and then ages. Within the series itself, The Language of Bees (Book 9) and The God of the Hive (Book 10) make up a two part story. There are also a number of short stories that don’t necessarily have to be read in sequence, but they follow a chronological order related to events in the books and may reveal spoilers. Most are collected in the volume Mary Russell’s War and Other Stories, which includes Mary’s Christmas (0.25), Mrs. Hudson’s Case (1.75), The Marriage of Mary Russell (2.5), and Beekeeping for Beginners (10.5), among others.