Nov 04 2008
A Monstrous Regiment of Women
A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King is the second of the Mary Russell mystery series. Mary met Sherlock Holmes as an orphaned teenager, living under the care of her aunt until she reaches the age of her majority and comes into her inheritance at 21. This book picks up a while after the events in The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, which was the first book documenting Mary’s partnership with Holmes.
Mary is busy working on her final presentation for her degree at Oxford, where she studie theology. She is enjoying the holidays and anticipating her birthday on January 2nd, when she will finally be 21 and able to rid herself of her money-grubbing aunt’s guardianship. While in London, she meets her former schoolmate, Veronica Beaconsfield, and gets swept up in a mystery.
Veronica is part of Margery Childe’s inner circle; Childe is a women minister who is lobbying for women’s rights, healthcare, and equality under the law. While Mary sees the good that Childe’s various ministries are doing in the lives of women - particularly the poor - she is unsettled by the power Childe seems to hold over her followers. When Veronica is attacked, Mary is caught up in a web of money, power, drugs, and murder. And on top of solving the case, Mary has to wrestle with her feelings for Holmes, and discover the place he will hold in her life.
King’s mysteries are truly amazing, unlike any other mysteries I’ve read. (I have to admit, I’ve never read the original Sherlock Holmes fiction, but I just started Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes via DailyLit.) King managed to weave together the theology of women, age in relationships, drug addiction, and women’s rights into a story that had me hooked from page one. I can’t recommend this series highly enough. I just put the next book, A Letter of Mary on hold at the library, but someone else has it, and it’s not due till the 29th! 
5 out of 5 stars.
Glad to hear you enjoyed this one too! Have you read any of Laurie King’s other books? I highly recommend them as well.
Sorry, I meant her other books that are not part of this series!
Avisannschild - No, I haven’t, but I will definitely be checking them out now!
I’ve heard of this series a lot. I’m almost positive I would like it but I still haven’t took the plunge and gotten them.
Ya know, I read this years & wanted to continue with this series, as I really enjoyed this one, but I never picked up another by her; thanks for the reminder!
(Oh, and I’m also in the middle of reading Conan Doyle’s “Adventures of SH”, as well)
Have a wonderful weekend
Oooo! I read The Beekeeper’s Apprentice a couple of years ago and LOVED it! I wasn’t sure if any of the rest of the series would be as wonderful. Sounds like you enjoyed the sequel and now I’d just love to get my hands on a copy!
Thanks for the review.
I read a bunch of the Mary Russell novels and thought the first three were the best. I hope you agree about A Letter of Mary; it continues the fascinating blend of women’s rights, theology, and mystery.
Ladytink - take the plunge, they’re worth it!
Mo - I am really enjoying SH. Don’t know why I’ve never read him before.
Carrie, RtK - I haven’t read any of the others yet - still waiting on the library hold list for the next one - but the 2nd one is just as good.
Girl Detective - I am really looking forward to it. Our library only has one copy, so I’m on the hold list.
Re viagra cello….
Viagra. Viagra 6 free samples….