Has anybody read this? I just requested it so I haven't got it yet. I'm looking forward to reading it. This is the 1st in a series of Mary Russell detective books. not sure if each book stands alone or need to be read in order.

YES.  I love her books and this series is especially interesting because of the focus on Mary Russell..  You have to read them in order because as the books move along, so does Mary Russell grow up, etc.   And the mysteries build on one another.

 I am now into Jerusalem which is book 4 or something.  One of the only ones not in Large Print, but I am perservering (sp).  I am finding this perspective on Sherlock Holmes very interesting.  She writes more about his past and brother and now his life with a wife and I find it good reading.

Well I got the book in the mail a couple of days ago, but I am in the middle of another book at the moment. When I finish the other book I plan to start this one. I looked up the next few books in the series and I think I can get them here okay. I had book 3 on my shelf here about a year ago and sent it off to somebody who requested it before I knew much about the series.

I've read all of Laurie King's books, the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books and her other series as well.  This is my opinion about her books, first, love the Russell/Holmes books.   Second, her Russell character, I suspect, reflects King's own deep interest in religious history and brain numbing religious doctrine and sometimes the story line goes off in that direction.  Characters and story lines in some of her other books often do the same. Third, I usually find that King's books are often delightful reads but every once in a while she slides in a dud.  If you like her books, be patient with those one or two duds because usually the next book or the one after will once again be an enjoyable read.  

My son was assigned this book in middle school and I read and enjoyed it. Not sure why a middle school would think it would be interesting to an 11 year old but we got through it and got the summer reading assignment done.