Laurie R. King
3/5 stars
Teen-aged Mary Russell meets retired Sherlock Holmes outside of his farm in Sussex. He discovers that Russell (as he calls her) has a mind as sharp as his, and takes her as his unofficial apprentice over the next few years. This first in a series follows Russell's tutelage, the beginning of her Oxford career, and her first cases with Holmes, including a deadly game of living chess with a most skilled opponent.
This is an engaging book, but it reads like fan-fiction, with Russell as the quintessential Mary Sue.* I certainly don't mean to imply that I disliked this mystery; as a Holmes fangirl for more than three decades, I can appreciate the desire to write a novel like this. I did find it often unbelievable, Russell too perfect, and the final opponent over-the-top. On the other hand, King's depiction of Holmes was wonderful, her treatment of his original supporting cast quite good, and the budding relationship between Holmes and Russell irresistible. I reserve the right to appreciate this book as a near guilty pleasure, but look forward to the next one to see what develops.
*According to Wikipedia, a "Mary Sue" is " an idealized and seemingly perfect fictional character. Often, this character is recognized as an author insert or wish fulfillment."
