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Type of bind: Kindle Edition
Format: Kindle Book
Label: Bantam
Manufacturer: Bantam
Page Count: 464
Printing Date: February 04, 2003
Publishing house: Bantam
Release Date: February 04, 2003
Sale Popularity Level: 8633
Studio: Bantam
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Product Description:
Only hours after Holmes and Russell return from solving one murky riddle on the moor, another knocks on their front door...literally. It’s a mystery that begins during the Great War, when Gabriel Hughenfort died amidst scandalous rumors that have haunted the family ever since. But it’s not until Holmes and Russell arrive at Justice Hall, a home of unearthly perfection set in a garden modeled on Paradise, that they fully understand the irony echoed in the family motto, Justicia fortitudo mea est:
A trail of ominous clues comprise a mystery that leads from an English hamlet to the city of Paris to the wild prairie of the New World. The trap is set, the game is afoot; but can Holmes and Russell catch an elusive killer--or has the murderer caught them?
From the Paperback edition.
Amazon.com Review:
A lost heir, murder most foul, and the unexpected return of two old friends start Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes--spouses and intellectual equals--on an investigation that takes them from the trenches of World War I France to the heights of English society. In this sixth entry in Laurie King's award-winning series, fans will find the Baker Street sleuth mellowed by age and marriage yet still in possession of his deductive abilities and acerbic wit, and, in Mary Russell, a surprisingly apt companion for the legendary detective.
Justice Hall brings back two colorful characters from earlier in the series: Bedouins Ali and Mahmoud Hazr (now known as Alistair and Marsh), who last appeared in O Jerusalem. At their request, Holmes and Russell take up the trail of the doomed heir to Justice Hall, who has been executed for cowardice in the bloody trenches of France. As the detectives strive to make sense of his death and to locate another heir to the family title, an endeavor is made on the life of the man who's soon to be welcomed as the new duke. Holmes and Russell soon realize something sinister is afoot, and that they must untangle a web of deceit to discover which of the many suspects is taking steps to shorten the line of inheritance. Once again, King's satisfying tale stays true to the spirit of Conan Doyle's original stories while extending them into new terrain. --Benjamin Reese
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Rated by buyers 
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Now I understand that this is fan fiction and that fan fiction is usually terrible. I know that public domain characters have to get picked up and kicked around by new writers on a regular basis. And sometimes that actually works as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1 can attest. Unfortunately most of the time, this experiment comes off like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen the movie.
I see that many readers are disappointed in the turn this series has taken. They felt that the very first few books did capture some of the essence of Sherlock Holmes and that the interplay between Holmes and Russell was a strength. Based on this book alone, I suspect those readers were on drugs when they read the original books.
Quite simply this book is wretched. It might have been a passable mystery if it was about another British couple solving mysteries that involve world travel, but I doubt even that qualifier. Mary Russell is simply too bland to sustain a novel. Of course, she's not much worse than your average protagonist in women detective fiction. She's not utterly awful.
Still when you are trying to turn Sherlock Holmes into Nick from Nick and Nora of The Thin Man, you probably should remember that you are dealing with the quirkiest character in detective fiction. At least TRY to get Sherlock Holmes to behave like the character that A.C. Doyle wrote in the very first place.
Sherlock Holmes doesn't detect in this book. He doesn't evaluate. Never does he pull the trick of saying everything about a person from one meeting. Sure, he's supposed to be married so I suppose the coke snorting has to go, but the plot revolves around Ali and Mahmoud, bedouins of a previous book, turning out to be Alaister and Maurice - British noblemen who were in disguise the entire time. Doesn't matter how long they were Ali and Mahmoud; no way would they have fooled the real Sherlock Holmes for 10 minutes much less the two months.
But the real deal killer comes on page 50 of the paperback. Mary looks up at a painting and makes an exclamation. Then what follows is this passage:
"Do you see it, Holmes?" I asked. He shook his head, admitting ignorance.
OH HELL NO. To make matters worse she's describing the painting as a scene out of the Bible, particularly Amos. Which is pretty common knowledge now. And was very much common knowledge then.
But the initial part where Holmes admits ignorance is the crime against the character. This is how I knew that she wasn't even concerned with writing a Holmes fan fiction. All she wanted to do was stick his name into a pedestrian mystery for the sake of a few more dollars; something that she couldn't accomplish with clever plotting or decent characterization.
From now on, the only way I am going to deal with any Sherlock Holmes fan fiction is if its in the modern era, he's a doctor, played by Hugh Laurie and his name is changed to House: Seasons 1 - 4 Collection.
Rated by buyers 
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If the Colonel's lady and Judy O'Grady are sisters under the skin, then it should come as no surprise to find that Mahmoud and Ali [from O Jerusalem, a much better book] are lord and lordling, duke and vassal, peers of the British realm. Except to me. Tailors from Brighton, yes, estate agents, perhaps, peers of the realm with centuries of history dripping dangerously from their fingertips, no. Despite all the hints in the last book that they are more than they seem. Well, they would have to be now wouldn't they? But right up there in Debrett's? Hmm....
I didn't find it a good fit. In addition, poor Mary allows her dire sense of the total inferiority of her shallow American roots to fluster. She begins to fret about her hems. Really. Further, Holmes hies himself oft and well, so that he's felt by his lack more than his presence. He is missed.
Additional addendum: if you are interested in a minute, square inch by square inch description of a 'great estate' [there is much ancestor worship in this book] and the attendant goings on, you will find this story to your liking. If not, you will find it short. Sadly, coincidence lays a particularly heavy hand here.
Rated by buyers 
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After having read all the books in the series I can honesty say that I enjoyed Justice Hall the most. Not only does King capture the relationship between Russell and Holmes well but she also captures life in England after WWI perfectly. As a history teacher I am always looking for great historical fiction and believe this novel really informs the reader about the class divisions and also way of life in England. I especially like the references to life prior to WWI and how the way changed not only the soldiers but the morals and values of society.
That aside this is a great novel which keeps the reader guessing. I read O Jerusalem prior to this and did not enjoy it at times, Justice Hall though has renewed my faith in King as an author.
Rated by buyers 
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There is much to like in "Justice Hall"--evocative descriptions of English landscape and English architecture, domestic and grand; an education on the country house shooting party; the curious overlay of transportation, ancient and contemporary, which marked the post WWI years; the brutal circumstances of trench warfare. But, as with all the Mary Russell novels, a willingness to suspend disbelief is essential--especially if you are a dyed-in-the-wool Sherlock Holmes fan. The plot and characters will otherwise spoil what is in many ways an enjoyable romp (except when King is on the "Shot at Dawn" soapbox, or the overabundant symbolism of the Hall and its beautifully painted dome). Ms. King does her best to instruct readers new to the series on past relationships, but this leads to rather too much backstory. Nevertheless, there is a lot of atmospheric fun to be had keeping Holmes and Russell company.
Rated by buyers -
Well-written, perfectly paced, absolutely enthralling! This book draws you in and keeps you absorbed in the mysteries of Justice Hall. What a terrific sequel to O Jerusalem. I've read every book in the Mary Russell series now, beginning at the end with Locked Rooms and then starting from the "real" beginning and moving forward, and this has truly been the gem of an entirely enjoyable series.
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