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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780553574562
ISBN number: 0553574566
Label: Bantam
Manufacturer: Bantam
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 368
Printing Date: December 01, 1996
Publishing house: Bantam
Release Date: December 01, 1996
Sale Popularity Level: 39000
Studio: Bantam
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The dawn of 1921 finds Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes’s brilliant young apprentice, about to come into a considerable inheritance. Nevertheless, she still enjoys her nighttime prowls in disguise through London’s grimy streets, where one night she encounters an old friend, now a charity worker among the poor. Veronica
Beaconsfield introduces Russell to the New Temple of God, led by the enigmatic, electrifying Margery Childe. Part suffragette, part mystic, she lives quite well for a woman of God from supposedly humble origins.
Despite herself, Russell is drawn ever deeper into Childe’s circle. When Veronica has a near-fatal accident–and turns out to be the fourth bluestocking in the group to meet with misadventure after changing her will–Russell and Holmes launch a quiet investigation. But the Temple may bring the newly rich Russell far closer to heaven than she would like.…
Amazon.com:
In The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Laurie R. King came up with a completely original story that had Sherlock Holmes as one of its principal characters but was in no way part of the Holmes canon. The focus of that book was a young woman, Mary Russell. Now in A Monstrous Regiment of Women, Mary Russell's adventures as a student of the famous detective continue. A series of murders claims members of a strange suffrage organization's wealthy young female volunteers, and Mary, with Holmes in the background, investigates, little knowing what danger she personally faces.
Laurie R. King is also the author of the Edgar Award-winning novel A Grave Talent.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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This is the second book in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series. The very first book was a little slow but Mary was young. In this book, she's just recently turned 21 and graduated from Oxford. I still find it hard to believe that she is helping the great Sherlock Holmes. Ms. King has created a fascinating back story of how she obtained a trunk that had all of Mary Russell's diaries to document this series. I enjoyed the look at theology and Mary's exploration of the women's movement in London. The mystery part of the book was just ok. I didn't think that it was edited very tightly and would have like for it move a little more quickly. I didn't find this book keeping me on the edge of my seat. However, I did enjoy the exploration of a charming leader of a religious movement and how that person can get people to do different things. I also enjoyed the interactions between Sherlock Holmes and Mary. I'm not so sure about the romanance because of the 39 year age difference but maybe it could work. I would recommend this book to those looking to learn something while going about reading their mysteries. This series sheds a new light on Sherlock Holmes.
Rated by buyers 
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This is the thoroughly satisfying second book in King's Mary Russell series. Mary is Sherlock Holmes protege--a young orphan who lives the life of the mind much as Holmes does. She has now graduated from Oxford and is about to receive her considerable inheritance. In addition Holmes has created considerable tension into their relationship by suggesting that Mary will propose marriage.
Russell retreats from Holmes in confusion and absorbs herself in a mystery surrounding a charismatic female cult leader who seems to be the genuine article--a mystic with healing powers and a genuine mission to help women. Yet Mary connects mysterious deaths of rich women to this cult leader. Ultimately Holmes and Mary unite in a perilous pursuit of a malefactor.
King crafts an absorbing mystery with appealing characters and with considerable suspense. Despite the considerable age difference between Mary and Holmes, they are clearly soul-mates and could never be happy with anyone else. The ending is gratifying with the mystery solved and Russell and Holmes negotiating a satisfactory relationship based upon their sharp wit and passionate souls. Highly recommended!
Rated by buyers -
This followup to The Beekeeper's Apprentice was an enjoyable read and held my interest all the way through. It touches expertly on some very engrossing subjects, such as love between friends, and also explores the very dark elements of abduction and drug use. However the author seems to get bogged down in discusion of religious topics. Understandable, because King has a degree in theology and the topic definitely relates to the story, but it seemed to be a little too much in a "less is more" situation.
The climax of the story was also somewhat of a dissapointment; it had sort of a rushed-to-the-end feeling. The buildup to this was quite good, though, and if you loved the very first in the series, you will definitely enjoy this.
Rated by buyers -
I tried hard to enjoy A Monstrous Regiment of Women, and it actually wasn't so bad, but I kept having the feeling that the author was recreating for her characters, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, the scenes and sentiments of Dorothy L. Sayers's materpiece, Gaudy Night, also set in Oxford and London between the wars. If you like King's book, please try the original. It is much better written!
A note (referring to the original hardcover edition: This book is full of typos. The worst two that I found were a reference to "chairwomen" instead of "charwomen" and the assertion that Abigail Adams was born in 1774. I gather there wasn't an awful lot of proofreading going on when this one was in production ...
Rated by buyers -
Mary Russell is more or less on her own in this second adventure. At the ripe age of 21, Mary comes into her inheritance and through a friend, is introduced to the New Temple of God and its mystical leader, Margery Childe. Her feminism and theology fascinate Mary, but when a series of murders claim the lives of some of the Temple's wealthy young women, Mary begins to suspect something more is afoot. With Holmes' aid, Mary confronts a cunning and vicious killer. Nevertheless, the mystery plot is really secondary to story of Mary's coming of age after the events in King's superb Beekeepers' Apprentice. Mary must come to grips not only with her academic aspirations, but her relationship with Holmes. I can't help but be enthralled with King's smart writing and the unique voice of Mary Russell. But what I like most is that King knows when to make her heroine take charge, without making her an unrealistic action hero.
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