Part of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, book 12
First published 2012
Mary Russell opens her eyes in a strange Moroccan room with gaps in her memory and blood staining her hands. Soldiers hammer at the door. She has no idea who she is or how she arrived here. Russell escapes into the maze of streets, discovering she possesses unexpected skills in theft and stealth. She moves through alleys and across rooftops, dressed as a man, carrying only her intelligence and a paper scrap with Arabic writing. Warplanes fly overhead toward an unknown destination. Her husband Sherlock Holmes finds himself drawn into the escalating conflict between France, Spain, and the Rif Revolt. Two old friends and a family member pull him toward the war led by Emir Abd el-Krim. Holmes desperately needs his wife's intellect and bravery, but she has vanished. War threatens the ancient city of Fez. Holmes hunts for Russell while she searches for her lost identity. Both face dangerous puzzles that could destroy them, endanger Africa, and shatter European peace.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, mystery, thriller, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amnesia, lost-identity, missing-person
Setting: Fez, Morocco
Period: World War I
288 pages · Hardcover · Bantam