Part of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, book 1
First published 1994
Mary Russell meets a retired beekeeper on the Sussex Downs in 1914. The beekeeper turns out to be Sherlock Holmes himself. Despite his Victorian prejudices, Holmes recognizes Mary's sharp intellect and begins training her as his apprentice. The fifteen-year-old proves herself on small local mysteries before they tackle a larger investigation together. Mary develops her own detective skills under Holmes's guidance as their partnership deepens into friendship. Then danger strikes directly at them. A cunning enemy targets both Holmes and Mary, someone who seems to know their every move. The adversary proves murderous and elusive. Holmes and Mary must devise a trap to catch their foe, but their plan threatens to destroy the relationship they have built. Mary faces a choice between safety and the bond she has formed with the famous detective. This story follows a modern young woman learning to work alongside the embodiment of a bygone era.
Genres: 20th-century, adventure, british-literature, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Sussex Downs
Period: 1914
347 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin’s