Mary Russell's War - (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes) by Laurie R King (Paperback)

About the Book

A "short story collection that illuminates many hidden corners of the ... Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. Since the first book-length 'memoir' appeared in 1994, [the series] has excited a community of readers, young and old. With this collection, nine previously published short stories and one never-before-seen Sherlock Holmes mystery are brought together for the first time"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

Before the cases. Before the fame. Before she met Sherlock Holmes--Mary Russell was already extraordinary.

Mary Russell's War invites readers behind the scenes of Laurie R. King's bestselling historical mystery series in a deeply moving collection of untold stories, emotional revelations, and sharp surprises. From the trenches of World War I to the quiet reckonings of old age, these narratives--including a never-before-published Sherlock Holmes mystery--reveal the hidden depths of one of literature's most beloved sleuths.

From a wartime diary chronicling Mary's fierce adolescence to Holmes's own perspective on their fateful meeting, these tales spotlight Mrs. Hudson's hidden past, Uncle Jake's high-stakes secrets, and Russell's poignant reflections at ninety-two--crafting a vivid, emotionally layered journey through love, loss, and legacy for first-time readers and lifelong fans alike.

Perfect for lovers of historical mysteries, literary sleuths, and character-driven fiction, Mary Russell's War is more than a short story collection--it's a testament to resilience, memory, and the enduring power of story.

Praise for Mary Russell's War:

"The great marvel of King's series is that she's managed to preserve the integrity of Holmes's character and yet somehow conjure up a woman astute, edgy, and compelling enough to be the partner of his mind as well as his heart." -- The Washington Post Book World

"Erudite, fascinating . . . by all odds the most successful re-creation of the famous inhabitant of 221B Baker Street ever attempted." -- Houston Chronicle

Review Quotes

Fans of King's Mary Russell novels, which starting with 1994's The Beekeeper's Apprentice chart her relationship with Sherlock Holmes, will welcome this collection, which includes extracts from the novels, short stories, and the diary that Mary kept as a teen during WWI. Readers will learn about Mary's wily Uncle Jake, Holmes's marriage proposal, the couple's eccentric wedding, and Mycroft Holmes's political activities....The heart of the book, however, is Mary's wartime diary, punctuated by headlines announcing war casualties and zeppelin attacks and interspersed with Mary's not always kind assessment of the periodical installments of The Valley of Fear, the last Holmes novel. The text is richly illustrated with period photos. Admirers of Mary Russell will be pleased with what amounts to an autobiography of her early years.
-- "Publishers Weekly"

Here King assembles previously published stories, half of them available only electronically until now, and a new one; together, the stories trace the relationship of this long-lived literary couple. Suspense is secondary to delight here as readers learn more of the activities of Russell and Holmes. A treat for the series' legion of fans.--Michele Leber "Booklist"

Laurie R. King's Mary Russell's War and Other Stories of Suspense is a welcome addition to what Mary Russell's fans call the Kanon: a collection of ten short stories that illuminate and explain some of the gaps in the history of Russell and Holmes.--Peter E. Blau "Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press"

Praise for Laurie R. King's Mary Russell mysteries:

"The great marvel of King's series is that she's managed to preserve the integrity of Holmes's character and yet somehow conjure up a woman astute, edgy, and compelling enough to be the partner of his mind as well as his heart." -The Washington Post Book World

"A lively adventure in the very best of intellectual company." -The New York Times on A Letter of Mary

"Erudite, fascinating . . . by all odds the most successful re-creation of the famous inhabitant of 221B Baker Street ever attempted." -Houston Chronicle

"An engaging romp guaranteed to please . . . perfectly written in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." -USA Today, on Pirate King

About the Author

Laurie R. King is the New York Times bestselling author of 25 novels and other works, including the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes stories (from The Beekeeper's Apprentice, named one of the 20th century's best crime novels by the IMBA, to 2016's The Murder of Mary Russell). She has won an alphabet of prizes from Agatha to Wolfe, been chosen as guest of honor at several crime conventions, and is probably the only writer to have both an Edgar and an honorary doctorate in theology. She was inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars in 2010, as "The Red Circle."