I purchased a copy of this book for my own personal enjoyment with no expectation of a review

 

This short follows the eccentric pair of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell as they endeavor to plan their wedding. We know they got married at the end of A Monstrous Regiment of Women. This story fills in the details lacking in that book.

 

Of course, nothing is ever simple with these two. Problem after problem crops up, from breaking the news to their closest friends, to gathering said friends, to finding a suitable venue. We learn the Holmes’ brothers have a family estate, and with it, a family chapel. However, getting to it requires delicate secrecy, and the possibility of being shot.

 

This story is not a mystery, as are the other books, but a delightful, vivid recounting of a rather more intimate interaction between the two. There’s humour to be found, amidst the serious, and we get a tiny glimpse into the Holmes brothers childhood. I was certainly left quite curious about their extended family and the currents of rivalry. And who knew Sherlock has such a sentimental side? These details added a whole new depth and dimension to everyone’s favourite consulting detective.

 

I devoured this book in just a couple of hours. I needed a quick read from a comfort author, and that Laurie King has quickly become. The characters are familiar, and the writing a delight to all the senses. A full immersion experience ever time.

 

I love the ever perceptive Mrs Hudson. My favourite part, though, was Mary saying she wished she’d met Sherlock when he was younger. His description of himself so fits the BBC’s Sherlock that I had to laugh out loud. I think Mary would throttle that Sherlock, several times a day. The Marriage of Mary Russell is a brilliant offering for fans of Russell’s memoirs, by way of Laurie R King.