the beekeeper's apprentice, or on the segregation of the queen: mary russell and sherlock holmes, book 1  <p><i>this program includes a preface read by the author. </i></p> <p>from <i>new york times</i> best-selling author laurie r. king comes the book that introduced us to the ingenious mary russell - sherlock holmes mysteries. </p> <p>in 1915, sherlock holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the sussex downs. fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young mary russell displays an intellect to impress even sherlock holmes - and match him wit for wit. under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern 20th-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the victorian detective. </p> <p>in their first case together, they must track down a kidnapped american senator's daughter and confront a truly cunning adversary: a bomber who has set trip wires for the sleuths and who will stop at nothing to end their partnership. </p> <p>full of brilliant deductions, disguises, and dangers, this first book of the mary russell - sherlock holmes mysteries is "wonderfully original and entertaining...absorbing from beginning to end." (<i>booklist</i>). named "one of the century's best 100 mysteries" by the independent mystery booksellers association.</p>