Search - A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell, Bk 2)

I thoroughly enjoyed this first of King's book that I have read. it won't be my last. It's intelligently written with likable characters in the setting of London in the early 20's. It features Sherlock Holmes and a much younger woman who is a love interest but she is studying at Oxford while learning the tricks of Holmes' trade.

Second in the "Sherlock Holmes finds a new life in retirement" series. Well writtn with an interesting premise.

Great "after-market" Sherlock Holmes series with a strong female character.

It is 1921 and Mary Russell has just turned 21 and come into her inheritance. She has not lost her taste for wandering London's streets in disguise the same way her mentor, Sherlock Holmes, still does. During one of her prowls she encounters her old Oxford classmate, Veronica Beaconsfield, who introduces her to the New Church of God and its founder, Margery Childe, a feminist who has political ambitions. Despite her unease, Mary finds herself drawn to Childe's good works for women and becomes involved in the movement. But when her friend almost dies in a suspicious accident, her investigations turn up several rich women who met similar, fatal misfortunes after leaving their money to the Church. Determined to uncover the truth, Russell uses her inheritance as bait to lure the perpetrator out, but finds herself in deeper water than she bargains for.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this second volume of the series moved along at a much brisker pace than the previous. Mary's character has come into her own and is no longer a mere shadow beside Holmes, and this bodes well for the rest of the series, which I look forward to eagerly

Laurie King has done it again. Her heroine Mary Russell, apprentice to Sherlock Holmes has come into a considerable inheritance in 1921. Still she enjoys her nightime prowls in disguise through London's grimy streets, where one night she encounters an curious combination of religion, mysticism and suffragette movements and murder. Russell and Holmes launch a quiet investigation, but soon Russell finds herself closer to heaven than she would like ...

"A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes."