Review: Solid But Rushed Short Story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 22, 2014
I've been, in turns, enchanted and annoyed by Laurie R. King's series of suspense novels featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes for almost 15 years now. In "Beekeeping for Beginners," King goes back to the start of the series to show how the pair met but, instead of using Russell as the narrator as she usually does, the story is told from Holmes' point of view or through third party narration. While it's refreshing to see King has other tricks to start the plot besides an old friend of the pair contacting Russel and Holmes, this story seems awfully rushed. While it's supposed to be an introduction to the series, it probably speaks more to fans of the series than newcomers. Still, King is, as always, a fine craftswoman of sentences and she does a fine job with the characters here. Having said that, the pace is off and the ending seems a little anti-climatic. Recommended for fans of the series and for readers who enjoyed "The Beekeeper's Apprentice."