The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King

Author Laurie R. King gives her readers a wonderful spin on the traditional Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Her first of so far four in this series, involves the retired, somewhat bored, now beekeeping Holmes and fifteen-year-old Mary Russell, the young half American, half English girl with an intellect and curiosity to rival the renowned detective and who stumbles into his life to become first his friend, then his apprentice. 

The detail of what it’s like to live in England in the early 20th century made me feel like I was walking the hills and dales and to many other places to name with Sherlock and Mary. The plot is solid and captivating. The mystery has more than enough twists and turns to have kept me guessing who the culprit was to the end. The cast of characters the protagonists run into are quirky, funny, sometimes, scary and always believable. King’s writing is an example of masterful story telling. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale from the first page to the last. Even if you have never been a fan of the Holmes mysteries, I highly recommend you pick up this one and then run to get the next three.