Part of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, book 3
First published 2001
In 1923, Mary Russell and her partner Sherlock Holmes receive an unexpected visitor at their Sussex home. Dorothy Ruskin, who spends her time digging up ancient artifacts, arrives with extraordinary news. She carries a piece of old writing that she believes came from Mary Magdalene herself. The fragment could reshape how people understand early Christianity. Russell and Holmes examine the mysterious text, but before they can determine its authenticity, tragedy strikes. Someone kills Dorothy Ruskin. The detective duo must uncover why anyone would murder an amateur archaeologist. Was the killer after the ancient fragment? Did Dorothy discover something that threatened powerful interests? Russell and Holmes navigate religious politics and academic rivalries as they hunt for answers. The investigation forces them to question what they know about faith, history, and the dangerous power of ancient secrets.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, archaeology, detective, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, historical-investigation, partner-dynamics
Setting: Sussex
Period: 1923
339 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins